Rugby captain claims World Cup is 'huge opportunity' for Cambridgeshire female game
St Neots have seen more females joining the club this summer
Cambridgeshire grassroots rugby clubs are hoping the impact of this year's Women's World Cup can be felt for years to come.
That includes St Neots Rugby Club, which has around 30 female players on its books with more joining this summer.
"It's about inspiring people to get involved, whether that's young girls joining a team or people volunteering behind the scenes on game days," Beth Jordan, ladies' captain at St Neots RFC, said.
"It's raising the profile of women's rugby as a whole and it filters right down to the grassroots level."
With this year's tournament being held in England, clubs like St Neots hope stars of the next generation are watching on at the current crop of talent.
The Red Roses - who've won every pool game so far - take on Scotland in a quarter-final clash in Bristol today (Sunday) as they bid to become world champions on home soil.
"I think it's also about the players becoming household names; we're seeing them become these big personalities on social media," Beth said.
"This visibility makes such a difference to young players because they see role models who are relatable and inspiring."
St Neots' ladies train twice a week and its youth setup includes teams at under 12, 14, 16 and 18 level with each age group involving girls, something Beth hopes to see double in the coming months.
But Beth believes some barriers in the female game - such as brand investment and sponsorship - need to be overcome
"The opportunity right now is huge and any brand that gets behind women's rugby can utilise this to build long-term loyalty with a growing audience," she added.
"One of the biggest challenges we're still tackling is stereotypes; we still hear comments that women's rugby isn't exciting or players don't look how they expect.
"It doesn't matter what you look like, your size, age or gender; there's a place for everyone."