Former Wales captain Philippa Tuttiett blown away by the start of the Women’s Rugby World Cup

Former Wales captain Philippa Tuttiett admits the start of this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup has blown her away.

More than 85,000 fans attended eight matches across England during the opening weekend, from the hosts’ record-breaking opening win over the USA in Sunderland to New Zealand‘s success over Spain in York on Sunday.

That preceded organisers revealing that more than 400,000 tickets have now been sold, setting a new landmark for the tournament – already guaranteed to be the best attended women’s World Cup ever.

Wales may have been beaten by both Scotland and Canada so far but Tuttiett, one of Wales Sevens‘ highest-capped stars who captained the side at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, has revelled in following the action across the whole UK.

Blown Away

“The start has absolutely blown me away,” admitted Tuttiett, now one of the most respected and recognisable pundits in the women’s game.

“The attendance figures, the tickets that have been sold, the noise and the atmosphere of the stadiums.“I was commentating on Wales v Scotland and before that was Australia v Samoa.

“It’s not just a competition to cheer on the best of the best but it’s also an opportunity for people who haven’t watched to come down and I guarantee you from the music and the atmosphere and the vibe you will have a good time.

“Don’t worry about not knowing the rules, most people don’t know, there’s too many. All you need to know is that when the ball touches down in the try zone you’ll go crazy and trust me, you’ll have a good time.

“It’s amazing to see the growth of it. I’m not going to lie. I’m a bit jealous. We didn’t have those crowds back then but to see the growth of not only the audience but also the competition level, the quality of rugby we’re now seeing and just the fact that these superstars are getting support from so many different people and nations cheering them on shows the huge growth of rugby.

“This may be a big tournament but the next World Cup is going to be even bigger.”

Horse Riding

Tuttiett was speaking at Burghley, where the Defender Burghley Horse Trials will take place early next month, in another major event in this summer of women’s sport in the UK.

She joined professional event rider Izzy Taylor for a rugby session before the pair switched places as Tuttiett was put through her paces on the horse.

As a self-proclaimed novice, the former Wales skipper admitted there were a few nerves before she started to find her feet on the animal.

“I felt riding on the horse like something out of Pride and Prejudice but just not looking as cool!,” joked Tuttiett.

“I was lucky to be under the master Izzy and she guided me on a beautiful horse.

“It’s a real contrast to rugby. We joke when I see something rather big and strong I’ve got to be strong back but with this you need a subtlety of touch to make these animals do amazing things.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (4-7 September 2025) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world’s top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk

By Mohamed Hamza, Sportsbeat