England coach John Mitchell said his side’s Rugby World Cup victory feels like a “closure.”
The Red Rose beat Canada 33-13 at Twickenham on Saturday, three years after his heartbreaking defeat in the 2022 final against New Zealand.
However, they didn’t stop England in their home soil as they hit the victory and secured the third World Cup crown.
Mitchell, who was selected as World Rugby Coach of the Year the year after the Final Whistle, has yet to lose his game as a coach for the Red Roses.
“It’s big. It’s big,” Mitchell told his postmatch press conference. “Being part of the World Cup side of victory is huge. Sometimes you look back and you go to the ‘Gees’.
“I have to sit here and admit that I have never brought a closure to the World Cup.
“We had to bring closure of what we wanted to do today three years ago. They (the team) are incredible.”
Captain Zoe Ald Croft reflected on the occasion, with a record 81,885 fans attending Twickenham.
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“To be honest, it’s incredible and literally something that reams are made. Over the last few years we’ve made something special,” Aldcroft said. “Today, it stuck to our process and believed in ourselves.
“Everyone just had to do their job, and that’s what everyone did today, and I’m very proud of each of those girls.
“It was also the next level. It was an opportunity to redefine women’s rugby. We came out on this journey about ‘for girls.’