World Rugby is confident that other nations will catch up Women’s Rugby World Cup winners England and provide more competitive contests in the sport.
The Red Roses secured a long-awaited tournament triumph in front of a record crowd on home soil in commanding fashion, beating Canada 33-13 in the final at a sold-out Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
While John Mitchell’s side were tested at times during their campaign, and survived a brutal battle against France at the semi-final stage, they are now on a record 33-match unbeaten run with their smallest margin of victory at the tournament just 18 points.
World Cup final defeat to New Zealand in 2022 is England’s only loss in their last 64 matches, while it is more than seven years since they were beaten in the Women’s Six Nations.
Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby, is nonetheless certain that other unions will close the gap on the back of a transformative tournament for the game.
“I wouldn't describe it as a concern,” Horrox said when asked whether England’s dominance was concerning. “I think I'm delighted that [England] have managed to realise their potential and show us what great athletes, what a great team they absolutely are.
“When we look at all the performance metrics and all the work that's going on in those teams, not just the four that we saw in the semifinals, but right across the 16, there is demonstrable proof that the game is progressing at a rapid pace.
“I'm delighted for England, but I'm also really excited about those strides that all the other teams and unions around the world are making.”
Ball in play time across the competition was up by 36 seconds from the last World Cup, with an average of 9.2 tries per game.
England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) invest about £15m annually in their women’s programme, which has helped the Red Roses set the pace and develop Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) into a world-leading domestic league.
“The stats tell the story,” Yvonne Nolan, Women’s World Cup tournament director, said. “There's a gap in places but in other places the teams are very close. But they're all gaining ground and we can see that with our eyes. Looking at the product it's better than it's ever been and that trajectory is going to continue.
“By next time, we are going to see teams who have been release....look at what South Africa have done, look at how far Fiji have come. We saw Brazil burst on the scene. Those teams will continue to grow because they won't be willing to be left behind.”
