Since the England squad, along with new captain Jamie George, first assembled at the beginning of January, there has been a huge emphasis on reconnecting with fans and improving the Twickenham matchday experience.
George spoke passionately about his desire to ‘make Twickenham great again’ and revealed he was brainstorming ideas ahead of the team’s first home game since England’s World Cup warm-up nightmare against Fiji in August. Suggestions focused on tweaks to the Twickenham matchday routine, such as lengthening players’ walks when they arrive at the stadium and playing more music between games. On Saturday, England fans saw the first impact of these proposals on the matchday experience.
The extended gait was the first and most obvious change; The bus was made to stop about halfway into the stadium to give fans more exposure to the players. Despite the presence of a few (somewhat stressed) event planners, the players getting off the bus was a great moment and helped set the atmosphere on the field as kick-off approached. In addition, referees narrowed the walkway to allow fans to approach players and even high-five them.
England’s recent home record has been below par, with the team winning just five of their last 13 games at Twickenham. More worryingly, Warren Gatland’s stunning statement earlier in the week that he did not find Twickenham “scary at all” further highlights the need for England to re-establish home advantage. For the question many fans will ask; If England can’t win at home, where will they win?
The atmosphere at Twickenham is strange and can move quickly from buzzing to quiet; Saturday’s match provided many examples of this. The anthems were chilling and the first 10 minutes of the game really got the stadium pumping. However, England failed to capitalize on their chances and as the chances dwindled, so did the crowd. Two tries in Wales further silenced the home support; Only for Ollie Chessum’s yellow card to spark an angry reaction and boos echoing around the ground. Conversely, England’s fightback in the second half, which consisted of a tremendous defensive effort and more comprehensive play, had the fans speaking out again, despite the tension in the final 10 minutes.
Many have seized on the success of Harlequins’ annual ‘Big Game’ as a plan to shake up HQ and bring in a new generation of England fans. But even with the appeal of a full DJ set and the familiar pyrotechnic display before kick-off, the reason the Stadium is packed and has a great atmosphere is the rugby on display. We actually proved this in the match against New Zealand in 2022. While the light show and fireworks were a great way to get the fans excited, the stadium was instantly silenced three minutes later when Dalton Papalii intervened. The crowd only came to life again when England decided to open the system in the final 10 minutes.
Other adjustments were made during the match, such as playing more music during breaks and using graphics to give fans a better understanding of the situation of the game. The increased frequency of the music was a welcome addition; This turned out to be a good way to get away from the seemingly endless scrum resets and TMO redirects, especially as the crowd of around 82,000 belted out numbers like Hey Jude and Wonderwall.
The graphics were… interesting. Although it was somewhat informative to see the attack and its exceptional success rates in the middle of the game, the stats could have been better suited to halftime and full-time to give fans a chance to fully understand them. end of the match. While in the past players tended to enter the dressing room relatively quickly, some would stick around long after the final whistle to sign autographs, take selfies and just be among the fans.
While these were all positive changes to the overall matchday experience, the factor that would help the most was “winning,” as one fan I sat next to put it. It’s hard to argue.
While the changes made for Saturday’s match may not give England an easier game, it is refreshing to see the team taking visible actions to improve their relationship with fans and the overall matchday experience. But for all of this to have the impact they hope, England need to make Twickenham a stronghold for fans and players alike.
