Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals: Predictions, key players and finals route as upset on the cards
2025 World Cup: Semi final predictions, key players and finals route
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup has reached the semi-finals stage, with four teams preparing to compete for the greatest title of all.
New Zealand, Canada, France and England will battle it out over the next two weekends to find out who will be crowned as world champions.
Here’s how the semi-finals line up:
Friday, September 19
New Zealand v Canada
New Zealand’s route: As the most successful nation in the history of the World Cup, with triple the number of titles compared to their nearest rivals, the six-time winners breezed through their pool matches. First up, Spain felt the full force of a Jorja Miller masterclass, touching down with two early tries to set the tone for the rest of the match. Although the Black Ferns made a couple of uncharacteristic early mistakes, they proved too strong for their underdog opponents, winning 54-8.
Next up, it was Japan to test their strength against the very best. Despite another slow start, the Black Ferns powered over with 10 tries, led by the record-breaking try scorer, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. The match ended 62-19 at Exeter’s Sandy Park. With their spot in the knockout stages confirmed, the New Zealanders ran 40 unanswered points over Ireland in the final match, showing a clear indication of their progress heading into crunch time.
The Black Ferns’ quarter-final clash against the Springboks got off to a surprise start when their opponents took the lead midway through the first half. The six-time world champs struggled to get in their groove for the rest of the half, with the two sides going in level at half-time. Whatever the conversation was at the break, the Black Ferns came out fighting in the second half, scoring three unanswered tries and two penalties to book their place in the semi-final. Two late tries from either side finished off proceedings at Sandy Park, but the women in black will need to improve if they are to reach the final.
New Zealand’s key player: Two-time World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, is as athletic an outside back as you’ll find anywhere in the women’s game. Her record-breaking try-scoring exploits for the Black Ferns added to a long list of awards she’s achieved since bursting onto the 7s and 15s scene back in 2013. For New Zealand to go all the way, their talismanic star will need to be in top form.
Canada’s route: The second-ranked team in the world started their campaign strongly, beating Fiji by almost 60 points and then dismissing Wales without conceding a point, despite losing a remarkable 21 turnovers. Their first real challenge came at Sandy Park when they were pushed to the edge by a tough Scotland side. Canada had worked on reducing their turnover mistakes from the previous match against Wales, and as a result, powered through to get the eventual win.
Their quarter-final performance against Australia was arguably their most accomplished outing yet. Dismissing the far-travelling Aussies by 41 points, the Canadian pack were utterly ruthless in their dominance of the opposition. When they did get the ball out wide, they found they had acres of space in which to play due to the majority of the Wallaroos players being wrapped up in the ferocious vortex of the forward pack. Canada’s physicality could play a huge part in their success at this World Cup.
Canada’s key player: Versatile star Sophie de Goede is the highest female points scorer of all time, with 266 points for her national side. Not only her team’s kicker, but also a regular visitor to the try-line, the 26-year-old will need to continue ensuring that the scoreboard keeps ticking.
Score prediction: As six-time world champions, it’s not easy to justify any prediction that doesn’t involve them winning, but sometimes the justification comes not from the loser, but from the winner. Canada have looked simply superb in their efforts thus far, with just Scotland providing any real challenge. If the Canadian forward pack works as well as it did against Australia, then the Black Ferns will have a real challenge on their hands. New Zealand 20-22 Canada.
Saturday, September 20
France v England
France’s route: Arguably the most impressive group stage results of the lot. Whitewashed Italy, put 84 on Brazil and beat South Africa by almost 50. France hold an impressive record against most sides in world rugby, but often struggle against the top three. After such an impressively composed and error-free performance against South Africa, many saw Les Bleues as genuine World Cup contenders.
Their quarter-final triumph over Ireland dented many opinions of the French side, however, with Les Bleues squeaking past a fired-up Ireland side at Sandy Park. The French got off to an awful start, failing to put any points on the board within the first half. They forced their way back into the match in the second, by capitalising on multiple Irish mistakes, but could still have lost the match in the final moments if an Irish five-metre lineout hadn’t gone their way.
France’s key player: The name Pauline Bourdon-Sansus has become as synonymous with the French women’s game in recent years as Antoine Dupont’s has for the men’s. An incredibly versatile playmaker, the 29-year-old is leading her side’s charge following 10 years at the very peak of French rugby. As arguably one of the very best players in the world, Bourdon-Sansus’s leadership and vision could well lead her team right to the top.
England’s route: After losing dramatically in the final in 2022, England have returned to the biggest stage with increased vigour and even higher expectations. The highly touted Americans were demolished by over 60 points in the opener, Samoa by almost 90 in the second game, and Australia by 40 in the final match of the pool stage.
The quarter-finals stage provided no major challenge for the world number one side, as they comfortably brushed aside a spirited Scotland side at Ashton Gate. Any signs of weakness in the England ranks were cleverly disguised, as each member looked to be in sync with the other, knowing which lines to run and when. This is a team drilled to go all the way.
England’s key player: One of the most consistent players of the past decade, Alex Matthews has become a stalwart of an England squad that is odds on to take home the trophy. The 32-year-old has remarkably been pulling on the white of England since 2011, and played in four World Cups in her time. The experience she brings, alongside her impressive work rate and professionalism, makes her an integral part of England’s World Cup campaign.
Score prediction: England have yet to face a real challenge, yet France have just proven that they can battle through the toughest of obstacles. If France can get England into a dogfight, then they have a chance. But if England are allowed to play their game, then the result will have already been written. France 10-35 England.