This was followed by a full weekend of fixtures as round one of the tournament came to a conclusion. Fans got to see the likes of New Zealand\u2019s Black Ferns, Canada and France kick-off their campaigns in what will prove to be a record-breaking tournament.<\/p>\n
As it my duty as Rugby World editor, I was up in Sunderland to see England beat the USA before heading to sun-drenched York to watch New Zealand and Canada<\/a> beat Spain and Fiji respectively. It was a spectacular weekend.<\/p>\n But also up in York, as part of those impressive crowds, was someone experiencing their first-ever game of rugby \u2013 my wife, Jade.<\/p>\n Knowing that I would be spending another Bank Holiday away with work, I managed to convince my sport-agnostic partner to come with and sample the women\u2019s World Cup and be part of history.<\/p>\n Read more: How to watch the 2025 Women\u2019s World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n Despite being with a rugby-obsessive for the past 13 years, Jade has never watched a game of elite rugby. In fact, she has only watched me play once and that was about 11 years ago and even then she spent some of the game reading (not that I blame her, it was a boring match).<\/p>\n And with many of those attending this year\u2019s World Cup being relatively new to rugby, I thought it would be interesting to take my wife along to Canada v Fiji and New Zealand v Spain in the opening weekend to see what she made of it all.<\/p>\n Below are five things she noticed from her first ever game of rugby.<\/p>\n Five things I noticed at my first ever rugby game\u2026<\/p>\n 1.Great vibes\u00a0<\/p>\n A succinct start, Jade. What do you mean by this?<\/p>\n \u201cThe first thing I noticed was that it had good vibes. From the moment I got there, I got the impression that everyone was friendly when I was in the fan park. Do all sporting events have a fan park like this? I didn\u2019t know this was a thing. I thought you just loitered around until you took your seat but I liked having somewhere to hang.\u201d<\/p>\n No, is the answer to this Jade. You would have not liked the High Wycombe industrial park Wasps used to play in either.<\/p>\n \u201cI then overheard a man say to his wife: \u2018I got the hat for the men\u2019s World Cup so I thought I\u2019d do the same for the ladies. This one has bigger emblems anyway.\u2019 That convinced me to get some merch and I bought a t-shirt.<\/p>\n \u201cThe was no edge, nobody was insanely drunk. It felt like we were all excited together for a reason. I liked the distinct lack of aggression. I felt myself wondering a lot \u2013 is this what going to a club rugby game is like?\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Canada and Fiji run onto the pitch at the 2025 Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n Some 2025 Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup merch.<\/p>\n In fairness, it is. I think you would absolutely love a day out to Kingsholm<\/a>!<\/p>\n \u201cThere was also a board where we could all write supportive messages. That\u2019s just a nice thing to read.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, I love reading. It\u2019s my thing (side note: Jade works in publishing). I feel like if I had got my book out before the game, I wouldn\u2019t have been judged.\u201d By book, I assume she meant the latest edition of Rugby World<\/a>, naturally.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Asahi was a good beer of choice.\u201d These are the views and opinions of Jade and is not a paid advertisement for Asahi. But if they\u2019re reading\u2026\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Read more: How the 2021 Rugby World Cup was won<\/a><\/p>\n 2. Women rugby players are hard as nails New Zealand\u2019s centre Amy du Plessis is tackled by Spain\u2019s wing Clara Piquero during the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup. (Photo by Adrian Dennis \/ AFP)<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe the force in which they hit each other. These women are eff\u2019ing HARD.\u201d You better believe that.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my first experience of seeing a game seriously, seeing the intensity of it in front of my own eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOf the four teams I watched, I felt the Fijians and Black Ferns hit hardest. The Fijian women seemed solid and moved as a pack.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Black Ferns were everything I could want from a woman. They were fast, powerful, strong. It would take three of Spain\u2019s players to bring them down. I felt like Portia Woodman-Wickliffe<\/a> was a celeb and I would never dare stand in front of her if she ran at me.\u201d <\/p>\n Nor would I, to be honest.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wondered at points how they can not take being smashed personally. They hit each other so hard but then would help one another up. It was so respectful. I would struggle not to take it personally, someone hitting me, but it shows their professionalism.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI also liked number 22 from New Zealand (Ruahei Demant). She was so clearly in charge and I got a front-row seat to see her being a leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Haka was special and amazing to see. It felt fierce, it felt powerful, it felt intimidating. Probably what they want it to feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the individual hairstyles of all four countries was also great. I wonder what hairstyle I would have if I played rugby?