Red Roses legend Sarah Hunter believes Women's Rugby World Cup will change sport forever

North Wales Live

21-07-2025

Former England captain Sarah Hunter believes the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will create a lasting legacy for the game.
England will play host to the biggest Women's Rugby World Cup ever seen when it gets under way in Sunderland on 22 August. Ticket sales have already broken records, but Hunter believes the impact goes past just the game in England,
'It is global. Because we are in England, we think about what the growth can be like here, but I genuinely think this could be a moment in time for the women's game worldwide,' Hunter said. 'What it can do to create that lasting legacy that really puts women's rugby on the map. If you look at where all the countries are coming from, you have South America, Brazil coming to their first World Cup, you've got Samoa returning for the first time in 11 years.
'All these wonderful nations, including Canada and the USA which in the men's game you might not think they are traditional rugby countries. I think that is what is so good about the women's game is that actually, it gets into places that maybe it hasn't been thought they play rugby.
'The eyes of the world will be on this tournament and if that is in countries that don't normally have rugby then that is a window where they can create their own legacy in their own right. Whether that is playing, whether that is fanbase, whatever that might be, I just think we've got a real opportunity, we've got more media attention, more fans coming from around the world.
'I think it is a prime opportunity to grow the game globally.'
It is not just on the pitch or in the stands that the World Cup will have impact, with coaching set to be a key focus. The Gallagher High Performance Academy (GHPA) will see 16 female coaches embedded within their unions during the tournament.
The World Rugby initiative aims to increase the number of female coaches in elite rugby by providing workshops and mentors as well as first-hand experience at tournaments. Hunter, who now serves as England defence coach, was part of the first GHPA cohort and believes it is doing important work in removing the barriers for women coaching in rugby.
She added: 'Some of the barriers females find going into coaching, they don't often know the pathway exists or the opportunity is there. Sometimes I guess it might be seen as a risk to take on board a female who all the previous experience doesn't necessarily have, but they have got the skillset and the ability to do it.
'But they haven't been given the opportunity so that is what the High-Performance Academy does. It gives people the opportunity to get a foot in the door, and it also allows the nation to have a female come in and just see the added value can have in their programme.'