A clash of titans awaits in the 2025 Rugby World Cup final as England prepares to face Canada, spearheaded by the formidable Emily De Goede. Nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year after just eight appearances this year,De Goede’s return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in June 2024 has ignited Canada’s campaign.
The 26-year-old goal-kicking forward has consistently delivered standout performances, earning player-of-the-match honors in both the pool-stage victory over Wales – where she made 20 carries for 108 metres gained – and the quarter-final triumph against Australia. She has also crossed the try line in both knockout matches and leads the tournament with 21 prosperous kicks at goal,placing a premium on england’s discipline.
England will need to disrupt De Goede’s influence, a task that falls, in part, to second row Morwenna Talling. While De Goede lines up in the back row for Saracens in the Premiership Women’s Rugby league, she isn’t a conventional lock like Talling, whose physicality has become integral to the England pack.
Talling, 23, currently ranks second in the tournament’s tackle statistics with 67, and her consistent, frequently enough unsung, work was recognized with a quarter-final try and a player-of-the-match performance against Scotland. Her advancement under current leadership has also enabled captain Zoe Aldcroft to transition from the second row to blind-side flanker, adding versatility to the England lineup.
“Her all-round game is through the roof. She has a phenomenal skill-set and is world class,” former Wales international Siwan Lillicrap told BBC Sport, speaking of De Goede’s impact.
A key battleground will be the mauls, where Talling’s strength could be crucial in neutralizing De Goede’s energy and disrupting Canada’s attacking platform. england’s ability to contain De Goede’s dynamism will be paramount to their chances of lifting the World Cup trophy.
