Hunt asks fans for patience as Red Roses crowds grow

England scrum-half Natasha Hunt has asked supporters for patience after matches, saying the Red Roses’ growing crowds mean players can no longer fulfil every request for a selfie or autograph. Her comments to Rugby Union Weekly were reported by BBC Sport on 25 September 2026. [1]

More than 50,000 tickets have been sold for England’s WXV Global Series match against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 26 September. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST. [1]

Hunt said players had to balance meeting supporters with returning to the changing rooms for recovery, and asked fans to give them time with their families first. Injury or disappointment over a performance could also leave a player with less energy for post-match interactions, she explained. [1]

The pressure can extend beyond the ground. Hunt said some teammates had received direct messages from disappointed supporters after missing out on an interaction. She found that upsetting because the players wanted everyone to enjoy themselves. Fans also sometimes asked her to fetch Ellie Kildunne or Meg Jones while those teammates were already occupied with other supporters, she said. [1]

The audience has changed markedly during Hunt’s career. In 2019, a crowd of 4,674 for England’s Women’s Six Nations match against France set a record for a standalone Red Roses game outside a Rugby World Cup. Last year, a world-record sell-out crowd of 81,885 watched England beat Canada at Twickenham to become world champions. [1]