England is currently hosting the women’s Rugby World Cup. Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, bought tickets for one of the group matches as a gift for her sister and ended up being taken along to Brighton for the ride as they watched New Zealand play Ireland. Here’s what she thought of the experience…
The atmosphere for Ireland vs New Zealand
I’ve only been to the Amex stadium once before, and that was for a conference rather than on a match day. As we approached the venue, I suddenly realised it was a first for me, having spent most of my childhood and my early adulthood hearing a lot about it: the stadium took many years to get approved, and the process was heavily documented by local news channels.
I’m fortunate to have been to a lot of sporting events at a range of venues, and the buzz for this started early – I’d been in central Brighton the day prior (when England had been due to play Australia at the same venue), and the city was teeming with excited fans; I was really pleased to see local businesses thriving as a result.
There were plenty of fans in support of both teams, yet the atmosphere was friendly. It’s possibly because this match was fairly low stakes – it was the finale of the pool matches, and both teams began the match knowing they were through to the knockout stage. The stadium was a happy place throughout the match, with fans singing, waving, and appreciating the action on the pitch. It felt relaxed and safe, which hasn’t been the case for every sporting event I’ve attended, and makes a huge difference to the fan experience.
Allyship at the Women’s Rugby World Cup
Part way through, I recognised that, whilst I felt fairly surrounded by women, there were also a lot of men in the crowd. I could also tell that they were enthusiastically present, rather than having been dragged along by someone else.
This may sound like a small thing, but I’ve grown up among a heavy attitude that women’s sport “isn’t as good” as men’s. That the quality is lower. That it’s not worth sponsoring, broadcasting, or watching. And that attitude couldn’t have been further from the truth in Brighton watching Ireland and New Zealand. Which is what all sports that are looking for growth need – support. We need fans to show up and vote with their wallets, which is absolutely what happened. Just over 30,000 people attended alongside me, which seemed like an impossible dream not so long ago. Long may the progress continue.
The Haka
I don’t consider myself a rugby fan, but if there’s one thing I learned early in life about men’s rugby, it was that New Zealand’s All Blacks were both very good at it, and preceded every match with their famous version of the haka. The cultural significance of this ritual is broader and used in a greater range of contexts than many know, but men’s rugby is often the most famous association.
Their women’s team, the Black Ferns, perform their own version, with a different chant – the words apply to their own focus as a female team – and the meaningful nature of it remains the same. It’s often perceived as a way of them intimidating their opponents as well as getting themselves ready for the match ahead.
After the anthem for each team had been played and applauded, both teams repositioned themselves in the middle of the pitch facing each other. The cameras were also ready to televise what came next, and the Black Ferns were duly led in their chant and dance. Without any assistance from the arena’s sound system, you could hear the shouting word-perfectly, and I’m truly honoured to have been able to see it. The passion from the players was clear to see, and it’s clearly a special moment for them too.
Keep watching!
If you’re already watching the 2025 Rugby World Cup, please keep doing so! There are eight matches to go – we’re now into the knockout stage, or the business end of the tournament. If you haven’t yet tuned in, now is your chance. The BBC is airing all matches in the UK, and it’s fair to say that the teams which have qualified for the quarter finals are the top eight from the tournament – there were no cheeky or lucky breakthroughs, so I expect most of the remaining matches to be a real fight.
The final is being held at Twickenham, and is on track to be the second-best attended Rugby World Cup final ever, for the men’s or women’s game. It’s also a double-header – the third place playoff match is taking place on the same day, prior to the grand final; mark your calendars for Saturday 27th September.
Having enjoyed a different elite sport in my backyard, I’m off to check the calendar and see what else is coming through in the next couple of years…