Now just mere days away from kick-off, the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is shaping up to be a watershed moment for the sport.

Predicted to smash all previous attendance and viewership records including an opening match that is due to have more than 40,000 in attendance. The sport’s global showpiece competition will be contested by the very best athletes the sport has to offer.

Among these athletes, some names stand out above the rest, below are ten players we at FloRugby are most excited to watch at this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Ilona Maher – USA Eagles

Ilona Maher has become one of the most recognizable faces in rugby, not just for her play, but for the way she’s reshaped how the sport connects with fans. Born in Burlington, Vermont, in 1996, Maher first picked up a rugby ball at 17 after years of basketball and softball. She quickly excelled, winning three collegiate championships at Quinnipiac University and the 2017 MA Sorensen Award as the top U.S. women’s rugby player.

Maher made her USA Rugby Sevens debut in 2018 and has since become a two-time Olympian. She starred at the Paris 2024 Games, scoring in every group-stage match and helping the Eagles claim a historic bronze medal. Off the pitch, her funny, authentic TikTok and Instagram content turned her into rugby’s most-followed player worldwide, with millions engaging in her body positivity and women’s sports advocacy.

In late 2024 she signed with the Bristol Bears, returning to the XVs format ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England. Her debut drew a record crowd of over 9,000 fans, a testament to her global pull. A viral star, an Olympic medallist, and a new face of the women’s game, Maher is proving that rugby’s next era may be built as much online as it is on the field and will be looking to play a key role as the Eagles chase a first World Cup title.

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe – New Zealand Black Ferns

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has carved out one of the most decorated careers in women’s rugby history, redefining what dominance looks like in both sevens and XVs. Born in Kawakawa in 1991 to a family steeped in sporting pedigree her father and uncle were All Blacks, her aunt a Silver Fern Woodman combined natural speed from athletics with the footwork of netball before finding her true home on the rugby field.

She exploded onto the scene in 2012 after answering New Zealand Rugby’s “Go for Gold” talent call, and within a year was the top try-scorer at the Rugby World Cup Sevens. From there she became the face of a new era. A silver medallist in Rio 2016, she helped power the Black Ferns Sevens to Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 before retiring from the short form. Along the way she became the first woman to score 200 and then 250 tries in the World Series.

In XVs, her legend grew even further. A World Cup winner in 2017, she returned in 2025 to become New Zealand’s all-time leading women’s try-scorer. Twice named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year and honoured as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Woodman-Wickliffe stands as rugby’s ultimate game-changer: fast, fearless, and unforgettable.

Aofie Wafer – Ireland

At just 22, Aoife Wafer has already become the heartbeat of Irish women’s rugby. Born in Ballygarrett, County Wexford, Wafer first picked up a ball at six, playing with the boys at Gorey RFC before moving into the girls’ game and ultimately finding her place in the back row. That early fearlessness now defines her international career.

Wafer made her Ireland debut in the 2022 Six Nations, but injuries stalled her progress until 2023. By 2024 she was a starter, scoring against France and powering Ireland to third place in the Six Nations, enough to book a spot at the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Her ball-carrying and defensive work earned her Ireland’s Player of the Tournament and a place in the 2024 World Dream Team. Later that year she scored twice in a stunning win over New Zealand at the WXV1 tournament.

The momentum rolled into 2025, where Wafer became the first Irish woman ever to be named Six Nations Player of the Championship. Her performances secured a move to Harlequins in Premiership Women’s Rugby, where she’ll test herself against the world’s best week in, week out.

Injury clouds her World Cup buildup, but one thing is certain: when Wafer plays, Ireland look like contenders again.

Alex Tessier – Canada

Alexandra “Tess” Tessier may have found rugby late, but she has become the steady hand guiding Canada’s rise back to the top of the women’s game. Born in Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Quebec, Tessier was 17 when a friend dragged her to a rugby practice in Montreal. A lifelong basketball player, she was hooked immediately. Within just a few years she was representing Canada at U20s and, by 2015, wearing the maple leaf against the Black Ferns.

Versatile across fly-half, centre, and fullback, Tessier brings composure and vision to every backline she commands. She has played in two World Cups (2017, 2021) and was central to Canada’s semifinal run in New Zealand, scoring in the quarterfinal against the USA. In 2024, she earned her 50th cap and played every match of a historic season, helping Canada defeat New Zealand for the first time and climbing to second in the world rankings. That year, she was shortlisted for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year.

Now captain for the 2025 Rugby World Cup, Tessier leads a Canadian side brimming with belief. A professional with Exeter Chiefs in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby, she embodies “organized chaos”—skilled, adaptable, and unshakably calm under pressure.

Ellie Kildunne – England Red Roses

Ellie Kildunne has become the electric spark of the Red Roses, a player whose fearless running and instinct for the try-line have made her one of rugby’s brightest stars. Born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, she grew up playing league, union, and football before committing fully to rugby at Hartpury College. By 18, she was scoring on her England debut against Canada, and her rise has barely slowed since.

Her blend of pace, balance, and creativity has made her a fixture in England’s backline. Kildunne was central to England’s 2021 World Cup campaign, starting the final against New Zealand, and has since turned heartbreak into fuel. In 2024, she hit career-best form—top try-scorer in the Six Nations, Player of the Championship, and later crowned World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year. She also represented Team GB at the Paris Olympics before returning to XVs dominance with Harlequins and the Red Roses.

At just 25, Kildunne has already become the face of English rugby—confident, charismatic, and devastating with ball in hand. With a home World Cup in 2025, she stands ready not just to dazzle, but to deliver the trophy that eluded England three years ago.

