Sarah Hunter hopes World Cup will inspire next generation as Red Roses prepare for Sunderland opener
Sarah Hunter lifted the World Cup with England in 2010 - Now she wants to the same as a coach on home soil
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Sunderland is already buzzing.
A proud football city where wearing red and white is a way of life, last weekend the Black Cats stormed back into the Premier League and sent the Stadium of Light into a frenzy.
Now, another team in red and white has the chance to keep the good vibes going on Wearside as England’s Red Roses launch their World Cup campaign on home soil.
Favourites to lift the trophy, John Mitchell’s side face the USA on Friday evening.
While much of the spotlight will fall on whether England can convert their remarkable record - 27 wins from their last 28 matches - into global silverware, there will also be a wider ambition: To inspire young people and leave a lasting legacy for the women’s game.
England defence coach Sarah Hunter believes that potential cannot be underestimated.
“You know, I think the Rugby World Cup on home soil has the opportunity to be a really big moment in time to define this sport for a number of reasons,” Hunter tells TRU.
“I think obviously by the Red Roses’ performance and hopefully how well they do, and I guess attracting people to want to watch women's rugby, and the uptake in that.
“But then you think a little bit deeper, and think, ‘Well, actually, in three, four World Cups time, who are these people going to be playing [for England] in it? We want to create a lasting legacy to try and inspire that next generation of players.”
That legacy links closely to Play Their Way, a campaign aiming to put children at the heart of coaching.
Research involving over 1,000 young people found that girls often feel less heard by coaches, particularly in male-dominated sports such as rugby. The programme encourages coaches to focus on fun, enjoyment and listening to young players, so girls feel valued and motivated to keep playing.
Hunter - speaking as a supporter of the Play Their Way campaign - sees the World Cup as the perfect springboard.
“What’s really important is that when we travel around the country and people come to watch, they leave thinking, ‘I’d love to give rugby a try.’ That’s fantastic, but the crucial part is the experience they have when they do.
“So when they walk into a rugby club or a school, they pick up a rugby ball, we want them to go, ‘This is the sport that I love, the sport I want to do,’ and that's where this is, that's where the Play Their Way campaign comes in. You know, it's child first.
“The session design and content should be all about what the children want, listening to them, so their voice is heard, so they've got that choice of what they're doing and hopefully that takes them on their journey in rugby.”
For Hunter, the philosophy strikes a personal chord. She recalls how her own introduction to the game - guided by her first coach at Novocastrians RFC - shaped her path from newcomer to England’s most-capped player.
“I'd never experienced rugby before. It wasn't in my family,” she continues. “It wasn’t something that I had grown up with.
"So my first coach had that one window of opportunity to bring me in, if you like. From picking up this funny-shaped ball and learning the rules, to making the game enjoyable and fun, it became about the bond you build with the people around you. If you can create that feeling, you’ll always want to come back.
“The thing with rugby is once you’re in, you are probably going to stay. I think it always goes back to that first coaching session, then it is about maintaining that approach.”
Having retired in 2023, Hunter transitioned almost immediately into England’s coaching staff. Even at the very top level, the principle of listening and collaboration still matters.
“Even with international, world-class athletes, you can take the same approach,” Hunter says. “They may find themselves in situations we haven’t covered, and say, ‘Could we work on that next time?’ Just because they’re among the best in the world doesn’t mean you can’t shape sessions around their input and use that to design better coaching.”
And this week’s coaching sessions may have been the most important over the last three years.
Since the heartbreak of falling agonisingly short against New Zealand in the last World Cup final, the Red Roses have won every game, which underlines both their high standards and their hunger.
Now they head to the North-East - where it all began for Hunter - who is relishing not only England getting their campaign underway in Sunderland, but also the wider impact of bringing the tournament to her home region, with 40,000 tickets sold for the Red Roses’ opener.
“We were already in a strong position as a group [after the last World Cup], but Mitch [who was hired in 2023] added another dimension,” Hunter says.
“The girls have worked incredibly hard, not just over the last few weeks but over the past three years. They’re ready to get stuck into the World Cup.
“Since losing in New Zealand, all the focus has been on this World Cup at home. Now it’s finally here, and the girls are in such a good place on and off the pitch. The connection is strong, it feels like a family, and everyone wants to take that bond onto the field. We’re really looking forward to that first game in Sunderland.
“Being from the North-East, I’m biased, but having a World Cup game there is huge. It’s a football-mad region, yet there are strong pockets of rugby and some fantastic players have come through. This is a real chance to get people watching, talking about rugby, and hopefully wanting to give it a try.
“There’s a legacy for the whole country, but personally I’m passionate about what this can do for the region - inspiring young girls and boys to play or become fans. That’s where things like Play Their Way are so important. Making sure once we get them into rugby, we keep them, with fun sessions where they feel listened to. Who knows, maybe one of them will go on to play in a future Rugby World Cup.”
But while growing the game and shaping the future of the sport remains important, the focus is also very much on the here and now for the Red Roses.
Mitchell has named the same starting XV that secured a 40-6 victory over France in their final warm-up match as England aim to kick off their World Cup campaign with a win in front of a record crowd for an opening game.
World Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne is at full-back, flanked by Abby Dow and Jess Breach on the wings.
Saracens’ Zoe Harrison starts at fly-half, with Natasha Hunt at scrum-half, marking her first Rugby World Cup appearance since 2017.
Captain Zoe Aldcroft will start at blindside flanker, with Sadia Kabeya at openside and Alex Matthews at No. 8. A combined total of 283 caps make up the front-five, while Maddie Feaunati is set to make her World Cup debut from the bench. Former captain Marlie Packer misses out on the 23-player squad.
The momentum generated by the Lionesses - who won their home European Championship in 2022 before retaining their crown this summer - has filtered into England’s mindset for this World Cup.
But rather than feeling the pressure of the next six weeks, the Red Roses appear to be embracing it, something emphasised by Hunter.
“I think the excitement outweighs everything,” she admits. “Naturally, because of how well the Red Roses have performed over time, there’s always an expectation. It’s just part of being in this position.
“The girls really thrive on that and relish the moment, knowing the privileged position they’re in. They embrace it fully, thinking, ‘Right, come on, this is what we’re about, this is what we’re going to do.’
“They don’t get overwhelmed by outside noise. It’s all about the internal focus, what we’re about and what we can achieve. I think that’s a really positive way to approach it.”
England last faced the USA at WXV 1 in Vancouver in September, winning 61-21, and whilst most of the hype will be around the Red Roses, they will, of course, also be coming up against the tournament’s biggest star in Ilona Maher.
If Sunderland was buzzing last Saturday, Friday night has all the ingredients to keep that energy alive, especially if England can inspire and put on a show.
For more information around the PlayTheirWay movement, visit: Playtheirway.org.
.jpg "Francesca McGhie is one to look out for for Scotland at this World Cup")
