England begin Rugby World Cup campaign on Friday
Organisers hope to capture public imagination
Crouch. Set. Re-engage. A sporting summer in which England’s women have already taken centre stage begins a powerful second act on Friday night as the Red Roses kick off the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Sunderland. The Lionesses have already shattered many perceptions in winning the Women’s Euros twice. Now the Red Roses hope to forcibly ram home the message.
More than 40,000 fans will be at the Stadium of Light to see England begin their campaign against the United States, with millions more expected to watch it live on BBC One. The result is expected to be a rout. In fact, anyone betting £100 on the Red Roses to win will get just 10p in winnings if they are successful.
Unsurprisingly the Red Roses are also huge favourites for the tournament, having lost only one of their past 58 matches. That defeat came in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand, one of the few teams apart from England to have a squad of professional players.
