Tomorrow, Simon Middleton’s side will belt out God Save The King in front of more than 53,000 paying punters packed into English rugby’s headquarters for a Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France.
England beat France 25-23 behind closed doors at Twickenham in November 2020, with club jerseys covering seats in a pandemic initiative to bring the absent fans closer to the action.
Fast forward less than three years, and England will set a new world record for a women’s Test-match crowd this weekend.
“It doesn’t feel that long ago we were singing the anthem to shirts that had been put onto seats,” full-back Ellie Kildunne told Standard Sport.
“We were pretending we had a crowd to sing to. The turnaround’s been epic, people have really got behind us. The World Cup really showed what women’s rugby is all about.
“But now to have the opportunity to play at Twickenham, it is really showing how many people are actually interested.”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 28, 2023-Ausgabe von Evening Standard.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 28, 2023-Ausgabe von Evening Standard.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Why are England wasting time waiting for Tuchel?
Winning the World Cup is the aim, so the new boss should start now
He's been shot, and punched by Mike Tyson, but British boxing's great survivor is back on top and aiming to rule the world
This is where the magic happens,\" reads a big neon sign scrawled across the entrance to the offices of arguably the most powerful man in British boxing today.
How Sketch went from 'obscene' to era-defining
After arocky start, the glamorous and infamous restaurant is now an institution
Money is worth less than time'
He's quit Fendi, but what will Kim Jones do next?
London's Roman Amphitheatre
Guildhall Yard, EC2V
Liberals didn't notice they'd lost relevance in the all-consuming digital sphere
There are many reasons why Donald Trump might have won the election last week.
Do we have to die?
One neuroscientist thinks the answer is no
How to have a magical Christmas in Edinburgh
From cosy cobblestone streets to abundant Yuletide goings-on, few cities rival the Scottish capital in creating Christmas whimsy.
London's best festive restaurants
The social season is upon us once more. These are the city’s most coveted Christmas venues, which need to be booked soon so as to not miss out on the tinsel and tipples.
Rag'n'Bone Man
I struggle with being recognised... I'll never really feel comfortable with it'
