Residents get chance to 'try' their hand as Sunderland gears up to hosting the Women's Rugby World Cup

All eyes will be on the city's Stadium of Light when England's Red Roses, who have won six Six Nations titles in a row, take to the pitch for the opening match of the biggest ever celebration of women's international rugby on Friday 22 August 2025.

Work is already underway to make sure that hosting the global tournament creates a lasting impact for grassroots rugby in the city, with Sunderland City Council committing to delivering its own Active Sunderland Community Rugby Impact Programme to complement the RFU's Impact '25 programme.

Councillor Beth Jones, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, said: "It's incredibly exciting for Sunderland to be hosting the opening match of the Women's Rugby World Cup at a time when we're seeing a huge surge of interest in women's rugby and women's sport in general.

"It's going to be a real game changer for women and girls' involvement in grassroots rugby across our city. We've already got some hugely talented female players and a fantastic rugby community in our city. And we're going to be working closely with our local rugby clubs to help them develop and grow opportunities for women and girls in the lead up to 2025 and beyond.

"But this is also about creating a lasting impact, with opportunities to play and get involved in rugby all year round that everyone can get involved in, no matter what their age, past experience or level of ability. 

"So our three year community rugby impact programme will include the development of a schools rugby skills festival to give primary school children who've not had the chance to try rugby before, to work as a team, testing their rugby skills with timed challenges, ball skills and more. We're also installing kick about rugby goals across the city, as well as a coach the coach programme and developing volunteer rugby ambassadors to help out with community training opportunities.

"We see it very much as an opportunity to supercharge the growth of the women's and girls' game in Sunderland, Washington and the Coalfields, at the same time as giving people who've never set foot on a rugby pitch the chance to try out the sport and get involved all year round, whether that's as a player, a volunteer or a coach.

"Hosting the opening game will also allow our city and region to shine on the international stage and we're very much looking forward to welcoming fans from across the world as well as local fans when the tournament kicks off next August."

Kick-about rugby goals aimed at encouraging more people to have a go at rugby are soon to be installed in five locations across Sunderland as part of the impact programme. 

Sunderland's three rugby clubs are also excited about the Women's Rugby World Cup coming to Sunderland and what this means for the growth of grassroots rugby in the city.

Neil Macknight from Houghton Rugby Club, said: "Everyone at Houghton Rugby Club is excited for the Red Roses opening match of Women's Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light. It represents a huge opportunity to experience quality international rugby close to home that will generate wider interest and participation in our sport locally. Rugby is a game for everyone and we at Houghton will be happy to help you turn your interest into active involvement." 

Paul Geehan, Chairman of Sunderland Rugby Club, added: "Here at Sunderland Rugby Club, we're thrilled about the opportunity to partner with Sunderland City Council's Active Sunderland, in bringing the Women's Rugby World Cup to our doorstep. This initiative is not just about showcasing elite talent on the pitch but about fostering a grassroots movement that encourages participation and inclusivity. We're excited to welcome newcomers of all ages and backgrounds to experience the camaraderie and thrill of rugby, and to work together to build a stronger, more vibrant rugby community in Sunderland and beyond."

Alex Teasdale, Executive Director of Women's Game, RFU said: "It is great to see that the transformational Impact '25 legacy programme is already making a huge difference in Sunderland and across the North East.

"We will continue to work tirelessly to create a legacy for women's rugby throughout the region and beyond, creating more opportunities for women and girls to get involved in rugby, whether that be playing, coaching or supporting. We're now fewer than 500 days away from the tournament curtain-raiser at the Stadium of Light and excitement is already building. It's set to be a spectacular celebration of the women's game and we cannot wait!"

Sarah Massey, Managing Director, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, said: "The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 will be a generational moment for rugby that will inspire the next generation of players and welcome new fans to the sport.

"It's fantastic to see the commitment from Sunderland in developing women's rugby within their community ahead of our opening match at the Stadium of Light on the 22 August 2025, providing further opportunities for women and girls' to get involved in playing, coaching and volunteering in the region."