Ahead Of The Women's Rugby World Cup, England's Red Roses Make Their Vogue Debut

Twickenham is surprisingly peaceful on a wet weekday morning, rain tapping gently on its fold-down plastic seats. Come September, this lauded rugby ground will feel very different. Around 80,000 fans are expected to pack the stands for the Women's Rugby World Cup final – the largest crowd ever to watch a women's rugby match, and a sparkling climax in a golden summer for women's sport.

The team tipped to bring home rugby's biggest prize? They're clack-clack-clacking towards me through the tunnel right now, studded boots echoing on concrete: England's Red Roses, ready for their Vogue debut.

At the helm is newly crowned captain Zoe Aldcroft; gap-toothed, with head-girl charisma and a warm Scarborough accent. "The nerves do kick in every now and then," the 28-year-old admits, especially being here. "But that's a good thing to help us get ramped up for the biggest tournament of our lives."

She's not exaggerating. This year's competition isn't just about the trophy – it's a reckoning for the sport. Once dismissed as just for men – with so few girls' teams that nearly every Red Rose I meet started out playing with boys – women's rugby now stands at a cultural tipping point. The players are building loyal online followings, with brands like Rhode scrambling to send them gifts. More girls than ever are picking up gum shields and Gilbert balls. Just as the Lionesses' Euros 2022 win set women's football ablaze, many believe a home victory for the Roses could do the same for rugby. Recently retired England goalie Mary Earps is even making custom merch to support them.

It's all a far cry from Aldcroft's first England cap back in 2016. "There were about 20 fans, mostly family and friends, and we were getting changed in marquees," she says, with a smile.

Luckily, the Roses couldn't be more ready. The team won the 2014 World Cup in France and were runners-up in 2017 and 2021. Now they've been undefeated for three years, sweeping the 2025 Six Nations. Even today's kickabout for the cameras crackles with intent, Aldcroft lifted skyward by teammates like she's doing cheer stunts. "When they release you and you drop, it's like you're flying high," she says, of getting tossed like this for lineouts (rugby's version of a throw-in). "It's one of my favourite parts of the game."

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