Chairman of the RFU Management Board Graeme Cattermole said, “We are delighted that the women’s team will play their first game at Twickenham. The opportunity for them to play at Twickenham Stadium has been on the agenda for some time and now that we have the support of all the relevant parties we will provide them with as much help as possible before, and during the event.”

Carol Isherwood, the RFUW Performance Director said, “This is great news for the women’s game in England. We already receive a great deal of help from the RFU through our working relationship with their Performance Department. In other areas of the game the RFU have helped hugely with the growth of rugby for girls and we are continuing to develop a strong working relationship across the board.

“For the England women’s team playing at Twickenham will be a fantastic occasion and I’m thrilled, particularly for the players who have worked so hard and deserve this recognition. I have also been hugely encouraged by the support we have received from senior members of the RFU in recent years to help us achieve the goal of playing at the national stadium.”

The prospect of England women playing at Twickenham has brought a great deal of interest. Paul Vaughan, the RFU Commercial Director said, “Playing at Twickenham will give the women’s game the showcase it deserves. We are in discussions with the sponsor of the Six Nations, the Royal Bank of Scotland, who have already expressed their support, and other sponsors and broadcasters to maximise the exposure for what will be an historical first for the women’s game in England. We are looking at the England women’s team playing one international a season at Twickenham with their remaining games due to take place at The Stoop.”

Said Clive Woodward, “On behalf of the squad I’m delighted that the women’s team will play their first ever international at Twickenham. Their performances in the Six Nations have been superb and they ran New Zealand very close in the women’s RWC final in the summer. Carol Isherwood and Geoff Richards have done an excellent job and I would encourage the crowd at Twickenham to give them as much support as possible.”