The Thrilling Final: Maple Leaves vs. Red Roses

therookiereporters
Sep 28, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Jan 2

As we reached the peak of this prestigious tournament, the excitement was palpable. The finals match between the Maple Leaves and the Red Roses delivered a spectacular display of talent and determination. Let’s dive into the highlights of this unforgettable encounter.

(Image Credit to @rugbyworldcup on Instagram)

First Half Highlights

(Image Credit to @rugbycanada on Instagram)

Canada entered the final with an impressive average of four tries in each first half of their World Cup matches. The Red Roses faced a tough challenge. Early in the game, Canada struggled with lost passes. A missed lineout from England allowed Hogan-Rochester to score within the first five minutes. However, De Geode’s conversion hit the post, denying a seven-point lead.

Just two minutes later, Ellie Kildunne sprinted to the try line, evading Canadian defenders. Harrison successfully converted, putting England ahead. An amazing break from England nearly resulted in another try, but a knock-on thwarted their efforts. The Red Roses maintained pressure, and a strong maul led to a try from Cokayne, followed by another successful conversion.

Abby Dow’s impressive foot chase gave England an advantage, leading to an offside from Canada. This resulted in a scrum, but Canada stood up, granting another advantage to England. A TMO review for a potential try was held up, denying Breach a score. An offside from Canada provided another scrum opportunity, but Canada again stood up, giving England the upper hand.

Alex Matthews scored the third try after a successful English scrum, with Zoe converting flawlessly. A mistake from England allowed the Maple Leaves to gain ground, but Kildunne marked the ball after catching a kick. Following a penalty for Canada, De Goede scored three points. Hannah Botterman showcased her skills by stealing the ball, leading to an English lineout. Cokayne scored her second try in a maul, but a TMO review resulted in an obstruction call, rewarding Canada with a penalty. Botterman continued to shine at the breakdowns, stealing the ball once more. As the first half concluded, the scoreboard read: 8-21.

Second Half Action

The second half continued the thrilling pace set in the first. A phenomenal kick from Tessier gave Canada a lineout, but it was stolen by Ward, who kicked it into Canada’s half. Cokayne’s steal after Canada’s lineout led to a speedy run from Kildunne, resulting in another English lineout. A miscommunication from the Maple Leaves caused a messy recovery attempt, giving England another lineout opportunity.

After several phases pushing towards Canada’s try line, England was awarded a scrum in front of the goal after taking out a player. Bristol’s Abby Ward scored England's fourth try, extending their lead to 8-26. Although Zoe Harrison missed the conversion, her overall performance was commendable.

Hannah Botterman received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Paquin. Hogan-Rochester showcased her speed, scoring her second try, but Sophie missed the conversion. Apps made a fantastic run and kick, resulting in Kildunne marking the ball again. With Botterman back on the pitch, England dominated with a massive scrum win, pushing down the Maple Leaves. Matthews scored again at 68 minutes, capitalizing on Kildunne’s spiral kick, while Harrison added to England’s lead, making it 13-33.

Canada's desperation to score became evident as they struggled with scrappy play. After 12 phases of hard work, they tired and lost possession of the ball in the backfield.

Sadia Kabeya was named the Mastercard Player of the Match. With time running out, the Red Roses expertly managed the clock, securing their well-deserved victory and becoming champions after facing defeats in their last two finals.