The summer of women's sport is not over yet.
The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup kicks off tomorrow with England set to host 16 teams across the country in what will be the pinnacle of the women's game.
With a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Twickenham set to break the world record for attendance at a women's rugby match, history is promised to be made at every turn.
Running from Friday 22 August to Saturday 27 September, a total of 12 British Olympians will step out for England, Scotland and Wales during the tournament, showcasing their talent across both the 15s and sevens formats of the game.
The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has launched its new campaign “Strong Bodies, Strong Minds” ahead of the tournament to champion body confidence and empower women and girls through sport.
With one million girls disengaging from sport after primary school in the UK, body confidence is one of the major reasons why the campaign seeks to spark change and celebrate diverse, powerful bodies in rugby.
It is a celebration of women in sport that perfectly aligns with Olympic values.
Here are the Olympians set to shine on English shores this summer.
Abi Burton
Abi Burton’s journey to the Olympics and 2025 World Cup has been one of incredible resilience.
She came to rugby from swimming and has spoken openly about being on the receiving end of body shaming, which has led to her campaigning to improve body confidence.
On the pitch, Burton helped Team GB to a fourth-placed finish at Tokyo 2020 scoring in their 31-0 win over Kenya in the group stages.
Burton was called up as a reserve for Paris 2024, making her return to the Olympic scene against China just two years after she was put into an induced coma after being diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis.
Alex Matthews
Alex Matthews is a master of both rugby sevens and 15-a-side, making her World Cup debut in 2017.
Before that, she played for the England sevens team, going semi-professional in 2013 and full-time in 2014 while completing her degree.
She was also part of the training squad for the 2016 Olympic Games but was forced to leave three months before the Games due to illness and injury.
She did not suffer the same fate at Tokyo 2020 as Matthews helped Team GB all the way to the bronze-medal match.
Ellie Kildunne
Ellie Kildunne graced the Olympic stage just a few months after being named Player of the Tournament in the 2024 Women's Six Nations.
Versatility comes naturally to the Yorkshire-born player, and her career-long commitment to combining formats saw her move from 15s to sevens in August 2018, having scored seven tries in her first eight appearances for England.
Named World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year in 2024, Kildunne, who is passionate about photography, made her Olympic debut at Paris 2024, placing seventh with Team GB.
Emily Scarratt
The third-most capped England player of all time, Emily Scarratt finished the 2014 World Cup as the top points scorer as England won their second World Cup.
In 2013, she won the RPA England Women’s Players’ Player award and captained England in the 2015/16 World Series, finishing with 12 tries.
Scarratt earned selection as captain of Team GB as rugby returned to the Olympic Games programme for Rio 2016, playing a vital role as the team finished fourth.
Making her World Cup debut in 2010, Scarratt will make history this summer at her fifth World Cup.
Helena Rowland
Before winning six Women's Guinness Six Nations titles with the Red Rose, Rowland had already enjoyed plenty of success in both 15s and sevens rugby.
Her list of achievements includes winning the Premier 15s crown with Saracens in 2018 before she turned her attentions full-time to sevens and securing a place at Tokyo 2020.
Out in Japan, Rowland helped Team GB to a fourth-placed finish, scoring in their group-stage defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.
Holly Aitchison
With more than 70 matches and over 250 points under her belt on the sevens circuit, Holly Aitchison brought a wealth of experience to the Team GB rugby sevens squad in Tokyo.
Aitchison successfully kicked every conversion attempt she had for Team GB up to the quarterfinals as Great Britain reached the bronze medal match before losing to Fiji.
Aitchison plays a crucial role in the Red Roses team, as a fly-half, she is known for her sharp decision-making, accurate kicking, and ability to guide her team's attack.
Jade Shekells
Jade Shekells made her Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
She was forged as a top-level rugby player at Worcester Warriors, the former top-flight 15s team based just a few miles from where she grew up.
Earning a penchant for powerful performances on the SVNS global circuit, she was part of the team that won European Games gold in 2023 to secure qualification for Paris 2024.
In the 15s format, Shekells made her debut for the Red Roses with a 38-5 win over Italy in the 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations.
Jasmine Joyce-Butchers
Renowned for her explosive pace, Jasmine Joyce-Butchers became the first British rugby sevens player to compete at three Olympics at Paris 2024.
The Welsh player has been turning defenders inside out ever since she joined hometown club St Davids RFC at the age of seven and she has been active in international rugby for more than a decade, both in the 15s and Sevens format.
After fourth-place finishes in Rio and Tokyo, the winger returned to Team GB in Paris 2024 for a historic third appearance.
Joyce married Welsh 15-a-side team-mate Alisha Butchers in 2023.
Kayleigh Powell
Kayleigh Powell's Olympic dream came true in dramatic circumstances at Paris 2024.
Named as a travelling reserve, Powell was called up to the GB squad to replace Grace Crompton, who sustained an injury mid-tournament, going on to feature in the seventh-place play-off win over Ireland.
Powell has been a stalwart of the Wales 15-a-side team, playing at full-back.
Lisa Thomson
Lisa Thomson was born in the Scottish Borders town of Melrose, where the game of rugby sevens was invented.
A seasoned international in both formats of the game, making her 15-a-side debut for Scotland in 2016.
In early 2024, a statue of Thomson was unveiled in Edinburgh to recognise the past, present and future of the women’s game in Scotland.
Thomson, who was named as reserve for Team GB as they finished fourth at Tokyo 2020, was part of the Team GB women's squad that came seventh at Paris 2024 and is the sole Scottish Olympian at the 2025 World Cup.
Meg Jones
Meg Jones has a CV to match any player in women’s rugby.
Known for her skilful and instinctive play, Jones was born in the Cardiff suburb of Ely but chose to represent England in the 15-a-side game and started the 2017 World Cup final for the Red Roses aged just 21.
She has successfully combined formats to become a leading member of GB Sevens. Jones was part of the team that finished fourth at Tokyo 2020 and became a two-time Olympian at Paris 2024.
Natasha 'Mo' Hunt
Natasha Hunt has represented England across almost every format and level of rugby. Hunt has turned out for England Under 20s, England A, England sevens as well as England in 15-a-side rugby.
Her rugby career began aged 17 when her PE teacher suggested that she give it a try and she has not looked back since, going from the West Midlands trials for the high-performance academy to the England U20 squad in the space of a few months.
In 2014, she was on the winning side of a Women’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada before representing Team GB in sevens at Rio in 2016.
Hunt returned to a Team GB jersey for the Tokyo Olympics, where she again came agonisingly close to a medal, losing to Fiji in the bronze-medal match.
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