(L - R): Ellie Kildunne, Lucy Parker, Sadia Kabeya, Maddie Feaunati and Morwenna Talling with the trophy after England beat Canada 33-13 in the Final Rugby World Cup Match at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. Image provided by Alamy.
England produced a blistering performance to brush aside Canada 33-13 to win the Rugby World Cup.
Played at Twickenham in front of a record crowd of 81,885 fans, the Red Roses dominated from the first whistle to lift the trophy for the first time since 2014.
The squad, featuring Loughborough-linked players Emily Scarratt, Sadia Kabeya, Lilli Ives Campion, Helena Rowland, Lark Atkin-Davies, Abi Burton, and Morwenna Talling, contributed to an almost flawless display in both attack and defence.
In an absorbing 80 minutes, England ran in five tries to Canada’s two to cap a wonderful tournament for the hosts on home soil.
Current student Sadia Kabeya was named player-of-the-match following a sublime defensive performance that included big carries and a mammoth 21 tackles.
Sarah Hunter, the Loughborough University alumna, recent honorary graduate, and former England captain, was also in the dugout to oversee England’s emphatic victory.
Canada’s Courtney O'Donnell, a former Lightning Rugby player, will also receive a runners-up medal.
Speaking to the media post-game, Kabeya said: “It’s amazing. I want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone that came out today…we’re so grateful. It’s a pinch me moment and it’s been years in the making, I’m glad we could pull it off.
“We’ve been working hard and did all the right things today and that showed in our game.”
Professor Jo Maher, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Sport at Loughborough University, said: “We are incredibly proud of everyone involved in England’s momentous World Cup victory.
“The tournament closed out a wonderful summer for women’s sport and to have so many Loughborough-linked athletes, coaches, and support staff involved is brilliant to see.
“We look forward to the continued growth in this space as we collectively continue to drive forward the women in sport agenda through sector-leading research and the very best of performance sport.”
Notes for editors
Press release reference number: 25/136
About Loughborough University
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2025 QS World University Rankings – the ninth year running.
Loughborough has been ranked seventh in the Complete University Guide 2026 – out of 130 institutions.
This milestone marks a decade in the top ten for Loughborough – a feat shared only by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, St Andrews, Durham and Imperial.
Loughborough was also named University of the Year for Sport in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 - the fourth time it has been awarded the prestigious title.
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education.
The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
