England's Women's Rugby Team is Making a Change in Women's Sport
England’s Red Roses have become one of the most powerful catalysts in the rapid rise of women’s sport. With an impressive unbeaten record and consistent excellence, they’re leading the charge. But it has been a hard-fought journey to get where they are.
Journey to Professionalism
As hosts and favourites to win the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, their journey to their current era began in 2019 when the RFU awarded 28 central contracts. Marking a shift to full‑time professionalism, giving elite female rugby players paid time to train, recover and perform.
Results followed: a string of Women’s Six Nations titles, sustained world No.1 ranking runs, and a World Cup final appearance. Crucially, success has translated into visibility, investment and cultural change that extend well beyond rugby.
From Club Pitches to Twickenham Records
In April 2023 England hosted France in a standalone Six Nations decider at Twickenham and drew 58,498 fans. Making it the largest crowd ever for a women’s rugby match, with nearly two million watching on UK television.
Only a few years earlier, many Red Roses internationals were staged at smaller grounds in front of friends and family. That escalation in stage and scale signals to broadcasters and sponsors that women’s rugby can deliver serious audiences.
A Rising Tide Across Women’s Sport
The Red Roses’ trajectory sits within a broader boom:
The Lionesses drew 87,000+ at Wembley for the Euro 2022 final
The ECB matched men’s international match fees in 2023 after record Women’s Ashes crowds
The FA doubled female football participation to 3.4 million
Women’s sport viewership hit 44.7 million in the UK in 2024
Netball participation rose to 319,400—up 50,000 since 2018
Investment with a Ripple Effect
Professional contracts have widened the talent pool and attracted commercial backing, such as long‑time England men’s sponsor O2 extended equal branding to the women’s side, while the TikTok Women’s Six Nations has brought new digital reach.
The RFU’s ‘Impact 25’ strategy is targeting 100,000 women and girls playing rugby by 2027 (up from roughly 40,000 in 2022), supported by Allianz grassroots ‘Inner Warrior’ camps and facility upgrades ahead of England hosting the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Why it Matters
Role models reshape norms. Seeing powerful, professional female athletes compete in traditionally male spaces invites girls (and boys) to imagine sport differently. England’s women’s rugby team started by changing their own environment, and in doing so, they helped change the conversation across not only women’s sport, but sport altogether.
