The best moments from the pool rounds of the Women’s Rugby World Cup

The group stages of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 have delivered on their promise of being the biggest and most captivating tournament in history. As the world’s best teams have battled it out for a place in the quarter-finals, we’ve witnessed the full spectrum of rugby: moments of individual brilliance, powerful team performances and heart-stopping finales. 

England have been on fire (as expected), with the Red Roses winning all three of their pool stage games to see them finish top of Pool A, scoring a whopping 208 points over the course of the round (the most of any team in the tournament).

The top seeds have dominated across the board, but the so-called smaller nations have delivered some of the most memorable moments, proving the ever-growing strength and competitiveness of the sport. We’ve rounded up nine standout moments from the pool rounds of the competition to enjoy before the knockout rounds kick off this weekend.

The opening match between England and the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light was watched by a peak audience of 2.4 million viewers on the BBC and another 600,000 on iPlayer. Those who attended the match were also setting records: the 42,723 people in the stadium set a new attendance record for a Women’s Rugby World Cup match. 

Those who watched the match were treated to a stunning display of rugby. England were on form right off the bat, running in 11 tries in their 67-7 win over the USA, including doubles to backs Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach and hooker Lark Atkin-Davies.

The whole opening weekend viewing figures surpassed the entire reach of the 2021 tournament, which brought in 3.7 million, including 1.8 million for the final. These record-breaking figures signal a monumental shift in interest in women’s rugby. 

Canadian fullback Julia Schell reminded every other team that Canada are second in the world for a reason by running in six tries within a 23-minute period in their opening game. It was only the second time in World Cup history a player finished a match with a six-try haul after American Krista McFarren’s effort against Sweden in 1994. However, the impressive feat is not a record. That is held by New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, who scored eight tries against Hong Kong in 2017. 

They may have ended the pool rounds at the bottom of Pool D without a win, but Brazil not only made history by competing in their first Rugby World Cup, but by managing to cross the chalk for their first Rugby World Cup try. It came in their second pool match against France in the 64th minute, when replacement back Bianca Silva dummied her way through the French defensive line and raced 40m to the try line.

Round two of the pool matches brought us a match-up of England and Samoa, and while England were expected to win (and win big), it was Samoa who got people talking. After going scoreless in their first round match, Samoa scored their first Women’s Rugby World Cup points in over a decade when Harmony Vatau kicked a penalty early in the second half.

And the highlights kept coming for Samoa, who invited the England team into the dance party they have after their matches. Seeing the two teams come together – singing and dancing – is what rugby is all about. 

When flanker Abi Burton made her World Cup debut against Samoa, it wasn’t just the occasion that made the moment so special. Three years ago she was in a coma in hospital, fighting autoimmune encephalitis, a rare condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain. When she came out of the coma, she had to learn to walk, talk, read and write again, making her appearance at this World Cup even more remarkable.

When South Africa confirmed their place in a Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final for the first time in history after their win over Italy in round two, it sparked mass singing and dancing across the field. But it’s not just in celebration that these women sing. 

Gwijo is an ancient form of South African cultural expression. Originally a ritual where Xhosa warriors would sing together to gather strength and calm nerves before a battle, it has been a regular feature at this year’s tournament. Gwijo singing is a message in unison and hope and ultimately relaxes the players and allows them to play their best rugby and brings them together as a team. 

It was always destined to be the match that defined Pool A, arguably what was going to be the toughest pool to get out of. Whoever won this match was guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals. But when Australia and the USA met, they couldn’t be separated. 

Australia seemed to seize control, but they just couldn’t put an impassioned USA away. The USA fought back through their impressive forward pack, with flanker Freda Taufuna scoring a hat-trick. But Australia still had plenty of firepower, and despite being five points behind with eight minutes left on the clock, they made a play that would level the scores. Scrum-half Samantha Wood had the opportunity for a conversion to win it, but pulled it wide, and the match ended in a stalemate. After sharing the points, who would go through to the quarter-finals was left to round three, when the USA would take on Samoa and Australia would take on England.

England were made to work hard for their 47-7 victory over Australia. Australia knew they needed to keep it relatively close to confirm their quarter-finals place after the USA dispatched Samoa, and while they struck first through Adiana Talakai off the back of a driving lineout, those would be the only points the Wallaroos would score. 

England hit straight back through winger Jess Breach, and from then on, England’s victory was built on their superior power. Australia defended well but had no answer for the hosts’ physicality. England scored six more tries, with flanker Sadia Kabeya and replacement prop Kelsey Clifford both scoring doubles. England will be concerned, though, as fullback Ellie Kildunne and prop Hannah Botterman were both forced off the pitch with injuries: Kildunne with a head knock that takes her out of their quarter-final match up with Scotland (due to concussion protocols) and Botterman with a back spasm. 

In a tournament where she’s become a permanent fixture on the score sheet, England winger Jess Breach celebrated a historic moment in her career by reaching 50 England caps during her appearance against Australia in England’s final pool game. She has scored six tries already this tournament, and we can’t wait to see how many she racks up before all the action comes to an end.

Images: Getty