On a cool Friday evening in Sunderland, the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup kicked off with a clash that had the rugby world buzzing: England versus the United States at the Stadium of Light. The anticipation was palpable, with more than 40,000 supporters expected to fill the stands, threatening to break the Women’s Rugby World Cup attendance record of 42,579 set just three years earlier. And why not? England’s Red Roses have become synonymous with dominance, rewriting history and raising expectations sky-high.
England’s recent record is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Over the past six years, they’ve notched 57 wins in 58 games, clinched the last seven Six Nations titles, and swept every edition of the WXV global event since its inception. Their world ranking score of 97.76 towers above any other team since the system was introduced 22 years ago. Fans might be forgiven for expecting a coronation rather than a competition this summer—but as coach John Mitchell knows all too well, nothing in sport is ever guaranteed.
Mitchell, who took the reins after England’s heartbreaking defeat in the 2021 World Cup final, is no stranger to the weight of expectation. “I promised myself that whatever happens, happens,” Mitchell reflected before the tournament. “If it doesn’t happen, it is not going to define me. You don’t need outcome to determine how much the girls have grown in the last two and a half years and how much this team is going to grow. It [winning the Rugby World Cup] is something that we have started and that we are very keen to do, but it is not the only driver for us.” His philosophy underscores a Red Roses team that’s as focused on growth and connection as it is on silverware.
That connection with fans is real and growing. With over 330,000 tickets already sold for the tournament, the women’s game is reaching new heights of popularity and media coverage. England’s players have become household names, inspiring a demographic that often feels disconnected from the men’s game. The Red Roses’ selfies with fans after matches have become a tradition, and the buzz around this home World Cup is electric. The final, which is set to sell out Twickenham’s 82,000-seater Allianz Stadium, promises to be a landmark moment for the sport.
For Emily Scarratt, England’s 35-year-old centre and veteran of five World Cup campaigns, the transformation is extraordinary. She’s the only player left from the last time England hosted the tournament in 2010, and she’s seen the game evolve firsthand. “A home World Cup is massive,” Scarratt said earlier this month. “I was part of the 2010 one. Times were very different then, but it was a small taste of what a home World Cup can be like.” Back then, the final drew a record crowd of 13,253; now, Scarratt and her teammates are preparing to perform in front of crowds three times that size. “I will never forget getting off the bus for the World Cup final in 2010 and hearing the crowd. It was probably the first time that we had a crowd that was big enough to hear. I remember the bus door opened and we all just looked around at each other and said ‘this is actually mega’.”
But while England’s dominance is headline news, the United States arrives with a storied past and a hunger to rediscover former glory. The Americans won the inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991 and finished runners-up in the next two tournaments. However, the gap has widened in recent years. The U.S. is ranked 10th in the world and has managed just four wins in 15 Tests since the start of 2023. Recent results haven’t been kind: a first-ever loss to Japan in Los Angeles and a 79-14 defeat to New Zealand highlight the challenges facing the Eagles. England, for its part, beat the U.S. by 38 and 40 points in their last two meetings.
Despite the daunting odds, U.S. captain Kate Zackary leads a squad determined to make an impression, bolstered by talents like social media sensation Ilona Maher. For the Americans, the tournament is about more than just results—it’s about competing on the biggest stage, inspiring future generations, and perhaps springing a surprise or two along the way.
Elsewhere in the tournament, the expanded 16-team format has opened new opportunities and raised the stakes for teams like Ireland. Former Ireland Women’s captain Fiona Coghlan, who led her country to a shock semi-final berth in 2014, believes the current Irish team can repeat that feat. “Well, we actually had expectations on ourselves to reach the last four. No one else did because no one was following that journey. But we had expectations to reach the last four,” Coghlan recalled of their 2014 run. Now, with Ireland ranked fifth in the IRB world rankings and drawn in a pool with Japan, Spain, and powerhouse New Zealand, the goal is clear: reach at least the quarter-finals, and maybe more.
Coghlan urges head coach Scott Bemand to target wins in the first two pool games before making strategic decisions about the final showdown with the Black Ferns. “I don’t think he can go full-on for three games in a row and then expect to turn up in a quarter-final. So I think it depends on how he selects his team,” she advised. With France, ranked fourth and considered a strong contender, likely looming in the knockout stages, Ireland’s journey will be a test of resilience and tactical nous.
Managing pressure is a recurring theme. Coghlan is confident in Ireland’s mindset, saying: “In terms of expectations, they’re managing that well… That ‘Green Wave’ and that whole area that they’ve tapped into, I think there’s definitely great strength and resilience within the squad. So many of them have gone through tough times not being in World Cups and I think they’ve come out stronger now and resilient.” For Ireland, the quarter-finals are the minimum target, but the belief is there to go even further.
Back in Sunderland, as the opening whistle blew, it was clear that this World Cup is about more than just rugby. It’s about history, growth, and the ever-expanding reach of the women’s game. England’s Red Roses have the weight of a nation’s hopes on their shoulders, but as coach John Mitchell reminds us, the journey is as important as the destination. With record crowds, fierce competition, and unforgettable stories already unfolding, the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is off to a thrilling start. The action is ongoing, and fans everywhere are watching to see who will rise, who will surprise, and who will seize their moment in the spotlight.
