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Rugby’s Moments of the Week: Red Roses take headlines with World Cup win

by
Charlie Elliott
29 September 2025

It was a weekend to remember in the world of rugby—one that reminded us why the sport stirs such deep emotion.

At Twickenham, in front of a record-breaking crowd, England‘s Red Roses finally claimed the Women’s Rugby World Cup, delivering a performance full of heart, power, and redemption.

The win ended years of heartbreak and sparked joyous scenes that echoed far beyond the stadium.

Elsewhere, stories of resilience, renewal, and surprise played out—from dramatic league openers to historic milestones on the road to 2027. But above all, this was England’s moment—one that will live long in rugby’s collective memory.

England win World Cup

England delivered a powerful, composed performance to beat Canada at Twickenham and claim their third Women’s Rugby World Cup title.

In front of a record-breaking crowd of 81,885, the Red Roses shook off past heartbreak—after losing two straight finals to New Zealand—and stamped their dominance with hard-hitting defence and strength up front.

Despite conceding early, Ellie Kildunne’s stunning solo try sparked England into life. Amy Cokayne, Alex Matthews (twice), and Abbie Ward all crossed as England steadily pulled away.

Canada, who had stunned New Zealand in the semis and rallied significant support through their “Mission: Win” campaign, fought bravely but couldn’t match England’s precision.

The win extends England’s unbeaten run to 33 games and caps a standout year for women’s sport following the Lionesses’ Euros triumph.

Rugby Championship drama

South Africa lit up Durban with a commanding 67-30 win over Argentina to move top of the Rugby Championship.

The star of the show was 22-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who broke the Springboks’ all-time Test points record, scoring 37 points with a hat-trick, eight conversions and two penalties.

His sensational display led a second-half surge after a close first half saw the Boks up just 25-23. The hosts ran in nine tries, including scores from Cheslin Kolbe, Malcolm Marx, and two from Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Argentina had their moments, including a penalty try and a bizarre score from Santiago Chocobares, who capitalised on a confused South African restart.

Over in Auckland, the All Blacks edged Australia 33-24 to retain the Bledisloe Cup, extending the Wallabies’ drought since 2003.

Cam Roigard made a memorable return from injury, scoring twice, while Caleb Clarke and Leroy Carter also crossed. Despite a spirited Aussie comeback, New Zealand held firm.

With one round left, the title race is on with South Africa and New Zealand both eyeing the crown in what’s shaping up to be a thrilling finish.

Chile reach World Cup

Chile have officially booked their spot at Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, following a historic 31-12 win over Samoa in Vina del Mar. After a thrilling 32-32 draw in the first leg held in Salt Lake City, the second match became a winner-takes-all clash—and Los Condores delivered in style.

This will be Chile’s second Rugby World Cup appearance, after making their debut in 2023.

Their qualification journey began in 2024, with dominant wins over Paraguay and Brazil, before a fierce two-leg battle with Uruguay.

Although they lost out on aggregate, Chile’s away win in Montevideo ended a 54-year drought against Los Teros.

Now, Chile will return to the world stage in 2027, chasing their first-ever Rugby World Cup victory.

Prem begins

The new Premiership season kicked off with fireworks—literally in Newcastle—where Red Bull’s rebranded Red Bulls made a lively start but fell 39-17 to Saracens.

Sale edged past Gloucester 27-10 thanks to a standout debut try from hooker Nathan Jibulu, while Bath launched their title defence with a thrilling 47-31 comeback at Harlequins, despite Will Evans’ first-half hat-trick.

At Ashton Gate, Bristol Bears marked Fitz Harding’s 100th appearance with a 42-24 bonus-point win over Leicester, helped by new signing Louis Rees-Zammit’s late solo try.

Northampton and Exeter played out a dramatic 33-33 draw—Saints led 33-7 at half-time before Exeter stormed back with four second-half tries.

With plenty of tries, new faces impressing, and comebacks galore, the season has started with serious intent.

URC champions rocked

Defending URC champions Leinster endured a nightmare start to their 2025/26 campaign, suffering a humbling 35-0 defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town.

Despite both sides missing key international stars, the Stormers dominated, especially after the break, running in four second-half tries to seal a bonus-point win.

Jurie Matthee orchestrated the rout with 20 points, including a try, three conversions, and three penalties. Leinster showed grit in the first half, trailing just 6-0 at the break, but their discipline crumbled—two yellow cards and repeated penalties allowed the Stormers to take full control.

It’s Leinster’s second heavy defeat at DHL Stadium in six months, highlighting a worrying trend away from home. Leo Cullen’s side will need a big response next week against the Bulls.