Woman's Hour Special: Women's Rugby World Cup

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness, Personal Journals

4.2 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Join Anita Rani as she broadcasts live from Blaydon Rugby Club in Gateshead ahead of the first game of the Women's Rugby World Cup. Tonight England kick off the tournament on home soil by facing the USA in Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. To preview tonight's game and the tournament to come, we are joined by former England player and World Cup winner Kat Merchant.

We also hear from the Managing Director at World Rugby, Sarah Massey on how she hopes to ensure this World Cup is a success.

Blaydon Rugby Club have a thriving women's side and they invited Anita to join them in a training session. KP, Hayley and Rosie, who play for the club, join Anita live to discuss not only being team mates but being family too!

The England player Abbie Ward talks about her dream of finally lifting the World Cup trophy after being beaten in two finals. Abbie was the first player to benefit from the Rugby Football Union's landmark maternity policy for players. And tonight she will walk out at The Stadium of Light as she begins her dream of becoming world champion. She speaks to Anita about her hopes ahead of the World Cup.

All four home nations have qualified for the Women's Rugby World Cup. Given England are hosting, it means fans from across Scotland, Wales, Ireland - who play with Northern Ireland - and of course England are within touching distance of one of the stadium's hosting. Four fans share their good luck messages for their teams.

And with some saying rugby is the most accessible sport, why is it such a powerful tool for encouraging a positive body image? Joining Anita to discuss is Kat Merchant, now a personal trainer who celebrates her strength, and players of Blaydon Rugby Club.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Emma Pearce Editor: Karen Dalziel

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Rory Stewart and I grew up wanting to be a hero and I'm still fascinated by the ideas of heroism.
0:09.0	In my new series, I'm taking in the long sweep of history from Achilles to Zelensky and asking, what is a hero?
0:16.0	Simply doing your job, being a decent human being.
0:20.0	A true hero is someone who just kind of shines by
0:23.1	their own light and that light is to be recognised by others. The long history of heroism with me,
0:28.6	Rory Stewart. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello, I'm Anita Rani and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4.
0:36.8	Good morning. Welcome to the programme and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4. Good morning.
0:38.3	Welcome to the programme and welcome to Bladen Rugby Club in Gateshead.
0:43.5	Yes, team Woman's Hour have ventured to the North East in celebration of the women's rugby world cup, which begins tonight in nearby Sunderland.
0:52.3	So let me set the scene for you.
0:53.9	Bladen Rugby Club is nearly 140 years old.
0:56.9	It opened in 1888 and is an important part of the community here. I am broadcasting from the Buchanan Room
1:04.0	surrounded by photos of teams from years gone by, including a couple of women's teams. They only started in 1996, and I should say
1:12.1	it's rugby union here. But women's rugby now is firmly part of this club and pride of place as the
1:18.4	centrepiece of our table is one of the blade and red kites, that's the team name, many
1:23.1	trophies, and also a rugby ball. Rugby here, you could say, is a family affair,
1:29.2	which brings me to the glorious table of women I have around me.
1:33.8	You will be hearing from Bladen team players Haley, KP and Rosie,
1:38.1	who you're actually all related, aren't you?
1:40.2	Yeah, welcome. Welcome to Woman's Hour.
1:42.2	They'll be telling us more later.
1:43.5	From the big boss herself, managing director of Vin's World Cup, Sarah Massey. Morning, Sarah.
	...

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