Women’s Sport Is World Class: Inclusivity, Inspiration, and Lessons from Twickenham

On Saturday, I was at Twickenham with an amazingly inclusive, record-breaking crowd. Predominantly England supporters, yes – but men, women, and children from every generation, background, and walk of life came together under the English flag.

We respected the national anthems of our opponents and then sang ours at the top of our voices. We cheered for our team, while also applauding the physicality, skill, and creativity of France, New Zealand, and Canada. Parents proudly introduced their children to what great team support looks like – and to some of the best things about being English.

The rugby itself was breathtaking. Passion, power, precision. Tries, conversions, passes, tackles – all delivered with dedication, focus, and teamwork. The athletes showed not just how rugby can be played, but how it can inspire.

👏 Congratulations to all the teams – and of course to England, now World Champions.

The only downer? A WhatsApp chat that started:

“Only one thing worse than women’s rugby – women’s football.”
The “expert” then listed which women’s sports he did enjoy watching (I’ll leave you to guess the theme).

If only he had been there at Twickenham.
If only he could have witnessed the inclusivity, the excellence, and the inspiration I saw.
If only he could free himself from his own insecurities.

Women’s sport is not “worse.” It is world class. It deserves our respect, our voices, and our support.