On the eve of International Women’s Day in March, Rugby Canada put out a crowdfunding call for one million Canadian dollars ($725,000) with an unequivocal “mission” statement: Win Rugby World Cup 2025.
The declaration – codename MWRWC – was certainly a bold one. The Maple Leafs have never won the tournament and, having reached the semi-final, faced a six-time world champion New Zealand team that had not tasted defeat in the knockout stage since 1991.
Yet, one pulsating performance later, they stand 80 minutes away from completing their mission.
A 34-19 victory over New Zealand in Bristol, England on Friday rocketed world No. 2 Canada into just its second-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup final, ending the Black Ferns’ pursuit of a third consecutive crown at the 10th edition of the competition.
Early tries from player of the match Justine Pelletier, Asia Hogan-Rochester and Florence Symonds powered Canada into a 17-0 lead at Ashton Gate before their opponents, previously defeated just twice in 42 World Cup fixtures, responded through Tanya Kalounivale.
Yet tries either side of half-time from Alex Tessier and captain Sophie de Goede, who added nine extra points through conversions and a penalty, proved a bridge too far despite a late rally, resigning the world No. 3 Kiwis to their first loss at the tournament since being shocked by Ireland in 2014.
“Our tagline is Be-Leaf, Belief. It runs so deep,” De Goede told the BBC after the match.
“We’ve defied the odds over and over again and that has a way of bringing you together and a way of propelling you forward … (of) fostering that knowledge within the group that we can overcome anything.”
‘Finish the job’
After a $150,000 donation from the Canadian Rugby Foundation’s Monty Heald Fund tipped it over the halfway mark in early April, Rugby Canada announced on the eve of the tournament that it had reached 95% of its fundraising goal.
Raised money will be put towards training, coaching, travel and recovery costs, the governing body said, whose women’s team rank second in the world despite their amateur status.
It puts Canada between England and New Zealand in the standings, both of which have players on professional contracts.
“We’re number two, and even after we raise this money, we’re still going to have one of the smallest budgets in the entire tournament,” Rugby Canada CEO Nathan Bombrys told RugbyPass in April, adding that the collected funds would take its overall budget to $3.6 million.
“In Canada, philanthropy is a key part of the mix, and people are willing to support a good cause,” he said. “They want to see the game grow, and they appreciate that the players are amateurs. They are professional in their approach, but they are not being paid, they have to do something else, and our public appreciates that.”
New Zealand's Ayesha Leti-I'iga attempts to gather the loose ball while under pressure from Canada's Shoshanah Seumanutafa.
Canada’s charge to the final at Twickenham Stadium next Saturday has been anything but amateur, with the Maple Leafs sweeping aside Fiji, Wales, Scotland and Australia by an aggregate score of 193-31.
It leaves the team on the brink of a potential revenge match against world No. 1 and pre-tournament favorite England, which has roared through the competition racking up 248 points while conceding just 25.
The Red Roses face world No. 4 France in their semi-final on Saturday knowing a win would tee up a showdown against the team they defeated in Paris to clinch their second World Cup title in 2014.
“I said to the girls to stop crying because we have a job to do in eight days,” said Canada head coach Kevin Rouet, who took on the role in 2022.
“That’s the mindset. We need to finish the job and be ready in eight days. I felt it already one-and-a-half years ago that we could do something and I am happy we are one game away from achieving what we want.
“I am excited for next weekend. I want it to be next weekend now.”
