England’s Grand Slam triumph in the 2025 Women’s Six Nations served to underline the impact the team is making in inspiring the next generation in south west London.
The Red Roses seventh-consecutive Six Nations title following last Saturday’s 43-42 win over France continued the longest winning streak by any side in the men’s or women’s competition, and the support shown by the Twickenham community is having a notable impact on the area, too.
Along with a mural on fan-favourite pub The Cabbage Patch showing skipper Zoe Aldcroft plus vice-captains Marlie Packer and Meg Jones in action, the venue will be renamed The Red Roses Patch for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England later this year.
Cabbage Patch bartender Alex Collinsson, 24, said: “They’ve had lots of watch-time on TV, and it seems to be growing week by week by week.
“We’ve had it on every screen bar one with people watching it until the end.”
Collinsson added interest in the sport has only increased over the years, with many young women regularly watching the tournament in their pub.
St Mary’s University women’s rugby team, whose players are aged 18-22 and are sponsored by The Cabbage Patch, has found the community support from them and other businesses instrumental to driving their participation rates and visibility.
Team spokesperson Ella Dempster, 22, said: “Being able to watch what England’s women’s team have been able to achieve the past few seasons has been monumental and will be a massive turning point for women’s rugby union.
“Women are starting to be put on an even playing field to men.
“We hope that the participation rates of girls and women in rugby will continue to grow and showcase how much women are capable of.”
Saturday’s nail-biting Grand Slam decider between England and France brought 37,573 spectators to Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
As part of the Rugby Football Union’s Every Rose campaign, they aim to fill the 82,000 capacity of the ground for a Red Roses match by 2027.
Viewing data trends from Statista also show a steady increase in British women watching the games, rising to 42% in 2023 from 37% in the previous year.
A £12.3million government-backed investment ahead of this summer’s home World Cup aims to make rugby union even more accessible for women and girls across England, on the back of a 9.3% rise in girls playing in 2023.
Dempster said: “The attitudes towards the sport have been hugely positive.
“The winning streak of the Red Roses will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Feature image credit: Bethan King
