England won the Women’s Rugby World Cup, showcasing their dominance and strategic investment in women’s rugby.
The domestic competition primed a quarter of the athletes, including many from Wales and Scotland.
The tournament set attendance records, with 92% of tickets sold and 5.8 million watching the final.
The biggest ever Women’s Rugby World Cup has come to a close. The confetti has been swept away, highlight reels have been posted and the hangovers nursed. In the end, after all the selections, speculations and strategising, this victory felt inevitable for the unstoppable hosts. England crowned thewinner in more ways than one.
A World Cup finally for a programme that has been world-leading. Eight years on from its launch, England’s domestic competition is now so strong that it primed a quarter of the athletes that competed at this pinnacle event. Including the majority of Wales, Scotland and the other finalist, Canada. And the PWR’s magnetism is only growing for the world’s top talent. Black Ferns Alana Bremner, Georgia Ponsonby and Amy Rule all signed on to play in the upcoming season.
It is the development of this super league of international stars that has produced an unbeatable England. Playing the best of their own and the world, in a full-length competition, priming them to be fearsome on the world stage.
England’s selectors are spoilt for choice, finding depth in the game-day 23 and well beyond their World Cup roster. They cycled through their top 32 at this tournament dropping nothing in the change-up. Eighteen points was the closest margin on their unbeaten run to lift the trophy.
Their union bet big when launching this league and have come up a winner, showing the way forward for all unions serious about women’s rugby.
It’s this vision, too, that won over the fans. This World Cup ended with 92% of all tickets sold. Breaking the women’s World Cup attendance record in game one and concluding with the second-largest crowd in all World Cup history. Those who didn’t make it through the gates, tuned in at home; there were 5.8 million watching the final free-to-air on the BBC. These fans were the best of England, full voiced and good humoured. They cheered on not just their champions but all who took the field. Including 55,000 through the gate to celebrate a bronze final.
The England team celebrate winning the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
The love for the women’s game was on display in the newsroom too. There were 500 media accredited across the tournament, up from 100 just three years ago. Within England, this is a mix of traditional and new media. There are several dedicated content creators and at least a dozen women’s-rugby focused podcasts. Two of these shows are hosted by current Red Roses, meaning there’s even more ways for fans to keep connected to the game.
England, then, is not just winning the game but also leading the conversation. With all eyes, ears and bodies on the line for women’s rugby, winning sponsorship dollars is also going England’s way. The activation at this event was beyond what we have seen before at any women’s pinnacle event. There was water, chips, heck, even a preferred razor at this World Cup. Having such a positive experience at this tournament, it’ll be an easy win to convert these brands over to support England in future campaigns.
All of this is coming together just as England Rugby had planned. The World Cup win, the final piece of the puzzle, to bring into full focus the vision they had for women in the game. All of these wins were hard fought, earned through careful strategy and bold investment well before the World Cup kicked off.
They did this because England Rugby knew women’s rugby was a winner. It’s time now for all other unions to realise the same if they want their own taste of victory.
