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Alex Matthews scored two tries as tournament hosts and favourites England ended their long wait to win a third Women’s Rugby World Cup title with a 33-13 victory over Canada in a Twickenham final on Saturday.

Victory in front of a record crowd of 81,885 gave England their first world title since defeating Canada 21-9 in the 2014 final in Paris - a match in which No 8 Matthews played - and third in total following their 1994 triumph.

This success also extended England’s record run to 33 consecutive wins, with the Red Roses having won 63 of their past 64 matches - the lone blemish a defeat by New Zealand in the Covid-delayed 2022 final.

In the post-match trophy presentation Canada’s Sophie de Goede was named World Rugby women’s player of the year while Black Ferns winger Braxton Sorensen-McGee was named breakthrough player of the year.

It was a much-needed win for an England side whose temperament had been repeatedly called into question after five defeats by New Zealand in the previous six World Cup finals.

England enjoyed a significant 21-8 half-time lead after outscoring Canada, appearing in just their second final, three tries to one in the opening 40 minutes.

Canada’s Asia Hogan-Rochester opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute before England hit back through Ellie Kildunne, Amy Cokayne and Matthews.

First five-eighth Zoe Harrison converted all three of those tries in front of a crowd that comfortably surpassed the previous highest attendance for a stand-alone 15-a-side women’s international of 58,498 at Twickenham for England’s 2023 Six Nations match clash against France.

England’s forward power proved increasingly telling and lock Abbie Ward’s try early in the second half put the Red Roses in command at 26-8 before Matthews, after a period of sustained Canada pressure, scored her second try 11 minutes from time.

England and Canada, first and second in the world rankings respectively, were unchanged from their semi-final wins, with Canada hugely impressive in dethroning double defending champions New Zealand 34-19 and England less convincing in defeating France 35-17.

Canada, who launched a crowd-funding campaign to help bolster their dreams of World Cup glory, struck first against the Red Roses - the best-resourced team in the women’s game.

Hogan-Rochester’s well-judged grubber kick gave Canada excellent field position, with the Maple Leafs then disrupting the ensuing England line-out before the left wing sprinted in down the touchline.

Goal-kicking lock de Goede was unlucky to see her conversion bounce back off the post.

Canada’s lead lasted just two minutes, however, as England hit back through Kildunne, the world player of the year.

The fullback, fresh from two tries against France, left two defenders in her slipstream as a typical slalom run saw her score a superb try between the posts.

England’s forwards, with Sadia Kabeya outstanding, then scored in familiar fashion when a driving maul ended with hooker Cokayne being shoved over for a 19th-minute try.

Even though Canada, with several players at clubs in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby competition, knew what was coming their way, they were unable to deal with their opponents’ forward power in the 26th minute.

Halfback Natasha Hunt peeled away from the base of an advancing England scrum and nearly scored herself before releasing Matthews, who dived over for a try.

De Goede landed a simple 34th-minute penalty to cut England’s lead to 13 points.

It seemed England had another driving maul try minutes later but it was disallowed for offside following a review by the television match official.

But England did have a fourth try in the 50th minute, when, following several close-range drives, Ward powered over Canada’s line.

England, however, were soon reduced to 14 players when hooker Hannah Botterman was yellow-carded for dump-tackling Canada veteran Karen Paquin.

Hogan-Rochester made the advantage count, exploiting an overlap out wide to score her second try of the final in the 53rd minute to cut England’s lead to 26-13.

Canada, with Botterman still in the sin-bin, kept pressing for another try only to spoil a promising position near England’s line with a knock-on from a tap penalty.

Matthews then put the result beyond doubt, driving low and hard, for a try converted by Harrison as England posted a 14th consecutive win over Canada.

Canada have been training with headphones on to prepare for the raucous atmosphere during the Women’s Rugby World Cup final against England at Twickenham.

An expected 82,000 sell-out crowd in London will break the attendance record for a women’s rugby match, with the majority set to be roaring on England.

Canada wing Asia Hogan-Rochester revealed the unusual training technique being used ahead of the final.

“We did a really cool training exercise of just putting headphones on so we couldn’t hear each other and just really focusing on communication,” she said on Wednesday.

“We’re kind of a team that reads each other’s minds when we play so I’m just really excited for it. We’re locked in.

“I feel like after a certain amount of thousands, it’s all just noise and you can’t hear each other either way.”

Hogan-Rochester represented Canada at last year’s Paris Olympics, when 66,000 watched the opening day of the women’s rugby sevens programme at Stade de France.

Canada’s squad initially had crowd noise from a football match played into their ears during the experimental training session.

But, due to problems syncing the sound, a large speaker was brought in, with the headphones kept on to continue hindering communication.

“Just to get used to the noise and not being able to hear each other because we know that will be a factor,” Canada head coach Kevin Rouet said.

“It was just to also change the synergy of the practice, having more fun and releasing the pressure. It was just an idea. Whether it works or not, we will never know.”

Canada will be aiming to cause a major upset at Twickenham. They have never won the World Cup, losing their only previous final against England in 2014.

England are aiming to lift the trophy for the third time, having lost the previous two World Cup finals against New Zealand.

“This squad definitely plays without limits. There’s no perfect game of rugby but I feel there’s still so much to give from the team,” said Hogan-Rochester, whose side shocked New Zealand in the semi-finals.