58 h. ago Premiership Women’s Rugby gears up to to surf England’s World Cup wave

New season given massive boost by Rugby World Cup that brought an England triumph, unprecedented attendances and a huge rise in TV viewersThe Premiership Women’s Rugby season begins at the Stoop on Friday, just across the road and almost a month on from England’s Rugby World Cup victory against Canada in the final at Twickenham.One of the most famous images of that day was the Red Roses captain, Zoe Aldcroft, jumping around with the trophy, an image her teammate Meg Jones has now had tattooed on her leg, and the Gloucester-Hartpury lock will be aiming to replicate the pictures if her club side defend the title they have won for the past three seasons come the PWR final on 28 June. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago England captain Zoe Aldcroft on winning World Cup: ‘We had so much belief’

Back from partying in Ibiza after a ‘massive whirlwind’, the Gloucester-Hartpury forward is now focused on success in the Premiership Women’s Rugby“I was telling myself: ‘Don’t cry right now, Zoe. Do not cry right now.’ But I just knew that we’d done it.”Zoe Aldcroft is reflecting on the moment last month when she realised England had won the Women’s Rugby World Cup. There were 12 minutes to play at a sold-out, increasingly euphoric Twickenham, but the hosts had created a 20-point cushion against Canada thanks to Alex Matthews’s second try. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Red Roses Sarah Bern and Abbey Ward on support from the Lionesses

Red Roses stars Sarah Bern and Abbey Ward have spoken about the invaluable support they've received from the Lionesses during their Women's Rugby World Cup tournament.

Events

2 w. ago RFU unveils plan to boost women’s game and build on England’s World Cup win

Strategy includes back-to-back World Cup triumphsOther targets include 3 million fans and £60m in revenueThe Rugby Football Union has promised to “keep its foot on the gas” after unveiling an ambitious five-year action plan to build on the momentum of the Red Roses’ Women’s Rugby World Cup victory.The strategy, called Every Rose: Our Time, includes the goal of becoming the first England team to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups, and getting 100,000 women and girls playing the game across the country by 2030, up from the 60,000 who participate now. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago England women's rugby superstar issues Red Roses rallying cry after World Cup glory

At 26, the England and Harlequins superstar Ellie Kildunne has already experienced a career most players dream of, being named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024 before following that up with a winners' medal at last weekend's World Cup final

Politics

3 w. ago England rugby player Morwenna Talling reveals she’s already broken her Rugby World Cup medal

Red Roses lock Morwenna Talling revealed she broke her Rugby World Cup gold medal during celebrations on Saturday night.

Sport

3 w. ago The Breakdown | Every World Cup match felt like a celebration of women’s rugby – the breakthrough we’ve dreamed of

When I started covering the Red Roses they played Six Nations games after many fans had left, but their World Cup triumph at a sold-out Twickenham is a new dawnA turning point, a line in the sand, a pivotal moment. Whatever you want to call it, this Rugby World Cup, and the final in particular, is a point women’s rugby won’t be turning back from. The showpiece at a sold-out Twickenham was a moment decades in the making, a long-held dream for so many in the sport.This summer has been unbelievable. The sight of thousands of fans in the stands, and not only for the England games, was just what the game needed. People travelled from abroad to support their nations but local communities also turned out for all 16 teams, which led Ruahei Demant, the New Zealand co-captain, to call England “world-leading” in supporting women’s sport. Every match also felt like a celebration of the game, whether that was down to players being applauded off their coaches, a fan at Twickenham saying “we’re al...

