As the final whistle blows on 2025, a dramatic and action-packed rugby union year draws to a close. From historic World Cup triumphs to thrilling Lions tours and continued Southern Hemisphere supremacy, the past twelve months have delivered unforgettable drama on and off the pitch.
A Year of Triumph and Transformation
The sporting landscape was irrevocably altered by the biggest Women's Rugby World Cup in history. England's Red Roses, playing on home soil, secured a deserved victory in front of a sold-out Twickenham crowd. Their opponents in the final, Canada, emerged as one of the stories of the tournament, defying expectations with a spirited campaign.
In the men's game, the British and Irish Lions clinched a 2-1 series win over Australia in a fiercely contested tour. Meanwhile, South Africa's Springboks reinforced their status as the world's premier side by adding another Rugby Championship title to their collection, leaving rivals to ponder how to stop their charge for a third consecutive World Cup in 2027.
The club game also flourished. Toulouse claimed the Top 14, Bordeaux-Begles edged Northampton in a thrilling Champions Cup final, and Bath secured a memorable treble. Leinster bounced back to win the URC and the Crusaders reclaimed the Super Rugby crown.
2025 Award Winners and Standout Performances
Our Game of the Year was the Lions' dramatic second Test victory over Australia at a raucous MCG, sealed by an 80th-minute Hugo Keenan try. The Moment of the Year, however, belonged to the Red Roses, whose arrival at a heaving Twickenham for the World Cup final created an electric atmosphere unlike any other.
Individual honours were fiercely contested. Canada's inspirational lock Sophie de Goede is our Women's Player of the Year, having returned from an ACL tear to dominate at the World Cup. For the men, Louis Bielle-Biarrey gets the nod after starring in France's Six Nations triumph and Bordeaux's Champions Cup success, edging out stellar competition from the likes of Malcolm Marx and Ardie Savea.
John Mitchell, the unbeaten England head coach, is named Coach of the Year for guiding the Red Roses to World Cup glory and freeing them to play expressive rugby.
Teams of the Year and Hopes for 2026
Our select XVs reflect the year's top performers. The men's team is dominated by Springboks, featuring Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit, alongside stars like Maro Itoje and Bielle-Biarrey. The women's side includes World Cup winners Hannah Botterman, Meg Jones and Ellie Kildunne, plus Canada's outstanding Sophie de Goede and Alex Tessier.
Looking ahead, all eyes will be on the inaugural Nations Championship in 2026, promising a new format for autumn and summer Tests. Key hopes for the new year include South Africa continuing to evolve positively, a clearer process for match officials after a confusing November, and much-needed good news for Welsh rugby as it seeks a path to recovery.
One to watch is New Zealand's teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee, whose emergence was a highlight of the Black Ferns' World Cup, signalling a bright future if the nation invests fully in its women's programme.
