{"id":163383,"date":"2025-09-27T08:22:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T08:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/163383\/"},"modified":"2025-09-27T08:22:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T08:22:06","slug":"womens-rugby-world-cup-final-why-england-v-canada-matters-more-than-you-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/163383\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Rugby World Cup final: Why England v Canada matters more than you know"},"content":{"rendered":"

To take those lessons from a Canada win, however, would be to ignore what their own players and coach are saying. And what the numbers show.<\/p>\n

Canada have dug deep for their women’s team. It is just their pockets are comparatively shallow.<\/p>\n

Rugby Canada funds its men’s and women’s teams equally – something few, if any, other unions around the world can say.<\/p>\n

Head coach Kevin Rouet explained the rest of their philosophy, with a caveat.<\/p>\n

“We try to be that creative because when you don’t have money you have to be creative in the way you prepare,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I think it allows us to do a lot of stuff that we wouldn’t be able to do if we had too much money.<\/p>\n

“I know it’s crazy to say that, but sometimes it allows us to be to find the best of everything and try to just be efficient with everything.<\/p>\n

“But I want more money, if that wasn’t clear!”<\/p>\n

Pamphinette Buisa, who was selected in Rouet’s squad but withdrew after suffering an injury in their final warm-up match against Ireland, says similar.<\/p>\n

“We want the support, we want the resources,” she said in a social media post., external<\/a><\/p>\n

“A win wouldn’t prove that professionalism doesn’t matter. It would prove how much this team gives without the systems it deserves.”<\/p>\n

Canada have a good chance on Saturday. With more money, and the subsequent increased depth, cohesion and conditioning, they would have a great chance.<\/p>\n

If Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, France or Ireland want to be England’s primary rival in a growing game, stalling on cycle-wide spending is only going to make that goal less likely.<\/p>\n

And to reduce England’s return on investment to the number of shiny pots in the cabinet also seems short-sighted.<\/p>\n

A Rugby World Cup victory would be huge, super-charging the growth of the sport.<\/p>\n

But the success or failure of a policy can’t be entirely decided by a match that may turn on the bounce of a ball or, as in the last Rugby World Cup final, a first-half clash of heads.<\/p>\n

England’s money has delivered a dominant, excellent team, that draws crowds, sponsors, spectators, players and attention to the game like no other.<\/p>\n

The Red Roses will go into the next World Cup in Australia in 2029 as one of, if not the, favourites.<\/p>\n

While the Rugby Football Union has invested financially, England have thousands of fans invested emotionally.<\/p>\n

That investment doesn’t glitter like a World Cup, but it is just as rare a commodity. And just as valuable.<\/p>\n