The year is 2025: one year has passed since the last summer Olympics, two since the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and three since the Men’s FIFA World Cup. If you are itching for an international sporting event, you are in luck: the Women’s Rugby World Cup is happening now and you are not too late to watch the best of the best. Whether you are an avid fan of rugby or have never even heard of it before, the championship game is this Saturday and there is something in it for you
If you’ve never watched a rugby match before, the best way to describe it is a combination of the best parts of soccer and American football. Rugby matches are split into two, 40-minute halves, and, like soccer, the goal is continuous game play. There are no time-outs or commercial breaks, and the game continues after a tackle without stoppage (this means no waiting between plays as in football).
However, like football, rugby matches showcase pure strength. Hard hits, fast breaks, and unbelievable tackles, like this one by Australia’s Maddison Levi, define the game and make it an enjoyable watch for people who are typically football fans.
Rugby’s fast pace, combined with its powerful tackles, means even someone with zero knowledge of the game can appreciate the skills required to play. Still, I am going to give you a brief overview of some of the terms and rules so you can look like an expert to your friends — or even use the game to hang out with your British situationship???
Rules and Terms
The first thing you will probably wonder when you turn on a rugby match is how the scoring works. The teams are working to get the ball into the endzone (called the try zone) to score the equivalent of a touchdown. This is called a try and is worth five points, with potential for two additional points on the following conversion kick.
Next, what happens if the ball goes out of bounds? The team that did not last touch the ball gets to throw it in—this is called a lineout. The offensive team has to throw in the ball between the two opposing players getting lifted in the air like this. They cannot just throw it to their team in order to allow the defense a chance at stealing the ball.
If you are asking how play restarts after a penalty, the most common method is through a scrum. This is when eight players on each team grab onto each other and drive against the opposing team. It looks confusing at first, but it gives the stronger team an advantage to maintain or gain possession of the ball. Watch an example of the men’s teams from Japan and South Africa here to see how it works.
Finally, some basic rules for when you watch your first match:
- You cannot pass the ball forward. The only ways to move forward is to run or kick the ball, all passes must be backward.
- Tackles have to be below the ribs — no dangerous blind side hits.
- A try is scored by putting the ball on the ground in the try zone: no need for goal line technology when you can see if the ball is on the ground or not.
- If you get tackled, you have to let go of the ball and lay on the ground. The teams will fight it out right over you.
- No yelling at (or even talking to) the ref. It can be frustrating, but rugby is all about respect.
- Lastly, there are a million small, confusing, and downright unclear rules that somehow go against the above rules— when in doubt, go with the flow and know that the goal of the rules is safety.
The Championship: England vs. Canada
Saturday’s match will feature England and Canada: both teams won their semifinal games against France and New Zealand, respectively. England handily defeated the French on Saturday, September 20, 35-17. English player Ellie Kildunne, known for her speed and agility, was instrumental in the match against France, scoring two tries and earning player of the match. She shouted out the efforts of the rest of her team, saying, “I’ve stolen [player of the match] from the rest of the team. Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, all the forwards, you saw the defence they put in today.” Quotes like this show why rugby is considered the ultimate team sport. It is rare to find individual highlights as each person has to put their body on the line for team success, and England is no exception. England’s cohesive teamwork combined with their quickness and raw power makes them a formidable opponent for the Canadians.
However, the Canadians are no stranger to tough games, coming out of their semifinal game on Friday victorious against the notorious Black Ferns of New Zealand. Rugby fans know the Black Ferns for their impressive 40-3 historic World Cup record. The Canadians snapped New Zealand’s 18 game World Cup win streak with their victory on Friday.
Although Canada enters the match as the no. 2 seed, the team is still considered an underdog, as they have a considerably smaller budget than many of their competitors. They launched a crowdfunding campaign in March 2025 to raise $1 million for the team to, according to the national team website, “send the best-ever prepared Canadian team to the World Cup.” It looks like those dreams may be coming true as they now find themselves just 80 minutes of play away from a championship.
Nevertheless, Saturday’s game is sure to be a showdown between two powerhouse teams. Canada’s fast-paced style of play will challenge the English, but the Canadians need to find a way to stop England’s strength near the try line. You can watch Saturday’s match at 11am EST on Paramount Plus (not to worry, there is a free trial if you don’t already have it).
