England players have been brainstorming new ways to reconnect with supporters during this year’s Six Nations, which includes modernizing the Twickenham matchday experience to attract a more diverse audience. The team has put forward several proposals aimed at changing the atmosphere around the England squad, with more music and better fan engagement between games.
Despite reaching the World Cup semi-finals, England have been booed at times in France, where Eddie Jones’ turbulent tenure, risk-averse game plans and high ticket prices have tested fans’ relationship with the national team. New England captain Jamie George has now revealed his side have submitted a series of proposals to the Rugby Football Union in a bid to change the atmosphere at the Twickenham.
A few more wins starting with Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome will obviously help, but George and his side believe a more upbeat stadium atmosphere could also improve their on-field performance. Twickenham, traditionally seen as the spiritual home of waxed jackets and red trousers, may now be doing the dad dance to a very different rhythm.
Anyone who has attended Harlequins’ annual ‘big game’ will know that Twickenham is a thunderous venue. With that in mind, there’s likely to be an upgraded playlist and more musical interludes when Wells visits south-west London on Saturday. George isn’t entirely convinced by his teammate Danny Kyle’s desire to introduce kiss cameras, but he is pushing for the players’ walk from the team bus to the stadium to be extended further into the west parking lot.
“For me, as an England rugby player, it was one of the best moments, getting off the bus and being hit by a wall of noise,” George said. “If I was a kid and I was standing at the door and I just saw the bus go by, it was a different experience, the bus pulls up in front of you and you see Maro Itoje, Marcus Smith, Danny Care and – well – Dan Cole walks past you. We’re continuing to discuss how to engage more with our fans.
“We also have what we call business conversations around the matchday experience. How we want it to look, how we want it to feel. That’s never happened since I’ve been in the England squad. The game against Wales might not be. Perfect, but there are definitely some good ideas from the players who are fed up with the RFU and we think they will make a difference.”
George’s close friend Owen Farrell, who was at times the target of boos from the stands during the World Cup, said everyone involved recognized there was room for improvement and the players wanted to help better market the sport. “This is something that is of concern to the RFU team and everyone,” the captain insisted. “We are very aware that English rugby has a lot of work to do. If we are completely honest, English rugby is not in the best position in terms of teams going under in the Premier League and grassroots numbers declining. We know we have a chance. To reach as many people as possible across England and change perceptions.”
However, players admit that attracting a more diverse audience to international matches will be easier said than done unless ticket prices at Twickenham are significantly reduced. “We hope to reach a wider British public,” George said. “I’m not supposed to talk about ticket pricing…but reaching the right target audience is important to us as a team.”
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He also acknowledged that a more attractive on-site product is another part of the equation. “The style of play probably has something to do with the reason for the boos. Ultimately, this team is going to base its game plan on winning games, but at the same time, we’re also talking about how to get people out of their seats. People want to see try. We The more success there is, the more interest there is in the sport across the country.
“I’m not saying what we did before was wrong. Steve Borthwick is very focused on making sure this team always gets better. He’s now making a big push for fans to go on this journey with us. I’m not saying you We’re going to see a huge change and we’re going to become the Harlem Basketball Team. What I’m saying is [we want to develop] The ability to manipulate defenses.
“Our results at Twickenham over the last few years have not been good enough, but this is a new team. Fundamentally, the DNA of any English team is the same. Set-pieces and strong defence. . How we develop our offense, how we try to beat teams, break down the defense, try to score points… that’s what we can be excited about.”
