Rugby fever hits Princesshay

Princesshay is inviting Exeter residents and visitors to a free family fun day on Saturday 5 July to celebrate 50 days until the start of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Running from 11am to 3pm in Princesshay Square, “Ready Set Rugby” will feature live acoustic music, face painting, a rugby-themed doodle wall and even a rugby rodeo. V

Visitors can also try their hand at non-contact rugby with taster sessions run by Exeter City Community Trust and players from the Exeter Chiefs Women’s Team.

Exeter is one of the official host cities for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and this event comes as part of the countdown to this summer’s tournament, which kicks off on Friday 22 August 2025.

Princesshay has been named an official fanzone for the Women’s Rugby World Cup and will show all the action live on a big screen throughout the competition.

Hannah Overton, Marketing and Commercialisation Manager at Princesshay, said: “Ready Set Rugby marks the official countdown to the Women’s Rugby World Cup and celebrates Exeter as a host city.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to come together and get excited ahead of what promises to be a brilliant August and September, with fans from around the world visiting the city to support their teams.”

Cllr Duncan Wood, Exeter City Council’s Lead Councillor for Leisure Services and Healthy Living, added: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup will be a great showcase for the city and for the sport. There has been a lot of engagement across the city already, as the recent schools’ Festival of Rugby demonstrated.

“The benefits for the city go well beyond the games at Sandy Park. When the tournament has finished the participation in sport will carry on.”