Pauline Bourdon-Sansus – France

Few players embody resilience and leadership in French rugby like Pauline Bourdon Sansus. Born in Bayonne, Bourdon made her debut for France in 2015 and has since amassed over 60 caps, becoming one of the most trusted scrum-halves in the game. Renowned for her sharp kicking, quick service, and calm authority, she has been a fixture in Six Nations campaigns and featured at the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

In 2024, Bourdon was the only French player named to World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Team of the Year, underlining her influence at the highest level. Earlier this year, she was recalled for the 2025 Six Nations and then selected again for her second World Cup in England—just days after welcoming her first child, Arthur, with her wife and former French international, Laure Sansus.

That milestone reflects a new chapter in her journey: from being called the “mum of the group” in jest to balancing international rugby with actual motherhood. Even while suspended for France’s World Cup opener, her presence and experience remain central to Les Bleues.

As she returns to the global stage, Bourdon Sansus carries more than her nation’s hopes—she carries the spirit of a new generation of rugby families.

Zoe Aldcroft – England

Zoe Aldcroft has become one of the Red Roses’ most dependable and decorated leaders. Born in Scarborough, she picked up rugby at just nine years old before developing through Yorkshire and England’s age-grade system. By 2016, she was scoring the match-winning try on her England debut against France—an early glimpse of the composure and power that would define her career.

Standing tall in the second row, Aldcroft has been at the heart of England’s lineout dominance and defensive strength for nearly a decade. Her rise has been marked by major accolades: the 2020 RPA Telegraph Women’s Sport Player of the Year, World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in 2021, and multiple Six Nations titles. On her 25th birthday, she captained England for the first time—scoring a try in an 89–0 victory over the USA.

In 2025, Aldcroft was formally appointed captain of the Red Roses, replacing Marlie Packer. With Gloucester-Hartpury, she has also lifted multiple Premiership Women’s Rugby titles, cementing her reputation as a winner. Calm, consistent, and relentless in her work rate, Aldcroft now leads England into a home Rugby World Cup as they chase a long-awaited title on English soil.

Hope Rogers – USA Eagles

From small-town Pennsylvania to the world stage, Hope Rogers has built a career defined by power, resilience, and longevity. She first picked up rugby at 16 in Chambersburg and quickly emerged as a standout, winning four national titles at Penn State and earning Collegiate All-American honours. By 2013 she was capped against France, and just a year later she was starring for the USA at the Rugby World Cup in France, where she earned an All-World Cup Team nod.

Rogers has since become a cornerstone of the Eagles’ front row. A two-time MA Sorensen Award winner and former U.S. captain, she has competed in every World Cup since 2014. In 2024, she was named to the World Rugby Women’s Dream Team as the best loosehead prop on the planet, cementing her place among the greats.

At Exeter Chiefs, she has been prolific, nearly a try a game at times while anchoring one of the strongest scrums in Premiership Women’s Rugby. In 2025, she joined rarified company as just the second American woman selected for a fourth Rugby World Cup. With more than 55 caps and a reputation as a world-class scrummager and ball-carrier, Rogers enters England 2025 chasing history and still redefining what an Eagle can be.

Stacey Waaka – New Zealand Black Ferns

Stacey Waaka has built one of the most decorated résumés in women’s rugby. Born in Papakura and raised in Ruatoki, she grew up surrounded by sport before bursting onto the international stage as a teenager. By 19, she was debuting for the Black Ferns in XVs, helping them win the 2017 Rugby World Cup. Four years later, she was at the heart of New Zealand’s dramatic 2021 triumph, scoring in the semifinal against France and again in the final against England, where she was named Player of the Match.

Equally lethal in sevens, Waaka is known as the “Smiling Assassin” for her trademark grin and try-scoring flair. She was the World Series’ top try-scorer in 2019, a two-time Impact Player of the Tournament, and the difference-maker in countless finals. At the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, she helped New Zealand claim back-to-back gold medals, scoring six tries in Paris to cement her legacy.

In 2024, she crossed codes to play rugby league for the Brisbane Broncos, dazzling before injury cut her season short. Fully fit again, Waaka returned to sevens in 2025 while also earning selection for the Rugby World Cup. A dual-code star with four world titles and two Olympic golds, Waaka is already a legend and still smiling.

Emily Tuttosi – Canada

From Souris, Manitoba to the 2025 Rugby World Cup, Emily Tuttosi has become one of Canada’s most reliable and dangerous forwards. A former U20 captain, she made her senior debut against England in 2018 and quickly established herself as a hooker with both grit and finishing power.

Her breakout came at the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where she scored a hat-trick in Canada’s opener against Japan before adding two more tries against Italy. Those performances cemented her reputation as one of the most prolific hookers in world rugby. Since then, Tuttosi has been a fixture in the national side, helping Canada defeat the Black Ferns in the 2023 Pacific Four Series, a historic win that lifted her team to second in the world rankings.

At club level, Tuttosi has been central to Exeter Chiefs’ rise in the Premiership Women’s Rugby competition. Since joining in 2020, she has scored nearly 30 tries in 70+ appearances, her accuracy at the lineout and strength at the scrum making her a cornerstone of the pack.

Now heading into her second World Cup, Tuttosi blends consistency, leadership, and a knack for scoring at key moments, qualities that make her vital to Canada’s hopes of lifting the trophy in England 2025.

How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2025

In the United States, rugby fans can watch 2025 The Rugby Championship on FloRugby and the FloSports App. 

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to: 

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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