'World Cup win will change these girls' lives'

"It's been 11 years of hurt. They've gone from heartbreak to happiness."

For nan first clip since 2014 England person won a Rugby World Cup.

By beating Canada successful beforehand of a world grounds crowd astatine Twickenham, nan Red Roses ended their tally of 2 consecutive last losses and put to furniture nan shade of 2022, nan segment of their astir heart-wrenching defeat.

"I person tears successful my eyes. I americium truthful proud of this England team," Maggie Alphonsi, portion of England's astir caller World-Cup winning broadside 11 years ago, told nan BBC.

"What we did successful 2014 was nothing. This is history."

Three years agone England faced New Zealand successful nan last arsenic overwhelming favourites, having won their past 30 Tests.

Despite going down to 14 players successful nan 18th minute, England led 26-19 astatine half-time and only fell 34-31 down pinch 9 minutes remaining.

The Red Roses had a chance astatine triumph pinch 1 past line-out - their astir potent limb each tournament, but mislaid nan propulsion arsenic nan timepiece ticked into nan red.

That was nan heartbreak.

Finally, against Canada connected location soil, came nan happiness.

England recovered from an early scare and ne'er looked backmost arsenic they overpowered Canada successful a 33-13 win, nan 2nd largest separator of triumph successful a Women's Rugby World Cup final.

When England hit Canada 21-9 to triumph nan 2014 World Cup location were 20,000 spectators wrong nan Stade Jean-Bouin successful Paris.

At a bouncing Twickenham connected Saturday England were shouted connected by a grounds 82,000 fans, nan largest crowd for a women's rugby match, beating nan 42,723 who saw England's opener against nan USA successful Sunderland 7 weeks ago.

"It's unbelievable," said England centre Emily Scarratt, who remembered playing a Twickenham double-header wherever nan women's broadside played aft nan men, only for astir of nan crowd to time off earlier their kick-off.

"Today was nan complete opposite."

England's 2014 World Cup-winning skipper Katy Daly-McLean said: "I had a tear astatine nan anthems. There's 80,000 group present and nan crippled is delivering."

Team-mate Kat Merchant said England's triumph "is going to alteration these girls' lives".

In 2019 nan Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced 28 players would beryllium awarded full-time England contracts.

Six years later England person 32 centrally contracted players, pinch a excavation of others paid by their Premiership clubs.

Not each of Canada's players are professional, and they group up a crowdfunding run earlier nan tournament.

"England person shown what you request to do if you want success. You request to put successful your women's team," said Alphonsi.

"This England broadside has fought truthful difficult for this moment. This World Cup has been a awesome occurrence - not conscionable who won it but nan standards that person been group for women's rugby."

Saturday day could person been truthful different. England had fallen down early aft Asia Hogan-Rochester crossed successful nan area for Canada.

With nan crowd getting jittery, prima full-back and 2024 World Player of nan Year Ellie Kildunne sparked nan hosts' last into life by receiving nan shot 30 metres out, breaking Canada's protect line, stepping past 2 defenders and sliding complete astatine apical speed.

It was nan infinitesimal England needed and, aft Zoe Harrison added nan extras, they ne'er relinquished their lead.

"It was thing retired of nothing," Merchant told BBC Radio 5 Live. "She conscionable sliced done for illustration she had an invisible cloak on. Oh my gosh, what a wonderment try."

It was not nan first clip Kildunne had lit nan England touchpaper - she scored 2 superb individual tries against France successful nan semi-finals - and location were plentifulness of cowboy hats wrong Twickenham, honouring nan superstar and her trademark lasso celebration.

New Zealand World Cup victor and BBC pundit Ruby Tui summed things up perfectly: "The group ordered and Ellie Kildunne delivered.

"She was audacious pinch her try. Kildunne and dusted."