Zoe Aldcroft, the England captain, described winning the Rugby World Cup as 'what dreams are made of' after leading the Red Roses to a 33-13 victory over Canada at a sold-out Twickenham. The win extended England's unbeaten run to 33 matches, with their last loss coming against New Zealand in the 2022 World Cup final.
Speaking after the match, Aldcroft 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.' The Gloucester-Hartpury co-captain, appointed skipper in January, praised the team's discipline and the record crowd of 81,885, calling it 'a chance to redefine women’s rugby'.
When asked if the victory cemented the Red Roses as the greatest team in women's rugby history, Aldcroft replied: 'It definitely feels like that. We have had 33 wins in a row, we have finally put the cherry on top of the cake with winning the World Cup.'
Head coach John Mitchell, who took over in 2023 after England fell short in the previous two World Cups, 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.'
The Red Roses will celebrate their win at Battersea Power Station on Sunday, while the domestic league season begins on 24 October. Mitchell added: 'This is just the start. If this is the start, look out what the future is going to look like.'
