Hello Readers,
As this post goes live, I should be re-exploring
Twickenham, gearing up to watch England vs. Ireland at the Women’s Six Nations
tomorrow. It’s my first time back at Twickenham since developing my allergy
disorder, so please send your prayers to whichever deity you prefer. Is this a
full-on Hades take the wheel situation? Absolutely. But here we are Hades,
take the wheel! I say this like I wasn’t just thoroughly humbled by my
disorder last week, but hey, nothing like living on the edge, right?
Back in 2019, as part of Women’s History Week, I wrote a
post about women’s rugby and The Red Roses. It focused on women I believed
deserved more recognition, and I’m thrilled to say that so much has changed for
The Red Roses since then. Today, our women’s team has 32 professional
contracts, meaning they no longer have to balance full-time jobs alongside
their rigorous training and matches. When I first started following The Red
Roses, the players were juggling rugby with their day jobs, and it’s incredible
to see how far the sport has come.
I always knew women’s rugby matches existed, but I didn’t
know how to attend games until 2015. It wasn’t until the men’s 2015 Rugby World
Cup, held in England, that I noticed The Red Roses starting to receive more
recognition, with their games becoming more publicized. I remember when I first
attended their matches and saw hashtags like #WatchThemGrow and
#SendHerVictorious. Watching them grow has been such a privilege and I have had
the chance to witness many talented players earn their first caps and become phenomenal
players.
While these changes are a fantastic step forward, they’re
just the beginning, dear Reader. I’m delighted that I can now watch women’s
rugby on major streaming services instead of relying on YouTube or Facebook
Live. (And let’s not forget those games that looked like they were filmed on a
potato!) Seeing women’s rugby getting the platform it deserves fills me with
hope.
I can’t wait to see what the next five years have in
store for The Red Roses. The success of The Lionesses and The Red Roses is
bringing women’s sport into the spotlight and I am absolutely here for it.
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