What is the Women's Rugby World Cup?

The Women’s Rugby World Cup is a tournament that hosts the best international women’s rugby teams in the world. The competition itself has a pool stage, followed by a knockout stage; that takes you all the way to the finals. The competition is important for several reasons. The first being that these teams and players get to play rugby on the world stage. It is a great experience for all the players and behind-the-scenes staff to show what all their hard work has led to. Then you get the fact that women and girls from all over the globe get to see people that look like them, or that they can identify with, playing the game we love. It is bound to increase the uptake of grassroots rugby, which inevitably filters up to more competition and a higher standard at the top levels. It will also encourage more people to go and watch women’s rugby! This will then put more revenue into the sport, which will eventually lead to higher performance and a greater watching experience. Finally, it will inspire women and girls to see women in roles that are usually male-dominant. They can see women leading the refereeing teams, coaching rugby and having lead roles in commentary.

Do you feel like media coverage of the tournament is better than in previous years?

Absolutely, 100%! You can watch every match live (though that involves some very early mornings or late nights here in the UK), or catch up on ITV Hub. Not only that, it’s also being talked about, and highlights are being shown on all the social media channels, rugby shows, podcasts, etc. It is so accessible.

Who do you think will win the tournament and why?

As much as I’d love to say Wales, I think England will take it. I think that you can’t help but be inspired by the Red Roses. The improvement they have shown in the five years since the last World Cup — losing in the final, to becoming fully professional, to becoming the most dominant team in the world with 26 wins in a row. You cannot deny they are the favourites! I think hot on their heels are France and New Zealand, which makes sense as these are the teams that have been professional for the longest. The great thing about this tournament is that when you look at the teams that have only recently given their players professional contracts (Scotland, Wales, etc), you can already see the improvement in their game! So, even only 2 weeks into the competition, you can see the best performers are the teams that get paid. I hope that this will inspire other rugby unions to follow suit and give their women’s players professional contracts.

As an athlete, how does watching these big tournaments make you feel?

I am a scrum half and a captain so I love watching other number 9s (the scrum half position) and captains to see what I can learn from them and implement into my game or my leadership. It’s also just great to be able to relate to the players — they are women playing rugby, I am a woman who enjoys playing rugby. I will of course always support Wales but whatever the nationality, it is excellent to watch some really great rugby and that is what we’re seeing this World Cup.

Do you think that the tournament will boost the appeal of women's rugby in Cambridge?

Yes. I think the more people that see their friends talking about it or catch it on social media, then the more people that will become interested in watching or playing rugby. We as a club have been organising ‘viewing parties’ where all squad members are invited to come and watch the games. It means that the more knowledgeable players can help the newer players learn the laws. I think the best ways for new players to learn the game is to watch it being played and ask questions! We are always recruiting so encourage anyone that is interested in playing at the Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC) at any level to get in touch. We also have a few evening games scheduled over the season, so any support by coming down to Grange Road to watch our games is so appreciated.