A transformative Women’s Rugby World Cup is at an end with England triumphant on home soil in front of a record crowd for the final.
Nearly 82,000 people watched the Red Roses beat Canada 33-13 at a sold-out Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, providing a fitting finish to a tournament that has broken new ground for the women’s game.
The Canadians were honourable runners-up after a fine campaign and standout semi-final performance to knock off defending champions New Zealand, while nations like Samoa and Brazil enjoyed their moments in the sun in the pool stages.
While England are setting a pace that others are fighting to follow, there have been individual standouts across all 16 teams at the World Cup – even if more close contests will be desired in future.
Here are our picks for 15 individual standouts to make up a team of the tournament:
Loosehead prop: Hannah Botterman, England
Her tip tackle on Karen Paquin in the final threatened does not take the shine off the work the prop had done both in the decider and throughout this World Cup. Botterman began the campaign by declaring her desire to be undoubtedly the best loosehead in the world, a position she justified with her scrum strength, breakdown brilliance and thumping involvements in the loose.
Hooker: Amy Cokayne, England
A hat-trick scorer in the last final, one maul score in a successful effort would have tasted far sweeter for Cokayne. England’s driving lineout was a fearsome weapon throughout.
Tighthead prop: DaLeaka Menin, Canada
For so long a pillar of PWR consistency, Menin has finally got some of the flowers she has long merited from a wider audience at this tournament. Rock-solid at the set-piece, Menin is the very definition of a modern prop with her capacity to carry and handle at the line. England’s Maud Muir runs her very close, mind, with Menin under pressure in the final.
Lock: Sophie de Goede, Canada
Simply put, the best player on the planet. Canada have found new ways of weaponizing De Goede, maximising her carries by letting others take care of some of the graft, but her ability to command a lineout and from the tee were just as vital as her work in the loose.
Lock: Morwenna Talling, England
Rather less flashy than her second row partner in this team of the tournament, Talling had a coming-of-age campaign. A proper gainline thumper in attack and defence, her work-rate is outstanding.
Blindside flanker: Jorja Miller, New Zealand
A freak, in the best possible sense. Outrageously athletic and beginning to master the more underhand aspects of a flanker game, even in her first year in Test rugby. The reigning World Sevens Player of the Year is already a 15-a-side superstar – and we squeeze her in on the blindside courtesy of an outing in the No 6 jersey in the pool stages, with Miller playing a hybrid role anyway.
Openside flanker: Sadia Kabeya, England
Impossible to leave out after a tour de force in the final. The World Cup’s top tackler who chopped savagely with an axe throughout. Increasingly prominent as a carrier in attack, too.
No 8: Alex Matthews, England
Aseza Hele powered much of what was good about South Africa on their breakthrough run to the quarter-finals, Kaipo Olsen-Baker was one of the Black Ferns’ best and Fabiola Forteza gave Canada plenty of go-forward. But top of the class, still, among No 8s is Matthews, as consistent as they come and leading England impressively in the absence of Zoe Aldcroft against Australia.
Scrum half: Justine Pelletier, Canada
Pauline Bourdon Sansus remains one of France’s best but Pelletier was the key cog that kept the Canada clock ticking. Such a superb fit in the Canadian system with her ability to threaten the fringes and bring her forwards around the corner.
Fly half: Libbie Janse van Rensburg, South Africa
Huge kudos to Zoe Harrison, who steered England’s ship impressively throughout, but let’s give some love to first-time quarter finalists South Africa and Janse van Rensburg. The 31-year-old controlled the first half of the Black Ferns clash very nicely to give the world champions a scare and an outrageous dummy switch and dance through a gap set up Nadine Roos for a brilliant try against Italy.
Left wing: Francesca McGhie, Scotland
Asia Hogan-Rochester is a star in the making and very nearly snares this spot with her two tries for Canada in the final, yet McGhie’s blazing speed unlocked new dimensions for her side at a challenging yet rewarding tournament. It was she who helped ensure Scotland signed off with a try, a brilliant break in the final moments against England setting up Rhona Lloyd to finish on the opposite wing, providing a lovely moment of unity at the end of a difficult day.
Inside centre: Alex Tessier, Canada
Captain and oasis of calm in the Canada midfield, Tessier has a real air of quiet authority about her. The Quebecois is an impressive communicator in two languages. Sylvia Brunt went well for New Zealand.
Outside centre: Meg Jones, England
The emotional heartbeat of the England side throughout the campaign after the toughest of years. As complete a centre as you will find, making eight dominant tackles through the World Cup and jackalling like a flanker to show the benefits of her long sevens education. Florence Symonds, another convert from the shorter format, was a real find for Canada in the No 13 shirt.
Right wing: Braxton Sorensen-McGee, New Zealand
A teenage phenom, gloriously gifted as an athlete and with a maturity beyond her years. Only 18 and yet perhaps the most rounded wing at the tournament – her capacity as a kicker only adds to her frightening footwork in space.
Full-back: Ellie Kildunne, England
The truth is that, until the semi-final against France, Kildunne had not yet really lit up the tournament in the way she seemed destined to. That all changed, of course, in a few flashes of her brand new sparkling white boots – three spectacular finishes in the final two rounds showed just why she has become the sport’s postergirl.
