Women's Rugby World Cup kicks off in New Zealand as Sale Sharks fans have split allegiances

The popularity of women's rugby has continued to increase and the England team go into the World Cup in New Zealand as one of the favourites. Credit: PA Images

The last time the Women's Rugby World Cup was staged in England, it was mostly at a University facility in front of enough fans to barely fill a couple of lecture theatres.

Even when the Surrey Sports Park, in Guildford, was ditched in favour of The Stoop for the final, the World Record crowd was still only 13,000

Fast forward 12 years and the opening games of the World Cup are being played at the hallowed Eden Park in New Zealand, in front of a sell-out 40,000 crowd.

There are dozens of sports whose PR agencies batter the inboxes of editors with claims to be the "fastest growing" sport.

But few, or none, are still in touch a decade later, trumpeting similar growth.

Whereas the rise of women's rugby shows no sign of slowing.

England will again host the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025 but it will look and feel vastly different. Not least because of the 82,000 crowd expected at Twickenham for the final.

The rising popularity of the sport has made it a far more attractive event to stage, worth around £156million to the UK economy.

Having the whole tournament televised by a free-to-air broadcaster, this year on itv, is also crucial.

Surrey Park during the 2010 Women's rugby World Cup. Credit: PA images

And as any of the Lionesses would testify, after the women's football explosion in the summer, visibility is key.

You have to see it, to be it.

And there lies a major challenge for the RFU. How to capitalise on this World Cup at home when games in New Zealand kick off in the middle of the night, UK time.

But, that didn't lessen the impact of the men's Rugby World Cup in Australia back in 2003.

An extra 5,500 children took up the sport in the year following England's victory. And 9,000 the year after. It inspired a 78% rise in participation for children aged 7-13 over the next five years.

England women's rugby squad life the trophy after their win in 2014. Credit: PA images

Former Sale Sharks star, Marland Yarde, famously said watching England lift the trophy - courtesy of that dramatic Jonny Wilkinson drop goal - was what inspired him to take up the sport.

Now the growth of women's rugby could be even more radical, with professionalism still in its infancy in England. Now girls can finally dream of making rugby a career choice.

With England being one of only four professional nations at this tournament, perhaps the only fear is that they'll be too good and win the World Cup too easily.

But when has an England fan, of any sport, woken up in a cold sweat about that?

All World Cup matches involving England, Scotland and Wales will be live on ITV, with most others on ITV4.