England aim to ignore the noise as home World Cup favourites chase title

England, the world No. 1 and home favourites at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, are pursuing a performance-led blueprint designed to dampen the noise around their status and keep the focus on execution. On the eve of the semi-final, the squad gathered for a relaxed team night, watching Step Up, a film about an underdog dancer seizing his moment, to ease the pressure and stay grounded. David Richardson, honorary visiting professor at Liverpool John Moores University in sports science, said the approach is to ignore the noise around them and maintain an internal expectation to perform. "It's about ignoring the noise around them, making sure they do not care if they are favourites," he told BBC Sport.

England's on-field record backs the image of a team thriving under pressure. They have won all five of their World Cup games so far, and since John Mitchell took over after the 2022 final, they have not tasted defeat in 32 matches. The Red Roses have a strong history against Canada, having won 33 of 37 meetings, including the last 13 in a row over the nine-year span. With the final at Twickenham on Saturday looming, England remain heavy favourites as they chase a first home World Cup title.

England’s setup is among the most professional in women’s rugby, with a fully professional environment for players and coaches. The backroom staff includes Charlie Hayter, head of women’s performance since 2023, and a range of specialists who prioritize psychological health as part of preparation. Canada, by contrast, are semi-professional and had to crowdfund some costs to boost their chances of winning a first World Cup. While the Canadians possess world-class talent and pushed England hard in their last meeting—a 21-12 result in 2024—the off-field support gap could influence on-field outcomes. "They [England] have more specialist coaches," said Richardson. "There is a definite advantage when they have these staff there for longer, understanding habits and behaviours."

Three years ago was different staff, different country". Image source, Getty Images Image caption, England lost 34-31 to New Zealand in the last World Cup final in 2022 - their fifth final loss in six attempts

A key message from England has been to shift the narrative away from a spotlight on past near-mits and toward seizing the opportunity in front of them. Richardson described the approach as a pathway to remove the fear of failure that dogged the 2022 final. "There were critical moments in that final that they had to overcome, which didn't go their way," he said. "You have an experienced squad, but the narrative is around transition and owning this situation rather than reflecting on the past. It is a strong narrative, all about seizing the opportunity they have. The phrase is unfinished business, and seizing opportunities. It seems to be filtering through and you can see the players are buying into it. It's like the [England men's] football team, you can get hung up on past. But three years ago there was a different vibe in camp, different staff, different country. It has nothing to do with the weekend."

There is added pressure that comes with being favourites, but the team leadership has also emphasized a broader legacy beyond this World Cup. RFU chief Bill Sweeney told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly that the legacy is already in place. "We're attracting a lot more brand-new fans to the game, which was the intention all along. We're attracting more volunteers, we're attracting more players." He added that regardless of the result, the sport’s exposure would continue to grow. Richardson echoed that sentiment: "The more exposure you have, the better, and it will not stop when the game is finished."

The final at Twickenham will cap a long arc for England, who have reached six consecutive World Cup finals but won only once in that span. With Mitchell at the helm, England have blended experience with new talent: 12 of the starting 15 from the 2022 final are in the squad again, but eight players made their World Cup debuts this year, and a new coaching group has helped shape a different camp atmosphere. Sarah Hunter, a key figure in England’s previous title triumph in 2014 and captain in the 2022 final, now serves as defence coach and provides a bridge between the old and new generations. Hunter has stressed the importance of staying calm and trusting the process. "You have to trust in the process and the plan, and trust each other," she said. "I look back to 2014 when we won, and that day of the final everyone was really relaxed, really calm. Everyone knew what the role was, what they were going to go out and do. We didn't need to make it any bigger."

England’s game has become as much about culture and psychology as it is about Xs and Os, and the team’s leadership group has tried to translate a strong internal standard into tangible performance. The World Cup, they acknowledge, is not only a test of skill but a test of nerves. If England can maintain composure and execute their plan, they would become world champions on home soil for the first time. The weathered perfection of a long road to this moment is the subject of much of the team’s focus in this final phase.

As the countdown to the final continues, fans will be watching not only for the result but for the way England handles the pressure of expectations on a global stage. The balance of a professional setup, a disciplined message, and a growing women’s game audience could shape this weekend’s outcome and add another chapter to England’s evolving World Cup story.