A decade of rugby and celebrating women's rugby's rise
When Charlotte Bold recently went to see the Women’s Rugby World Cup on its tour of the UK, it was the second time she and her children had stood alongside a Rugby World Cup trophy.
Together with her children Ashton and Sienna, Charlotte recreated a photo they first took ten years ago, this time with the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy, which they saw in Manchester as it visited the eight RWC 2025 host cities.
Charlotte said: “Since I saw the Men’s World Cup trophy, women’s rugby has really taken off over the last ten years. It’s been so inspirational to watch. I remember when you couldn’t even see women’s matches on TV—let alone on the BBC! It’s really encouraging to see how far it’s come.”
Rugby has been a big part of Charlotte’s life since childhood, with her family heavily involved in the sport.
After a few sessions at school, she returned to the game as an adult, playing for Rossendale and quickly making her mark. Her talent earned her county caps for both Lancashire and Cumbria.
Now Assistant Team Manager for the Cumbria Women’s County side, Charlotte has seen women’s and girls’ rugby in the region transform.
She added: “I remember when there weren’t many opportunities for girls to play rugby in our area. But now we’ve got a lot of rising stars coming through the girls’ game in Cumbria.
“Ten years ago, there was only one women’s team in the entire county. Now our county side has players from Carlisle, Kendal, Workington, Penrith, Keswick and Upper Eden, with two more teams starting up.
“Back when I played for Cumbria, we topped the table nationally but didn’t get the chance to play at Allianz Stadium. This year, our squad did, and they got to have their moment of glory.”
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place later this year, Charlotte is as excited as ever.
“I’ve managed to get tickets for the final,” she said. “I’m backing England all the way. I’ve got a good feeling we’ll be lifting the trophy!"
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