"If England don't win, I'm moving" : ex-England and Kent's Shaunagh Brown talks rugby world cup
A former England rugby player from Gillingham who is campaigning to get more girls into rugby is giving us her predictions ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup.
Currently standing as as the world’s No 1 side, England begin their campaign in the first game of the Cup against the USA in Sunderland.
The Red Roses are playing in front of a record crowd for an opening game, with 40,000 tickets sold.
Shaunagh Brown, who started her rugby career at Medway Rugby Club, tells Greatest Hits Radio:
"I've told everyone, if England lose, I'm giving up, changing sport, might leave the country" she says laughing.
"What are England's chances? Let's say very very high."
Brown is currently teaching foundational rugby skills to children from the Youth Experience Sport charity who had previously not considered rugby as an option.
She is encouraging young girls to ‘give it a try!’.
When asked if this World Cup will help getting girls into the sport, Shaunagh replied:
"I truly believe this World Cup will expose rugby to so many more types of people.
"We saw with the women's football, when we got to the quarters, semis, and then the final, that's when it was on everyone's radar.
"People like to see their nation win, but for me it's the what comes next.
"My hopes for the future is for more different types of people to be involved in rugby, not just players but in all aspects of the sport, that's my dream.
Brown reached the World Cup Final with the Red Roses in 2021, where they lost against New Zealand.
After featuring heavily in the final as England's prop, she retired from Rugby afterwards.
Having amassed 30 caps for England and 103 caps for Harlequins, Brown knows how much pressure the tournament can bring and warns neither side will want to give an inch.
86% of young women aged 8-25 have never tried rugby, and over a third (36%) have said they would be more likely to try rugby if they saw more girls playing the sport.
Brown adds: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is more than a tournament, it’s a chance to change perceptions and open doors."
"I didn’t grow up thinking rugby was for me, but once I found it, it gave me a voice, a community, and the confidence to take on any challenge in front of me. If we can get young women to give it a try now, we can create a generation of champions.”
England kick off against the USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland at 19:30pm.