England’s Red Roses have booked their spot in yet another Women’s Rugby World Cup final, overcoming a spirited French side 35-17 in a pulsating semi-final at Ashton Gate on September 20, 2025. The win, while ultimately comfortable on the scoreboard, belied the tension and drama that unfolded over nearly an hour of play, as France threatened to upend England’s dreams of a home-soil triumph.
For much of the match, the air inside Ashton Gate was thick with nerves, the disco beats from the stadium speakers doing little to soothe the anxious English supporters. France, despite entering as underdogs—having lost nearly a third of their starting lineup to injuries and suspensions—matched England blow for blow. At one point, the French trailed by just two points, and any score would’ve put them ahead. It was a night where every tackle, every turnover, and every burst of speed felt like it could swing the momentum.
Enter Ellie Kildunne. The England full-back, already the face of the tournament thanks to her charisma and dazzling play, delivered the sort of performance that legends are built on. After missing the quarter-final with concussion, Kildunne returned to the lineup with a vengeance. She scored two spectacular solo tries, including the game-sealing effort in the 70th minute, and left a trail of 12 beaten defenders in her wake. Her stat line was jaw-dropping: a game-high 208 metres gained with the ball in hand, and, according to some sources, as many as 273 metres covered on the ground.
“She was pretty special today, wasn’t she? If she gets a bit of space, she is phenomenal,” declared England head coach John Mitchell after the match. Former Black Fern Ruby Tui added, “The metres she made were incredible, her footwork was incredible. The pressure came on her, she did not perform well in a couple of the games until this win. She sat out with a HIA last week, she had to perform, for herself, her country and her confidence. And this is what happens. She turns up, she’s in your face, and she says ‘what pressure?’”
Kildunne herself was modest in the aftermath, telling BBC Sport, “It’s insane. I have stolen that (player-of-the-match award) from the rest of the team, all the forwards, the defence they put in—I barely had to make a tackle, so I don’t know why I have got it! The rest of the team do the work, it was insane. I am buzzing, it is all we have been dreaming of, we will keep our heads down, we know what is coming and you’re all going to be excited to watch.”
This semi-final was hardly a flawless display by the Red Roses. England’s attack stuttered at times, with the backline struggling to find its usual rhythm. Inside centre Tatyana Heard, in particular, may come under pressure for her spot from Holly Aitchison, who came off the bench to set up the final try for Meg Jones. Defensively, England’s onrushing line was occasionally outflanked by France’s quick hands, exposing the hosts out wide. And there were moments when England, after seizing the momentum, let it slip—France’s tries from Nassira Konde and Kelly Arbey came swiftly after English scores.
Yet, when it mattered most, England’s stars rose to the occasion. Megan Jones was everywhere, winning crucial turnovers at the breakdown and capping her performance with a well-deserved try in the dying moments. Prop Hannah Botterman was immense as well, later telling BBC Sport, “She [Ellie Kildunne] played well, didn’t she? A few girls could have taken it [player of the match], but she does score wonder tries, doesn’t she? But everyone was deserving. We were excited and we wanted to get this job done, and we have one more massive job to do next weekend. I wanted to put a marker down, put my best rugby out there and I did that in certain areas but we have a massive week coming up.”
France, for their part, will feel aggrieved that they didn’t make more of their opportunities, especially in a first half where they dominated territory and possession. They even questioned whether Kildunne’s opening try should have been reviewed for a potential knock-on. But the Red Roses’ defence proved as resilient as ever, soaking up wave after wave of French pressure and extending their remarkable run to 32 consecutive Test victories.
With the win, England advance to their seventh straight World Cup final—an astonishing achievement in itself. But this one carries extra weight: it will be played on home turf at Allianz Stadium, with a record crowd of 82,000 expected to roar them on. The final hurdle? Canada, who stunned New Zealand in their own semi-final with a clinical, all-court display led by captain Alex Tessier.
England’s head coach John Mitchell is under no illusions about the challenge ahead. “We’ll need to brush up on a few things in attack and trust the process,” said centre Meg Jones. “But we are super confident going into next week.” Mitchell will no doubt spend the week ironing out the kinks—tightening up the defence, smoothing the backline flow, and ensuring his side is mentally prepared for the cauldron of expectation that awaits.
The Red Roses have been here before, but never quite like this: a home final, a record crowd, and the weight of a nation’s hopes on their shoulders. Their dominance in the sport is clear—according to the rankings, they’re the best team in the world by a distance. But as Canada proved against the Black Ferns, nothing is guaranteed on the biggest stage.
So, can England’s headliners deliver one more time? If Ellie Kildunne’s semi-final heroics are any indication, the answer may well be yes. But as the final looms, the Red Roses know there’s no room for complacency. The party is set, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and women’s rugby is ready for its biggest night yet.
As England look to cement their legacy, all eyes will be on Allianz Stadium next weekend. The world’s best player has already delivered. Now, her team must do the same.
