Heard excited to play part in Women's Rugby World Cup dream
The 16-team tournament will take place across England come August and September, with games played in Exeter, Bristol, Brighton and Hove, Northampton, Salford, York, Manchester and Sunderland before the final, to be held at Allianz Stadium, set to be played in front of a new record crowd for the competition.
Heard doesn't have to look far for what a home tournament can do to galvanize a sport and unite the country after the success of England's women's football team at UEFA Euro 2022 and she believes the upcoming World Cup can have a similar effect on rugby.
'With the World Cup, they're trying to get it spread throughout the country and seen by everybody, says Heard, whose Red Roses side opens the tournament on 22 August against USA at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
'We've seen in the past where maybe people in the north don't feel included because everything has been played down south but that's changing.
'There are so many little pockets of diversity within this country that don't see rugby so to be able to have it throughout England is exciting. It will hopefully open people's eyes to the sport and what we can bring to the game as women's rugby players.
'It's massive having people be able to see us as a team and be in this environment at a home tournament.
'The Lionesses got to experience it and it went really well for them so I'm hoping that the support and the fanbase can keep pushing us on.'
Heard was speaking at the launch of a national RFU initiative inviting youngsters to get into rugby union and back the Red Roses by contributing to spectacular yarn art city takeovers across the country, inspired by the team's love of crochet as a team bonding activity.
Fans wishing to get involved and contribute to displays across their local communities, clubs and cities can download crochet patterns via the England Rugby website. The patterns available are a red rose, bunting and a rugby ball square.
Supplied creations will then be stitched together by dedicated teams of volunteers including the Women's institute and Scouts ahead of a national unveiling of yarn art on Wednesday August 6.
Heard added: 'Crochet is quite a niche hobby but a lot of us Red Roses are interested in it so to be able to have this campaign heading into the World Cup is exciting.
'It'll be really cool to see people getting on board and getting behind us heading into a home world cup. To have people supporting us whether that's in crochet or any other craft is exciting and will be a good boost to us as a squad.
'It's great to be a part of something, whether that's crochet or rugby. Being part of a community is huge and making people feel like they're part of something where they can make friends is really important, whether that's through crochet or rugby or any other crafts and hobbies.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines makes shock Simone Biles admission after 'visceral personal attacks' over transgender athletes
Thawing tensions between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines could give way to an alliance, according to the former University of Kentucky swimmer. Speaking with TMZ, Gaines said she would 'absolutely' welcome a partnership with her former online sparring partner despite their recent friction. 'Look, Simone is someone I've looked up to, I've respected for so long,' the 12-time NCAA All-American told TMZ. 'She has done so much for women's sports, of course, for the sport of gymnastics, but even broader than that for women in general.' Biles has not commented about a potential partnership with Gaines on gender issues in sports. Daily Mail has reached out to her representatives for comment. The seven-time Olympic gold medal winner recently issued an apology to Gaines after comparing the swimmer's body to a man's during an online debate over transgender athletes in female sports. '[Biles'] stance felt so deeply visceral to me not because of the personal attacks, but more so again because of how she used her platform, a platform where young girls all across the nation, young girls like my little sister, who's a gymnast, look up to her,' Gaines told TMZ. 'In the blink of an eye, she effectively pulled up the ladder behind her,' she added. 'And again, a way that was, I think, done in haste. I think there was a lot of ignorance to the issue when she issued her initial tweets on that Friday evening.' Gaines has become synonymous with the issue of transgender athletes in female sports. She famously tied for fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship in 2022. Since then, she's become an outspoken critic of non-binary athletes in girls and women's competitions. Now a podcast host for Outkick, Gaines recently criticized a Minnesota softball team that featured a transgender pitcher. In response, Biles lashed out at Gaines, calling her views 'truly sick', before getting personal and telling her to 'bully someone your own size, which would ironically be male.' That comment led Gaines to reference Biles' abuser, former Olympic gymnastics doctor and convicted pedophile Larry Nassar. 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' Gaines wrote on X. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your "inclusive" dream came true? Zero.' Biles has since issued an apology following days of intense online criticism from Gaines supporters. 'I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I've always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. 'The current system doesn't adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn't help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.' Gaines replied: 'I accept Simone's apology for the personal attacks including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. 'She's still the greatest female gymnast of all time. A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play…'