Politics

3 w. ago Now we know what patriotism means to Shabana Mahmood – can she harness that to unite rather than divide us? | Gaby Hinsliff

The home secretary’s immigration plan is framed in punitive terms. But at least she is wrestling the debate back towards integration and belongingIn Twickenham, at the weekend, the crowd was a sea of red and white.England’s colours were everywhere – plastered on sweatshirts and painted over faces, fluttering from flags – and the mood was unmistakably joyful. For this was of course the Women’s Rugby World Cup final, not some ominous “raise the colours” rally: a chance to remember that the St George’s cross doesn’t belong to people who daub it on roundabouts to frighten the neighbours, that there is still a kind of Englishness that inspires hope, not fear. Rugby’s Red Roses, like football’s Lionesses and Gareth Southgate’s young male England squad before them, embody a consciously inclusive form of patriotism: a message that their victories are for everyone, male or female, black or white, gay or straight.Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago World Rugby sends warning to breakaway league R360 after success of Women’s World Cup

The proposed franchise-style competition is hoping to lure some of the sport’s top players but World Rugby has urged caution

Events

3 w. ago World Rugby chief hails Women’s World Cup as ‘the greatest of all

Gilpin says men’s tournament can learn from event‘It was a huge privilege historic, special, incredible’The 2025 Rugby World Cup was “the greatest of all-time”, according to the head of World Rugby, Alan Gilpin, who said the men’s tournament could learn a lot from the way the women “showcased the best of our sport”. England became world champions on Saturday after beating Canada 33-13 in front of 81,885 spectators at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, while overall 444,465 tickets were sold during the tournament.“What a truly amazing and special occasion we had at the Allianz Stadium here on Saturday,” Gilpin said. “It was the generational sporting moment we believed and hoped we could deliver. It was a huge privilege to be here and watch one of the best rugby occasions of all-time. Historic, special, incredible and many other words to describe an incredible tournament. “In my view and I have been involved in a few of these, we have been involved in the greatest Rugby World Cup of all-ti...

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3 w. ago Women’s Rugby World Cup writer awards: best player, best match – our verdicts

An outstanding breakout star and teams dancing with each other highlighted a tournament success on and off the fieldBest player Sophie de Goede. The Canada forward was impressive and versatile throughout. The fact she had just returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury was mindblowing. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago World Rugby confident other nations will catch up World Cup winners England

England secured World Cup triumph on home soil in front of a capacity crowd

Politics

3 w. ago England’s Red Roses inspire new generation of fans with Rugby World Cup glory

The Red Roses took to Battersea Power Station to celebrate their victory at the Women’s Rugby World Cup final on Sunday (28 September).

Sport

3 w. ago The three bold calls that paid off for England in Women’s World Cup win

The Red Roses secured a first World Cup crown since 2014 with victory on home soil

Politics

3 w. ago Fans, players celebrate in London after England defeat Canada in Women's Rugby World Cup final

Fans, players celebrate in London after England defeat Canada in Women's Rugby World Cup final  Yahoo

Sport

3 w. ago John Mitchell opens door to Lions role after leading England to Women’s World Cup triumph

Mitchell is unbeaten as Red Roses head coach and is contracted through to the end of next year’s Six Nations

Politics

3 w. ago Women's Rugby World Cup LIVE: England celebrate victory with Champions Party

Women's Rugby World Cup LIVE: England celebrate victory with Champions Party  BBC

Society

3 w. ago England fans soak up celebrations as Red Roses mark Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph

Rain could not England marked their World Cup win with a celebration event at Battersea Power Station

Sport

3 w. ago England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph smashes TV viewing records

England’s triumph over Canada on Saturday made history as the most-watched women’s rugby union match ever shown on TV

Politics

3 w. ago ‘They have changed my life’: John Mitchell open to staying as England coach

Coach may extend contract after 2026 Six Nations‘Some parts of the day will stick in my life forever’John Mitchell has described coaching England’s World Cup-winning women’s team as a life-changing event and revealed he is open to the idea of continuing in his role beyond the 2026 Six Nations. England beat Canada 33-13 at a sold-out Twickenham, with a record 5.8 million watching on television, to lift the World Cup and extend their winning run to 33 games, an unbeaten streak that takes in the whole of Mitchell’s reign, which began in 2023. Continue reading...

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