England, the team that have everything except the thing they most want, face Canada in Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final, with coach John Mitchell hoping lessons he learned in the men’s game can end their long wait for global glory.

England are the best-backed team in women’s rugby, their governing Rugby Football Union reporting annual revenues for the financial year of 2023/24 of £175.2 million ($233.6 million).

Canada, meanwhile, launched a crowd-funding campaign to bolster their bid for an inaugural world title, with £1.4 million of backing from their national union boosted by nearly £540,000 of external investment.

But coach Kevin Rouet insisted Rugby Canada “did their best”, with the additional finance needed “to win the World Cup, not just to go to the World Cup”.

The Red

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