Overview

• England beat Canada 33-13 at a sold-out Twickenham to clinch a third title and stretch their unbeaten run to 33, with a BBC peak audience of about 5.8 million.
• World Rugby reported 444,465 tickets sold (92% of capacity), crowds that were 53% women, roughly half first-time attendees, and strong social media gains.
• CEO Alan Gilpin said new investment is welcome but warned that players in leagues outside agreed windows risk national-team nonselection, with R360 urged to align.
• R360 has withdrawn its sanctioning application and is now targeting a launch next October, as talks continue on fitting within the international calendar.
• Post-tournament rankings list England No. 1, Canada No. 2 and New Zealand No. 3, with officials confident rising standards and an upgraded WXV (2026–28) will tighten the field before Australia 2029.