England captain Zoe Aldcroft has described winning the Rugby World Cup as “what dreams are made of” after the Red Roses defeated Canada 33-13 in front of a record crowd of 81,885 at Twickenham. The victory capped a dominant period for the team, who have now won 33 consecutive matches, their last loss coming against New Zealand in the 2022 World Cup final.
Aldcroft, who was appointed skipper in January, said: “Honestly it is unbelievable. It is literally what dreams are made of. We have so much belief in this group, we have built something so special over the last three years and today was about sticking to our processes and believing in ourselves.” She added that playing in front of such a large crowd was “next level” and a chance to “redefine women’s rugby”.
Head coach John Mitchell, who took over in 2023, described the triumph as among his best achievements in nearly 30 years of coaching. “It’s big. To be part of a winning World Cup side is huge,” he said. “Being part of bringing closure to a World Cup is very fulfilling.” Mitchell also said the victory was “just the start” for women’s rugby in England, with the atmosphere at Twickenham pointing to a bright future.
The Red Roses will celebrate their win with an event at Battersea Power Station on Sunday, while the domestic league season begins on 24 October.
