1. Match whistle for opening game on quite a journey
Five-time world record holder and ChildFund Rugby Ambassador Lexi Chambers will attempt a new world record when she delivers the match whistle for the opening game of Rugby World Cup 2025 in Sunderland on August 22.
Chambers will cover the distance of ten ultramarathons in ten days using a non-sport wheelchair, travelling over 322 miles starting from Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium and ending in Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
“It’s quite overwhelming for a huge women’s rugby fan to have the opportunity to deliver the whistle for the opening of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025,” she said. “There couldn’t be a bigger honour.”
Read all about it here.
2. The inside scoop on hosts England
England let you inside their camp with O2’s Inside Line mini documentary as they ramp up preparations for #RWC2025.
In last week’s episode which built up to their warm-up win against Spain, we heard from five-time Rugby World Cup participant Emily Scarratt as well as seeing some disco-inspired knee slides from prop Hannah Botterman.
There was also a little carpool karaoke from Maddie Feaunati and Lilli Ives Campion!
3. Emma Wassell’s World Cup Diary
Over the course of Rugby World Cup 2025 we will hear from a host of players as they detail their journey into and during the tournament.
Up first we had Scotland lock Emma Wassell, who took part in her first Test match since recovering from a benign tumour in her chest and sternotomy surgery, as she faced Italy in a warm-up match at the end of last month.
She talks us through the opportunity Scotland have at this World Cup as well as touching on their ever-growing rivalry with Wales. Click here to read all about it.
4. RugbyPass unveil top 50 women’s players
RugbyPass have unveiled the 50 women’s players they believe to be the best in the world currently playing the game.
As is the case every time these lists are curated, there is sure to be plenty of debate around the selections!
Have a read and see how different their list is from yours.
5. Ellie Kildunne makes her return
Ellie Kildunne made her long-awaited return from a leg injury in England’s victory against France on Saturday.
World Rugby’s reigning player of the year Kildunne missed England’s Grand Slam decider against the same opposition at Twickenham, but showed little rustiness as she once again flexed her credentials during the Red Roses’ statement win against the French.
The full-back will no doubt be integral to England’s tilt at a home World Cup title over the next few weeks, which has been given a timely boost with their 40-6 win against their Six Nations rivals.
6. Exeter bring the noise
Exeter are preparing themselves for a festival of rugby as they mark their first game of the tournament with the ‘Party at the Park’ on Saturday, 23 August.
France take on Fiji on that opening weekend in Sandy Park, but there will also be DJ sets from Radio 1 hosts Rickie and Melvin, as well as from former JLS boy band member Marvin Humes!
Tickets to the match are still available and can be purchased here.
7. Rhona Lloyd backs ‘Strong bodies, strong minds’ campaign
Rugby World Cup 2025 has unveiled the ‘Strong Bodies, Strong Minds’ campaign aimed at empowering women and girls by championing body confidence in sport.
With one million girls disengaging from sport after primary school in the UK with body confidence as one of the major reasons why, the campaign seeks to spark change and celebrate diverse, powerful bodies in rugby.
Scotland’s Rhona Lloyd has joined the campaign as an ambassador, and says she wants to be the role model she didn’t have when she was growing up.
“I play a physical sport,” she said. “You need to have some muscle behind you so it’s getting over that mental block and embracing that.
“Now being strong is really cool. I want to be that role model that I didn’t have.”
8. Player spotlight: Raquel Kochhann
Raquel Kochhann is quite simply a legend of Brazilian rugby. The sevens and 15s dual international has battled back from breast cancer to take her place at this year’s Rugby World Cup.
Kochhann went through a preventive bilateral mastectomy, but her strong mentality and resilience allowed her to recover to the point of taking part in the pinnacle of the sport.
“The doctor said I should keep being physically active, even if I couldn’t play, as it can help recovery. Even if the therapy would bring me down physically, I kept believing I could beat this – and I did,” she said.
“It wasn’t easy to stay away from what I loved,” she said. “So, what I did was make everything a win. If I could do five chest press repetitions, I would celebrate. If the doctor said to just do 10 passes, I would do those 10 passes as best as I could.”
Kochhann deserves all the support she will get when Brazil start their campaign against South Africa on 23 August.
9. Team spotlight: USA
USA have been sharpening their skills with some difficult Test matches leading up to #RWC2025.
They have shown they can mix it with the best, losing narrowly to Japan and second-ranked Canada before picking up a momentum-building win against Fiji.
USA have it all to do at the tournament, as they will face the huge challenges of taking on England, Australia and Samoa, but they will no doubt be backing themselves to head into the quarter-finals of the tournament and stake their claim to the title.