Go With Her, Girls!

It’s here. After so much build up, all the hype, the niggling worries, the building buzz. The Rugby World Cup 2025 is here, it’s happening and it’s everything we wanted and more.

There are so many things that are worthy of discussion I’m going to have to make a list I think. Love me a list. But this post is to cover the opening of the tournament, the coverage from a home-spectator POV, the reaction and the all-around vibes emanating from the past 72 hours.
Friday 22nd August, 2025 – The day everyone has had marked in their calendars for so long, opening night for the most beautiful, brilliant and brutal showpiece of the women’s rugby schedule, the tournament that will showcase the best in the world on the grandest stage ever.

Up and down the country, 8 host cities began gearing up with fanzones, stadium signage and bands of bubbly volunteers. An intentional move by those round the planning tables, insisting on as large a number of venues in as varied a regions as possible to bring the magic of this event to as many as could be reached.

Now, as someone who lives in the bum-end of nowhere I was very on board with this. Do not get me wrong, Cornwall is hands down the most beautiful geographical backside I have ever known…until you would like easy access to large events or fancy a cheeky “nationwide” chain of spicy chicken. Then it’s a bit of a challenge. Even for us though, the planning came through and a plethora of events and some absurdly good matches are being held in Exeter. That 3 hour trip up the road is akin to nipping to the shops for Cornish rugby fans! So, I am proof that plan point was needed and has been met.

With the opening England vs USA the only match on the first day it meant the other host cities and everyone at home could fully invest in the build up. The online efforts were stellar. Campaigns from the Red Roses were popping off almost on the daily, flooding our feeds with so much positivity even your most cynical Karen would struggle not to be moved. For The Girls. Fearless. Barbie. Below The Shoulder. Intuition. I could go on. We had content drops on an unprecedented level, including on mainstream television; Abbie Ward on CBeebies? Iconic. Scrum Queens documentary? Iconic. BLOODY BARGAIN HUNT??? Lost my mind.

Then it was time. 6:30pm, BBC One tv, live at fan zones across the nation and in front of 42,723 fans at the Stadium of Light in the Rugby League heartland of the North East, the World Cup commenced. Pyrotechnics, pundits (and a punter in the form of Ruby Tui) and pitch-side festivities before an opening match that set the tone perfectly. Of course, a dominant display by the faves, and a plucky, determined show from the Eagles but the match transcended the scoreline. Women’s rugby won.

I got such a buzz following the post match fall out on socials. Honestly, I never expected it to be so addictive. My algorithm has hit a sweet spot, it knows to keep feeding me the rugby content until my phone literally explodes. So much footage, so many reactions. Snippets of fans, of mascots, of first timers and veteran supporters. Behind the Scenes with Queen Elma, candid moments with backroom staff. We live in a world where the internet is bashed (often with merit) but it really can be a force for good.

The momentum put in play on Friday night has swept into Saturday and Sunday as matches kicked off across the nation and my goodness, it’s been everything. A home nations derby, travelling hot dog people, opposition side huddles post match to thank each other for the game and THAT Fijiana try 🤯 to name but a few magic moments.

The Rugby World Cup 2025 is here. It’s big and loud and bloody beautiful. And we haven’t even seen Brazil debut yet! For The Girls, indeed.