\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey are just brilliant at what they are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: All you need to know about Jorja Miller, the new Black Ferns star<\/a><\/p>\n 3. I didn\u2019t know all the rules but I didn\u2019t really care Canada\u2019s Sophie de Goede wins the ball in a line-out during the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup pool B match between Canada and Fiji. (Photo by Paul ELLIS \/ AFP)<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is a knock on?<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand a line-out at all.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact I even know these words is a cop out because I\u2019m married to the editor of a rugby magazine.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Look, guilty, rugby can be complicated but the best things in life are never straightforward.<\/p>\n \u201cBut despite that, I didn\u2019t really struggle to follow the game. I could see what each team was trying to achieve. I could tell when someone made a good run, I could tell when someone made a good tackle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI was hyped up and cheering like all the other rugby fans when a try was scored. Side note, I loved when they just huddled it over the try line, what I now know is a rolling maul.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI like the process of them moving and the methods. I liked watching the process of them passing down the line and trying to move forward. And watching the defence try and stop that. There was a clear rhythm to it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Boy, if you like methodical attacking patterns and process-driving rugby, you are going to LOVE watching Andy Farrell\u2019s Ireland.<\/p>\n \u201cI realised that when a team was too close to their own line, they would decide to boot it away. That was good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Boy, if you like sensible exit strategies close to your own line, you are going to HATE watching old videos of French Top 14 sides.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the end of the first half of the first game, I was fully invested.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI did think that it is wild they let people sit behind the posts because I was in constant fear that I was going to be hit in the face by the ball because I would not be able to catch it. I asked Joe what to do if it came near me and he just said \u2018bread basket\u2019. What does that mean?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I now know what a conversion is.\u201d Progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: All you need to know about the 2025 Women\u2019s World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n 4. Rugby fans are good people\u00a0 Spain fans celebrate a try against New Zealand at the 2025 Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup (Getty Images)<\/p>\n \u201cRugby girls! Incredible vibes. Intimidating to me, I\u2019m not a sporty girl. I\u2019ve never been in a team sport so it is a completely alien world to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI saw groups of women who were together for something other than just being mates. That\u2019s not something I really see. They share a passion, they are teammates.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t catch a ball so it\u2019s always in the back of my mind that I\u2019m not one of them.\u201d Being able to catch a ball has not stopped many, many people from laying rugby, trust me.<\/p>\n \u201cIn so many social scenarios as a women, you are conscious of yourself and how you look, comparing yourself to other women. At these two games, it is one of the few times where I did not have that feeling.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: How to watch every game of the 2025 Women\u2019s World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI was surrounded by women who came as they were. They wore what they wanted. They were there because they loved rugby and they looked incredible. I was in jeans, fun sunglasses, a merch t-shirt and a All Blacks jacket I nicked off Joe and I did not feel silly in the slightest, I felt part of it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFrench Canadians, friendly Canadians. It is no clich\u00e9 that Canadians are friendly. I spoke to loads who had travelled over and they were all so nice. Kiwis are lovely people, a proper laugh. I sat next to a pair and they took me under their wing and helped me understand the game more.\u201d <\/p>\n Just don\u2019t ask them about the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final. They\u2019ll turn!<\/p>\n \u201cThe Spanish crowd was really loud and I loved watching a group of young Spanish men and women in their 20s with their faces painted, red shirts, chanting for the whole game like they were watching the final of a football World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. I want to watch more women\u2019s rugby\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cNo offence to the men, but I\u2019m so much more engaged in watching women do this then men.\u201d None taken.<\/p>\n \u201cWatching the sport live made such a difference. I was 100x more invested then I would be at home being forced to watch it on TV. I want to go back.\u201d Job done.\u00a0<\/p>\n Download the digital edition<\/a>\u00a0of Rugby World straight to your tablet or\u00a0subscribe to the print edition<\/a>\u00a0to get\u00a0the magazine delivered to your door.<\/p>\n Follow Rugby World on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t![\"Canada](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_5363-338x450.jpg\")
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