England Women

Pontypool, 5 April 1987: England's women took the field for the first time as a national side and beat Wales 22–4.

The World Cup told a slower story. England won it in 1994, then waited two decades for a second title in 2014 against Canada, and did not add a third until 2025, again against Canada, 33–13. Between those wins sat six lost finals, five of them against New Zealand.

Sarah Hunter captained the side through 141 caps, the most of anyone to play for England, while Emily Scarratt's 754 points make her the leading scorer in the team's history. Megan Jones took over the captaincy in March 2026, inheriting a squad built through the National Academy and the Premiership Women's Rugby clubs, Saracens among them, that feed players into the international set-up.

Twickenham, with its 82,000 seats, now stages the biggest of these occasions.