Teams once had to sell raffle tickets and vodka to fund their campaigns, now women are front and centre of the sport’s global development strategy
T
he first Women’s Rugby World Cup ran on grit, goodwill, vodka and raffle tickets. Back in 1991, the men who were in charge of the sport did not just refuse to sanction the new women’s competition, they made legal threats against the four organisers, who had to design their own team and tournament logos to avoid a copyright lawsuit.
The women approached more than 600 businesses for support, but could not persuade one to sign on so the 12 teams had to cover the cost of their own transport, food and accommodation. The Russian team did it by trading the booze they had brought over with them.
Sport, and society, has changed so much since the first tournament that the 10th, which begins when England play the USA at the Stadium of Light on Friday night, feels almost unrecognisable from the first. The opening match is a reprise of the first final, when the USA beat England 19-6 in front of a crowd of 3,000 at Cardiff Arms Park.
