Emily Scarratt Interview: “We are preparing for something massive”
Under the baking hot London sun, the Red Roses gave women’s rugby fans a sneak preview of what could be expected later this year at the Rugby World Cup during an open training session at Twickenham.
Talking Rugby Union spoke to former Rugby Union World Player of the Year, Emily Scarratt about the teams’ preparations for New Zealand.
“We are preparing for something massive, aren’t we? So, it’s good vibes only at the moment.”
The England international gave some insight into how things have started to shape up over the past few weeks:
“Very intense sessions, obviously we have come back in and it’s like a pre-season block. Anyone who has ever done a pre-season knows how tough they can be, so it’s been pretty brutal but obviously we need to be in good shape heading into New Zealand."
The women’s game is also growing at a significant rate. Just this week, it was revealed by the TikTok Women’s Six Nations that the competition experienced a 69 per cent increase in audiences at live matches and a 64 per cent increase in TV viewing figures.
When asked about the growth of women’s rugby, Scarratt said: “Women’s sport at the moment is on a huge push, people are really interested in it, and engaged with it. If we go out there and do a good job, hopefully we will get a lot of fans behind us.
“You look at our attendances at the Six Nations, we had record crowds wherever we went. We have two warm-up games coming up and tickets are selling really well. Things like that are tangible explanations as to how well things are going in terms of the support that we have got."
Conversations around the Lionesses' recent Euro 2022 triumph have focused the attention on attendances at matches. Multiple individuals working in the sport have drawn parallels between the men’s final and the women’s, suggesting the women’s drew in more of a family-focused crowd.
When asked about the differences between the men’s and women’s crowds, she said: “Demographically it is different to a men’s rugby game and the supporters you get there. Today, there has been lots of families and young boys and girls. Ultimately they are the ones who will come on and wear the shirt in a few years’ time, so it’s really important that we are able to be visible to those guys.”
The Red Roses, who are under the guidance of Simon Middleton, will play two warm-up matches before flying off to New Zealand in October.
The England team will face the USA at Sandy Park on Saturday 3rd September before taking on Wales on Wednesday 14th September under the lights at Ashton Gate.
Tickets for both matches have been reported to be selling well, with both venues expected to be close to capacity.
