Metaphorical new dawns in sport occur more frequently than actual sunrises. Many are false dawns, overblown by journalists and fans hoping to bask in the golden glow of some fresh perspective peering over the horizon.
There is no need for verbose hyperbole when analysing the significance of this Women’s Rugby World Cup. In the five years since the last tournament, the profile of the game has dramatically altered. Four teams are fully professional. Three more are either professionalising or are bolstered by a handful of full-timers. England, New Zealand, France, Canada, USA, Wales, Italy and Scotland are among the preeminent sides or are teams on the rise, staring into the sunlight at the vanguard of this new age.
