Go With Her, Girls!

Rugby World Cup 2025? Fully invested, all in.

8 days from now, in the north east of England, the Rugby World Cup kicks off. I’ve never been particularly invested in the big sporting events, apart from the possibility of a Bank Holiday thrown about each time England threaten to get to a final.

I did sort of follow the last Women’ World Cup over in New Zealand, but only because I had become swept up in the crazy world of grassroots girls rugby by that point and needed to learn some names other than Marlie Packer. So, at the rats crack of dawn on 2022 final morning I went to a local rugby club with my super fan mum and sister to somewhat watch Eng v NZ, but mainly to observe that room full of people watching it around me. It was a brilliant experience, the club had set up the big screen, bar was open for hot drinks (and possibly cold if that floats your lilo at 5:30 on a Saturday morning) and the place was packed.

It was an open invite to all local girls sections, and seeing so many bleary-eyed teenage girls, kitted out in fluffy onesies and slippers, munching down on bacon rolls from the community ‘bring a plate’ buffet was really quite something. From my perch at the back of the room, next to said buffet table (follow me for more autistic social engagement life hacks) I watched a room full of men, women and children engaged in a rugby match. A pretty big match, obviously, being the World Cup Final, but in essence still a rugby match. The power of that match though, that’s what has stayed with me. The power of a sport that is so relatively unknown to huge section of society, but is important enough to bring a room full of people together.

And that is what stays with me now, going into this one. There will be rooms full of people from all backgrounds, all with busy lives, but they’ll come together for the duration of these matches and share rugby. They may not understand all the rules (who really does?), they may never have picked up an egg-shaped ball. It does not matter. They may be out there on the pitch every week smashing rucks and sucking orange segments. That’s pretty ace. Everyone will be in rooms together, celebrating the women representing their country on the biggest stage. That’s really bloody exciting.

I am actually so excited I have a wall planner. Yep. Don’t mock it until you’ve tried it.

8 days and counting…

📍Sunderland Stadium of Light

🏉 7:30pm

📺 BBC iPlayer