The 2025 Rugby World Cup was “the greatest of all-time”, according to the head of World Rugby, Alan Gilpin, who said the men’s tournament could learn a lot from the way the women “showcased the best of our sport”.
England became world champions on Saturday after beating Canada 33-13 in front of 81,885 spectators at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, while overall 444,465 tickets were sold during the tournament.
“What a truly amazing and special occasion we had at the Allianz Stadium here on Saturday,” Gilpin said. “It was the generational sporting moment we believed and hoped we could deliver. It was a huge privilege to be here and watch one of the best rugby occasions of all-time. Historic, special, incredible and many other words to describe an incredible tournament.
“In my view and I have been involved in a few of these, we have been involved in the greatest Rugby World Cup of all-time. A tournament that delivered on every single level. It didn’t just raise the bar, it has gone stratospheric, broken records, changed perceptions and showcased the very best of our sport and our players.”
Gilpin also added that he believed the men’s tournament could bring players’ personalities out more at their next World Cup, which is being held in Australia in 2027.
“What stood out [during the 2025 tournament] the most was the power of personality,” he said. “The tournament has showed young people everywhere that in rugby you can be yourself. It’s a sport where individuality and diversity are celebrated, where old perceptions are now being challenged and overturned and a sport where everyone belongs.
“A few weeks ago I sat here and said I thought the men’s game could learn a lot from this tournament, I think that is even clearer now. Greater accessibility and more personality creates more stars. That is what we need in our sport. It is the future of sport. This World Cup has proved that being yourself, being visible on social media, sharing opinions, engaging the fans and the media is not a distraction, it’s a performance-enabler because when players are happy they play their best rugby,”
A record 5.8 million viewers tuned in on BBC One for the final, the most watched rugby game of the year in the UK, including the men’s Six Nations and the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
The next women’s international competition is the Women’s Six Nations which kicks off on 11 April. The domestic season in England, meanwhile, begins on 24 October.
