Red Roses’ Sarah Bern and Jess Breach on the power of rugby’s body diversity

The start of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is finally here. After months of anticipation and years of planning, England’s Red Roses will take on the USA in Sunderland tonight (22 August) in the home tournament’s opening match.

The legacy of this tournament could be massive – and not just because England have a very good chance of winning (they’re going into this tournament on the back of a 27-game unbeaten run, with their last loss being the last World Cup final against New Zealand’s Black Ferns). In a world where our appetite for women’s sport is bigger than ever, this Rugby World Cup is set to be the biggest yet, with a record crowd expected to attend the sold-out final at Twickenham next month.

That’s exciting, because not only will more girls and women see rugby as a space they can inhabit but also because rugby is a sport that doesn’t just embrace body diversity – it relies on it. From the strong, technically skilled props to the fast, agile wingers, a rugby team wouldn’t function without a range of different body types on the pitch. And this summer, we’ll see that play out on the biggest stage. 

It’s a moment English tighthead prop Sarah Bern is incredibly excited to be a part of. “I hope that we reach new audiences – that they can see all body shapes, sizes and abilities being amazing on the pitch – and that we can be celebrated for that,” she tells Stylist. “I also hope it empowers other women to be able to believe in themselves and know that they can achieve whatever they put their minds to.”

For Bern, body confidence is simply about “being yourself and being comfortable in your skin,” and she hopes this Rugby World Cup will help more women to embrace that mindset. “People can be beautiful in different ways,” she says. “You might be really strong or really fast, but you can also still be beautiful, feminine, sexy and womanly – all those things that often get taken away when you play a ‘manly’ sport like rugby. I think we’re smashing those barriers down by saying, ‘You can be big, you can be broad, you can be petite – and you can still be a gorgeous woman.” 

Bern’s Red Roses teammate, winger Jess Breach, also knows just how big of an impact the body diversity on display at this World Cup could have. Breach has been vocal about her struggles with body confidence in the earlier stages of her career, which led to disordered eating and, eventually, difficulties in training. A few years down the line, she’s learned to appreciate her body for everything it allows her to do (if you’ve seen her run down a rugby pitch, you’ll know it can do a hell of a lot), and she’s keen to help others do the same, whether that’s in real life or on social media.

“I think social media nowadays is quite a hard place to be if you’re not mentally strong or don’t know your worth,” she says. “I think it’s really important to speak out – especially within the sport we’re in; to advertise and praise every shape and size. As someone who has struggled, I want to speak out and allow people to know it’s normal [to feel that way], but it’s not healthy.” 

For both Bern and Breach, showing up on social media alongside their teammates is a valuable way to amplify this message. “There are some amazing people on social media that actually showcase real life and are relaxed rather than posed, and I think that’s what social media should be about,” Breach adds. “We should be positively promoting any shape and size and acknowledging that, sometimes, life can be a bit shit, but as long as you’re healthy, that’s all that matters.”

Bern agrees. “For me, it’s a real outlet to be a bit silly and show my personality. Although I play seriously and train really hard, I want to show that life doesn’t have to be serious. There are so many negative things going on in the world, so if I can make someone smile by doing something silly or funny or put something out there about body confidence and being myself, that’s great. I just want to spread a little bit of joy.”

Every body belongs in sport. Join the conversation to inspire a new generation to feel strong and confident in whatever they do. #StrongBodiesStrongMinds #WhereWeBelong​ #RWC2025 

Images: Getty