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fears for 2026 World Cup as extreme weather threatens game delays, ruining the football and forcing fans to leave early
FEARS are growing over the 2026 World Cup as extreme weather wreaks havoc. Four Club World Cup matches have been hit by delays within the first five days of the tournament being played across the United States. 11 11 11 And with a heatwave including temperatures as high as 41C set to hit next week, further problems are expected - with fans and players alike at risk. Now there is an increasing concern about the impact it could have on next summer's World Cup - hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. CLUB WORLD CUP CHAOS So far at the Club World Cup, the matches have been delayed due to thunderstorms. Mamelodi Sundowns vs Ulsan HD was the first fixture to be impacted with kick-off delayed by more than an hour. Salzburg vs Pachuna saw a 90-minute pause during the second half in Cincinnati while Palmeiras vs Al-Ahly was halted for 40 minutes in New Jersey. Then the second half of Benfica's 6-0 thumping of Auckland City started two hours late. Both Benfica vs Auckland and Mamelodi vs Ulsan were in Orlando. And although no World Cup matches are being staged in the city, there are seven scheduled for Miami - three hours' drive south in Florida. That may well include some England games as Miami is in the eastern region for the 2026 event. Similarly, Cincinnati is not on the list of host cities for next summer - but surrounding places such as Kansas City, Atlanta and Toronto are. Club World Cup clash takes over three hours to complete due to poor weather conditions at the TQL Stadium And New Jersey, the site of the thunder and lightning when Palmeiras faced Al-Ahly, will stage eight World Cup matches - including the final. Again, like Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, the MetLife Stadium is within the eastern region England are set to be part of - along with nearby Boston and Philadelphia. Crucially, the 64-team World Cup will be staged from June 11 to July 19 - the same time as year in the same areas as the heavily-disrupted Club World Cup 12 months earlier. Due to the time difference, to make sure European fans get to watch their teams play, many of their matches will be scheduled at lunchtime and in the afternoons - the hottest parts of the day. IMPACT ON PLAYERS... Of course, the extreme weather - both heat and storms - is leaving many players and referees at risk of heat stroke, exhaustion, dehydration plus other health issues and injuries. Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente said it was "terribly hot" when his side lost 4-0 to PSG in Los Angeles when it was 32C. By next week, players could be forced to take to the field in temperatures 9C hotter. Environmental physiologist and heat stress in sport expert at the University of Roehampton Dr Chris Tyler told the BBC: "Many of the players expecting to compete in 2026 are already getting a taste of what's to come. "Such conditions will be commonplace with many of the fixtures scheduled for before 5pm to maximise TV audiences. "Extreme heat could become the tournament's most formidable opponent." 11 11 11 11 Fossil Free Football - a campaign group highlighting the impact of the climate crisis on the beautiful game - added: "Particular concern is for the fixtures in the no-shade stadium in Charlotte where a heat index of 38C (Real Madrid v Pachuca) and 41C (Benfica v Bayern) is forecast for the next two matches. "This underlines the dangers facing players and fans at this tournament and in 2026. Fifa have done very little to allay safety concerns." Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca admitted he cannot field his strongest starting XI for every game - which will be a major worry for international managers hoping to lead their countries through eight matches to World Cup glory. Maresca said: "It's not easy because of the temperature. We're going to try to rotate players." ...AND ON FANS... It is not just those on the pitch at risk, either. Fans being in stadiums when torrential rain falls or the sun is beating down could also find themselves in difficulty. Reports claim spectators at the Club World Cup have been forced to leave the stands during matches due to the heat. They also found long queues and restricted water availability at stadiums - even despite shoddy, low attendances. Sporting events are seemingly seeing play stopped to tend to fans taken ill in the crowd - with many of those due to heat-related incidents. This week at Queen's, Jack Draper's match was temporarily halted as stewards rushed to help a stricken spectator in the uncovered stands - with temperatures at 26C in West London. ...AND ON BROADCASTERS The TV companies from around the globe have spent big money to secure the rights to show World Cup matches next summer. But matches at risk of being delayed could be a nightmare for