Girls celebrate success of Women’s Rugby World Cup in Exeter

The Lord Mayor hosted a reception at Exeter College’s Centre for Rugby to welcome the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy to the city as part of a national tour of host venues.

Cllr Anne Jobson thanked everyone involved in Exeter’s role as a host city, with seven matches, including two quarter-finals, played at Sandy Park during the tournament last year.

Around 250 schoolgirls from across Devon attended the Centre for Rugby at Flowerpots in Exwick to take part in training sessions on the 3G pitch, delivered by Chiefs Community coaches and college students.

The Lord Mayor of Exeter was joined by guests including the Lord-Lieutenant of Devon David Fursdon and Exeter Rugby Club’s CEO Chiefs Tony Rowe CBE.

Cllr Jobson said: “It was an absolute privilege to be a host city for the Women’s Rugby World Cup. We thoroughly enjoyed looking at the trophy, meeting the players, having a wonderful opening ceremony at the Cathedral, hosting the New Zealand Black Ferns in the Guildhall and the family fun day at the Quay, which was enjoyed by everybody.

“We were privileged to be chosen as a host city and Sandy Park as a host venue for what was truly a sporting spectacle. These events held at the Cathedral, Guildhall and the Quay will long live in the memory.

“The tournament undoubtedly delivered a transformational impact on the game, inspiring female participation in rugby through the success of the tournament and in turn the growth of girls’ rugby across the region.”

Rowe said: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup was fantastic for Exeter. There was a lot of planning involved which was a joint effort all the way through, and I can’t speak highly enough of everyone in Exeter who was part of organising the tournament.

“It is great to hear that it was such an economic success for the city as well as from a sporting perspective. Everybody gained from it.

“To see all the youngsters playing rugby today at this fantastic facility run by the college is absolutely brilliant.”

As well as inspiring hundreds of young female rugby players to take up the sport, the Rugby World Cup also had a major economic impact on the city.

As one of eight official host cities, Exeter played a vital role in ensuring that the economic, social and cultural rewards of the tournament were shared nationwide.

Exeter’s Sandy Park enjoyed attendances of 58,700 spectators during the tournament and the total economic impact on the city was calculated at £31.7 million.

The value of the coverage from national and international media for attracting future visitors has been valued in the report as £7.2 million for Exeter.