England captain Zoe Aldcroft calls on fans to “take in the whole experience” ahead of the Red Roses’ sold-out south coast Australia clash
England captain Zoe Aldcroft has called on fans attending any match at the Women’s Rugby World Cup to “take in the whole experience” as the Red Roses prepare to play Australia nearby in Brighton this Saturday.
Aldcroft, who is set to miss their match against Australia through injury, was speaking at the first day of the Rugby World Cup fanzone in Brighton – located at Victoria Gardens. It is now open until Sunday, and fans can expect it to be rich in cultural and sporting content.
Over the course of the weekend, there will be eight live match screenings, combined with music and dance performances, community fitness taster sessions, and interactive wellness events.
This year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup has already proved to be a generational moment for the sport as the biggest-ever global celebration of women’s rugby, with matches played in front of record crowds. More than 400,000 tickets have already been sold, with both matches at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium this weekend sold-out.
Aldcroft has called on fans attending to “take in the whole experience”. She said: “Take in the whole experience. Coming to a women’s rugby game is so exciting. We want to connect with the fans, so we try to get around the pitch at the end of the games. We find it so important that they want to come to our games and support us. You’ve seen the likes of the Lionesses over the last few years inspiring the country.”
The captain later added that the support is always “fantastic” to see: “It’s so exciting. I think to have a sold-out stadium is incredible. To be here in the fanzone, seeing all the support we have with young kids coming out of school, is absolutely fantastic.”
While both England’s match against Australia and Ireland’s clash against New Zealand are sold-out on the south coast, tickets remain available for the quarter-finals at Exeter’s Sandy Park and Bristol’s Ashton Gate. The Red Roses are already confirmed to be playing at Ashton Gate, and The Wallaroos are guaranteed to join them if they secure a bonus point or better.
To make sure you don’t miss out on this generational tournament, tickets for the quarter-finals are still available on general sale at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. For the latest tournament updates and fixture details, visit rugbyworldcup.com/2025.