How England Can Beat Rugby World Cup Final Four
England, Canada, New Zealand and France are ranked one to four in the world respectively

How England Can Beat Rugby World Cup Final Four

Rugby World Cup 2025: How England Can Beat the Final Four

Two games separate England’s Red Roses from Rugby World Cup glory, but navigating through France, Canada, or New Zealand won’t be easy. Each team in the final four poses a different threat — here’s how England can overcome them.

Semi-Final Opponents: France

Joanna Grisez streaked away for a breakaway score to break Irish hearts

Joanna Grisez streaked away for a breakaway score to break Irish hearts

First up, France stand between England and a spot in the final. While the Red Roses dismantled France 40-6 in their last warm-up game, that doesn’t tell the full story.

  • France lost narrowly (43-42) in the Six Nations.

  • They pulled off a gritty comeback win over Ireland (18-13) in the quarter-finals.

  • Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon-Sansus is one of the best in the world, capable of setting a high tempo.

  • Wingers Joanna Grisez and Kelly Arbey have caused England trouble before.

However, France’s forward pack was overpowered last time — five of England’s six tries in their recent clash came through the pack. Expect the Red Roses to use their set-piece dominance and driving maul as key weapons again.

Canada: Balanced, Smart, and Growing in Belief

Canada held a fundraising drive titled Mission: Win Rugby World Cup to cover the cost of their pre-tournament training camp

Canada held a fundraising drive titled Mission: Win Rugby World Cup to cover the cost of their pre-tournament training camp

Canada are England’s likeliest final opponents if the seeds hold — and they’re ranked just behind England in the world standings.

What makes Canada dangerous?

  • They beat New Zealand for the first time ever in 2023 and drew with them this year.

  • Nearly half their squad plays in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR).

  • Captain Sophie De Goede is a generational talent: a leader, goal-kicker, and playmaker.

Tactically, Canada are all-court players — backs like Julia Schell and Asia Hogan-Rochester bring width and pace, while forwards offer power and coordination.

Their weakness? Killer instinct. Head coach Kevin Rouet criticized them for being “too Canadian” — too polite to finish games off.

England can target the ruck — as Scotland did — and disrupt Canada’s attacking flow near the fringes.

New Zealand: The Black Ferns’ Aura and Attack

New Zealand have won six of the seven Women's Rugby World Cup semi-finals they have contested

New Zealand have won six of the seven Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals they have contested

You can’t talk about women’s rugby without acknowledging New Zealand’s dominance:

  • 6-time World Cup champions

  • Defeated England in every final the teams have contested

  • Blend of experience and youth: Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Ruahei Demant, Braxton Sorensen-McGee

Their game is fluid, fast, and fearless.

But they’ve shown slow starts and defensive lapses:

  • Japan scored early against them by exploiting their narrow defence

  • South Africa’s driving mauls gave them trouble in the quarters

England’s forwards could dominate early if they bring physicality, disrupt rhythm, and force the Black Ferns to play from behind.

England’s Winning Formula

To overcome these opponents and lift the trophy, England must:

  • Assert dominance in the forwards — mauls, scrums, and breakdowns

  • Control the tempo — slow down Canada and France; frustrate New Zealand early

  • Be clinical — make every visit to the 22 count

  • Stay disciplined — avoid feeding momentum to opponents through penalties

Coach John Mitchell knows how to win tournaments. The Red Roses are unbeaten so far — but now, they must prove they can handle the heat of knockout rugby.

Final Word

The path is tough, but England have the pack, power, and preparation to beat any team in the final four. If they execute their game plan and remain calm under pressure, Rugby World Cup glory is within reach.

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