- The brand-new documentary showcasing the Red Roses’ path to a home Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 victory will be shown on Thursday 9 April on ITVX and ITV4.
- Co-created by the RFU and O2, longtime partner of England Rugby and shirt sponsor of over thirty years, the documentary celebrates a record-breaking year in women’s rugby – from generating a World Record crowd (81,885) for a standalone women’s rugby fixture to the Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament amassing an historic 12 million TV views across the nation.
- The film also takes viewers behind the scenes to explore the challenges the team have faced – from gender disparity to body image, injury and mental health – through to individual stories of players and coaching staff.
- The documentary was created to move the dial in the women’s game with the gender awareness gap still in existence and 46% of rugby fans not able to name a single Red Roses player, despite them being ranked number one in the world.
The England women’s rugby team, known around the world as the Red Roses, will feature in an inspirational new documentary ‘England, Meet England’ which details their tremendous path to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 victory. Co-created with O2, longtime partner of the RFU, the documentary will be available to watch from Thursday 9 April on ITVX and ITV4.
An embedded camera crew followed the Red Roses for the duration of the tournament on their journey to become world champions during a home Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, a year in which the England women’s team not only remained undefeated for a consecutive 33 games – the longest winning streak of any international rugby team – but also saw a seismic shift in the sport.
Over 12 million fans tuned in to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup on the BBC over the six-week period, with the final culminating in Allianz Stadium selling out at 82,000 capacity – a first in the history of the women’s game.
The never-before-seen footage provides a unique insight to see the players in a whole new light – from inviting viewers into the jubilant team changing rooms mere minutes after World Cup victory to chronicling the deeply personal challenges – and losses – some of the team members faced, all during the critical period of tournament preparation. Familiar faces also make an appearance, with HRH Princess of Wales congratulating the team as well as exclusive interviews with the Red Roses, coaching staff and sporting legends including Gabby Logan MBE and a cameo of Lioness Chloe Kelly.
GOING DEEPER
The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to become World Champions and the dedication it requires to ‘Wear the Rose’ and represent your country at the pinnacle of the sport. As each World Cup tournament match unfolds, from pool to the knockout stages, the documentary takes viewers on individual player journeys – overcoming injuries, building mental fortitude and sharing the importance of team camaraderie on the way to maintaining their status as number one ranked team in the world.
The namesake of the documentary, England, Meet England was born from O2’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 campaign which aimed to close the gender awareness gap in the sport and grow the women’s game. The creation of the campaign, and subsequently the documentary, was based on insights including the reality that 62% of rugby fans couldn’t name a single Red Roses player, despite being ranked number one in the world.
The film aims to continue the good work of the campaign which has helped successfully close the gender awareness gap to only 1% and boost awareness of the game and players with 54% of England Rugby fans now able to name a Red Rose player.
Gareth Griffiths, Director, Partnerships and Sponsorships at Virgin Media O2, said: “The Red Roses captivated the hearts of the nation with an epic victory on home soil, becoming World Cup Champions only months ago. O2 has stood side by side with England Rugby for over 30 years, with the women’s game at the heart of our partnership, so it felt right to commemorate the Red Roses’ victory by capturing their heroic journey for all to see.”
Alex Teasdale, Executive Director of Women’s Game: “This World Cup journey marked a watershed moment for the women’s game; from record-breaking crowds to millions of new fans discovering the Red Roses for the first time. But this is only the beginning. Our partnership with O2 has played a crucial role in accelerating awareness and visibility, and we’re determined to build on this momentum so that every young girl can see a future for herself in rugby.
“We hope the documentary inspires even more people to connect with the Red Roses and join us as we continue to grow the game at every level across England.”
Zoe Stratford, Captain, Red Roses, said: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup win was what dreams are made of. To live and breathe every single moment of the tournament alongside some of your best mates was incredibly special. Winning a World Cup takes an extraordinary amount of hard work, but it’s also built on a tight bond and a positive culture; that’s exactly what we had in this group. We built something really special together, and we can’t wait for people to gain a deeper insight into our journey through this documentary.
We’re so grateful to O2 and the RFU for commemorating such an iconic period for women’s rugby in this country and celebrating what this team achieved.”
The new documentary was funded by O2 and the RFU and developed and produced by SBX Studios.
On Saturday 11 April, fans of the game can catch the Red Roses against Ireland in the first match of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations at Allianz Stadium. To buy tickets, head here.
ENDS
Notes To Editors
Across the full tournament, the Women’s Rugby World Cup reached a total TV audience of 12 million, with 10.5 million streams on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport digital platforms.
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