The opening fixture of England's home Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025 against the USA drew a crowd of nearly 43,000 at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. The opening fixture of England's home World Cup in 2010 was attended by a maximum of 2,500 at Guildford's Surrey Sports Park.

Two home tournaments, two vastly different occasions, two totally different eras.

Playing in both was one Emily Scarratt - starting in 2010 at outside centre as a 20-year-old, and emerging off the bench in August as a 35-year-old.

The respective finals for both those World Cups saw 13,000 watch the Red Roses suffer defeat to New Zealand at The Stoop in 2010, while a remarkable crowd of 81,885 were present for the Red Roses' 2025 victorious World Cup final defeat of Canada late last month. To describe the change as s

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