Rugby festival celebrates 100 days until World Cup

Over 100 girls from schools across Sussex are set to take part in a touch rugby festival on Wednesday to celebrate 100 days until the start of the Women's World Cup.

Teams from 13 primary schools will take to Hove Rugby Club in a bid to get more girls into the sport ahead of the competition beginning in England in August.

Brighton will host two games in the world cup, including one of England's group stage games, with the competition beginning on 22 August.

Geraldine Brown, chairwoman of Hove Rugby Club, said: "As a host city the excitement is just building and we can't wait to welcome the teams and supporters."

She added that it was "important" for the club to support the local community and rugby in schools.

The festival comes as momentum builds behind the tournament, with over 275,000 tickets sold according to organisers.

The event will be attended by representatives of Premiership Women's Rugby club Harlequins and rugby and mental health charity Maddy's Mark.

The Women's World Cup trophy will also visit Sussex from Saturday to Monday as part of a national tour of the host cities ahead of the competition.

The trophy will be in place at the Brighton i360 on 17 May before moving to Haywards Heath Rugby Club on 18 May and back to the i360 on 19 May.

Brighton & Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey said: "We are so excited to be welcoming the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup trophy to the city this weekend, and we hope residents across the city will join us to celebrate this historic moment.

"We are incredibly proud to have been chosen as a host city for the prestigious tournament, which will raise the profile of women's sport and showcase our sporting city on the world stage."

The Amex Stadium at Falmer will host two games in the group stages of the competition with the Red Roses facing Australia on 6 September and current holders New Zealand playing Ireland on 7 September.

England recently won their fourth straight Six Nations Grand Slam and enter the competition having lost just one game since March 2018 - the World Cup final in November 2022 against New Zealand.

More tickets for the tournament are also set to be released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday.

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