Champions England have moved to 'another level'

Rugby Football Union main executive Bill Sweeney has described England’s Six Nations run arsenic “terrific” arsenic they person taken nan crippled to “another level".

Sweeney besides confirmed that nan RFU is connected schedule for nan Red Roses programme to screen its costs by nan 2028-29 season.

“Long word we judge it's going to much than break even," said Sweeney.

“We spot tremendous maturation successful nan women's game, you spot it successful women's athletics successful general, and it's bully for rugby wide arsenic a athletics truthful we'll transportation connected regardless.”

The Red Roses won a sixth consecutive Six Nations title pinch triumph complete France successful Bordeaux pinch Sweeney crediting nan effect of caput coach John Mitchell.

“We said to a number of different candidates, but he was nan standout by rather a agelong way," said Sweeney.

“It was clear that he’d studied nan women’s game. He had a very clear imagination of really he wanted to play, and I deliberation you tin spot that coming done now.”

England scored 44 tries connected their measurement to lifting nan title, double that of their nearest rivals France pinch 22.

Concerns person been raised astir nan competitiveness of nan tournament but Sweeney is not seeing it arsenic a existent issue, pinch nan Red Roses making a profit for a 2nd twelvemonth successful a statement from their crippled successful beforehand of 50,000 fans astatine Twickenham.

“They [the crowd astatine nan France game] didn't look saturated by it, they seemed really excited by it and nan different worldly going on, Sophie Ellis-Bexter astatine half-time, and you spot things for illustration our merchandise income are up," said Sweeney.

He besides highlighted nan advantages of different demographics astatine Twickenham for nan women’s games pinch a 55% female crowd compared to men’s matches, wherever it’s 85% male.

The only informing for fans of nan women’s crippled was that Sweeney recognised that nan quality successful value for an England men’s and women’s fixtures is “massive”.

“I deliberation we’ve astir apt priced [them] excessively cheaply astatine nan moment, but we want to support nan fans coming successful and we want them to bask that experience. I’m not saying we’re looking astatine a value increase, but it is beautiful debased astatine nan moment,” he added.

Part of nan maturation of women’s rugby globally has been nan caller WXV tournament.

England lifted nan inaugural WXV1 title successful New Zealand past twelvemonth though overmuch of nan tourney was overshadowed by nan men’s Rugby World Cup being played astatine nan aforesaid time.

“The timing of WXV past twelvemonth wasn’t great,” admits Sweeney, “in position of sound it was beautiful difficult to trim through.

“I’m hoping there’ll beryllium much liking successful WXV this clip information successful September, October.”

However, nan 2024 WXV1 tourney will beryllium played successful Canada, and nan RFU would for illustration to get its women’s autumn location fixtures backmost successful nan early to let "reinvestment successful nan game".

Friendlies pinch France and New Zealand person been arranged for September though nan NZRU are yet to motion disconnected their fixture truthful nan RFU can’t commencement trading tickets yet.

Last week nan Football Association confirmed Sue Day will beryllium go head of women’s football astatine nan round-ball governing assemblage from December.

A erstwhile Red Roses skipper and prolific effort scorer, Day has been main financial serviceman and main operating serviceman astatine nan RFU for nan past 5 years.

Sweeney knew Day had been looking to move connected and confirmed they had “worked together connected this exit” and that it’s “a awesome move for her”.

“Of course, we will miss her," said Sweeney.

"She’s a unsocial characteristic successful position of her background, her knowledge of nan game, her credibility successful playing nan crippled and her financial skills.

"But this happens successful life - group move connected and do different things. We ever want to person nan business astatine nan RFU wherever group tin travel successful and consciousness for illustration they’ve achieved what they want to achieve. If they want to spell connected location else, we’ll ever promote that.”

He confirmed that nan hunt for Day’s successor was nether measurement and contempt her having 2 roles it was apt that they wanted to bring successful 1 person, but they mightiness “rejig” nan executive committee depending connected who that personification is.