WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP: ‘GREATEST OF ALL TIME’

The head of World Rugby has hailed the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup as the “greatest of all time”.

Alan Gilpin described the final between England and Canada at the Alianz Stadium as “a truly amazing and special occasion”.

“It was the generational sporting moment we believed and hoped we could deliver. It was a huge privilege to be here and watch one of the best rugby occasions of all time. Historic, special, incredible and many other words to describe an incredible tournament,” he said.

“In my view, and I have been involved in a few of these, we have been involved in the greatest Rugby World Cup of all time. A tournament that delivered on every single level. It didn’t just raise the bar, it has gone stratospheric, broken records, changed perceptions and showcased the very best of our sport and our players.”

Gilpin continued, saying he thinks the men’s tournament could learn a lot from the women’s tournament.

“A few weeks ago, I sat here and said I thought the men’s game could learn a lot from this tournament. I think that is even clearer now. Greater accessibility and more personality create more stars. That is what we need in our sport. It is the future of sport. This World Cup has proved that being yourself, being visible on social media, sharing opinions, engaging the fans and the media is not a distraction, it’s a performance-enabler because when players are happy they play their best rugby.”

Image credit: Sky Sports