Following a sixth successive Guinness Women’s Six Nations victory, the Red Roses are returning to their roots and visiting their first community rugby club this month.
To give back to the fans that have supported them throughout their successful Grand Slam-winning campaign, players will visit clubs that helped mould them into the athlete they are today.
During each appearance, the Red Rose will lead training drills, host engaging Q&A sessions, and take part in autograph signings and photo opportunities.
England are currently positioned as the number one ranked side in the world, and with a home Rugby World Cup being hosted in this country next year, there is huge excitement and increased interest around women’s rugby union at present.
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations saw unprecedented attention on the women’s game – with three of the Red Roses’ fixtures reaching over a million broadcast viewers and the final game against France reaching a peak audience of 1.9 million. These figures contributed to an overall YOY growth of 30% for all Red Roses fixtures in the tournament compared with the 2023 edition. The side was also followed passionately by fans in stadia too, with almost 70,000 supporters packing into Ashton Gate and Twickenham in total for the Red Roses’ home fixtures.
The Red Roses are keen to acknowledge the crucial role played by grassroots clubs and their loyal supporters during their Six Nations campaign, by visiting their first community club this month. It is hoped that these visits will also help to inspire girls and women to take up the sport and grow the game in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2025 and beyond.
The women’s game in England is already flourishing from the grassroots level through to the elite; the Red Roses are currently ranked the number one team in the world, while the participation number for women and girls have risen to over 40,000. With England hosting Rugby World Cup 2025, the aim is to reach 100k registered female players by 2027.
Speaking about the initiative, Alex Teasdale, Executive Director of Women’s Rugby, England Rugby, said: “The Red Roses are incredibly grateful for the support they have received from grassroots rugby clubs throughout their careers. These visits are a wonderful opportunity for them to give back to the community that has nurtured their talent and passion for the game.
“We hope that by reconnecting with grassroots clubs, the Red Roses can inspire the next generation of young players and leave a lasting legacy for women’s rugby in England.”
Red Roses captain, Marlie Packer, said: “The support we received throughout the Six Nations was amazing, and we want to repay the rugby community by visiting clubs and meeting all their members.
“We are all so excited to return to our roots and give back to the clubs that laid the foundations for our careers. Rugby as a sport has given us all so much, and we can’t wait to see more girls giving it a go as we build towards next year’s Rugby World Cup.”
For more information, or to find out where your nearest Red Roses visit is, please contact cameronscott@rfu.com.
With thanks to the RFU