broadcast executives - and fans trying to watch the action at home. That is because if a match has to be stopped for a lengthy period, it might not finish in time before the next match kicks off due to the frantic schedule. Exact kick-off times are yet to be confirmed but at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, there were at times four matches per day kicking off every three hours at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm UK time. But at the Club World Cup, the reality was laid bare. The Benfica vs Auckland game was due to finish an hour before Chelsea vs Flamengo kicked off. However, not only did the two matches overlap but the long stoppage meant the full-time whistle ended up blowing AFTER Chelsea's 3-1 defeat had finished. Benfica gaffer Bruno Lage said: "This is the longest game of my career. "A special thanks to our fans, who have been here for five hours supporting the team. "We played as well as we could. The temperature made it very difficult." FIFA'S RESPONSE So, what have Fifa said and done in response? Well, they released a brief statement in which they claimed health is their "top priority" and medical experts have been providing guidance. The world football governing body said: "Fifa's top priority is the health of everyone involved in football, and Fifa's medical experts have been in regular contact with the clubs participating to address heat management and acclimatisation." Fifa confirmed that a drinks break to give players the chance to take on fluids and cool down will take place at 30 minutes and 75 minutes if needed. They added fans will also be permitted to bring an empty clear water bottle up to one litre into stadiums. But while that is a helpful step for fans to be able to drink water a little easier, it is hardly going to make a major difference if fans are sat in unsheltered stands in the relentless driving rain with thunder and lightning or if temperatures reach dangerous levels in excess of 35C or even 40C. 11 11 11 11
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bill Belichick sheds new light on Jordon Hudson romance in leaked emails after disastrous CBS interview
Bill Belichick 's attempts to defend his relationship with Jordon Hudson and his disastrous interview with CBS have been laid bare in emails that emerged Friday. The legendary NFL coach, 73, is preparing for his first season in college football but his tenure has been so far overshadowed by headlines surrounding his romance with Hudson, 24. A string of explosive reports have emerged over recent weeks, in the wake of a humiliating interview with CBS, when Hudson shut down questions about the start of their relationship. The clip went viral and sparked fresh speculation surrounding Hudson's influence over the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach. One clip of her at UNC practice caused a particular headache for the legendary coach and soon reports emerged that she had been banned from the team's facilities. UNC denied that was the case. Now emails obtained by WRAL detail the fallout from the CBS interview. They show that disgruntled fans felt the relationship was turning the school into a 'laughing stock'. In the emails, however, Belichick defended Hudson and their romance. 'Jordon and I have both a personal & professional relationship,' Belichick wrote to Beth Keith, a senior associate vice chancellor in the Office of University Communications. 'This is not a secret... Jordon assists me with my personal media, which is why I asked UNC to forward media requests (E.G. CBS 60 Minutes) to her. 'Jordon has zero involvement in the UNC football program, beyond the degree that my personal media intersects with it.' He also explained why his young girlfriend was at the interview, which was organized to promote his new book: 'The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.' 'Jordon was present at the CBS interview because David Kass, the Simon & Schuster publicist, was not there,' Belichick claimed. 'I included Jordon in the book acknowledgments because she was a creative contributor to the book, including having the idea for formatting the 4 special pages in the book.' According to WRAL News, however, Hudson intended to sit in on the April 21 interview regardless of whether Kass was there. Belichick defended his girlfriend's interruption and accused CBS of setting up a 'secret' camera to capture her input. 'I met Jordon randomly on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021. That is no secret. Jordon was not dodging the specific question regarding how we met, but rather was preventing the interview from continuing to probe into personal matters,' Belichick wrote. The 73-year-old also claimed, per WRAL, that at the start of the interview Hudson asked where she could sit 'off-camera' but 'secretly, CBS had a camera focused on Jordon where Lead producer Gabe (Gabriel Falcon) instructed her to sit.' He added: 'For approximately 35 uninterrupted minutes, (CBS host Tony Dokoupil) asked questions about the book... then, the questions shifted to other subjects that were not related to the Art of Winning, which we had outlined as off-limits with my book publicist.' WRAL also revealed an email from a disgruntled UNC fan and former student who said they have 'never felt compelled to write a letter to our leadership, until now. I'm writing in response to the actions taken by Bill Belichick and his 24 year old girlfriend.'
