England scrum-half Natasha Hunt said the scale of their World Cup final victory – and the size of the crowd – was “unimaginable”.
The Red Roses swept aside Canada 33-13 at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium in front of 81,855 people – a record for a women’s rugby match.
Hunt, 36, is a veteran of the Red Roses’ last World Cup win in 2014 and was controversially left out of the squad for the 2022 tournament.
“I don’t think any of us could have imagined it would have been like this,” she said.
“I am so proud of the girls. I hope this stays for women’s rugby.”
Team-mate Abbie Ward, who scored England’s fifth and final try, said the victory was an achievement for the current team rather than redemption for the upset by New Zealand at Eden Park in the final of the last tournament.
“The last final loss, that was then,” she said.
“This is a new team. This is a new chapter of women’s rugby. It wasn’t about righting wrongs. This is our little moment.
“This team has been special. What we’ve done has been special. The support, the crowd, the friends and family involved… it’s been magical.”
England’s players will celebrate with the public at a free event at Battersea Power Station on Sunday, starting at 14:00 BST.