Businesses buzzing for Women's Rugby World Cup games

Steffi Kunschke has helped create four new ice cream flavours to represent the countries playing in Brighton

Excitement has been building in Brighton as the city prepares to host two Women's Rugby World Cup games.

England take on Australia at the Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium, known as The Amex, on Saturday, before New Zealand face Ireland at the stadium on Sunday.

Steffi Kunschke, from Boho Gelato, said the shop had created four new ice cream flavours to represent the teams playing in the city – rose and raspberry cream tea for England, Vegemite crème brûlée for Australia, kiwi pavlova for New Zealand and Irish coffee for Ireland.

"I've been waiting for this for quite a while and I'm so proud that Brighton is hosting the matches. It's a great thing to look forward to," she said.

Mark Such, general manager at The King and Queen pub, said he was expecting good footfall for the matches.

He said that about 300 fans were expected to be drawn to the pub on Saturday for England's match.

"It's great to see the atmosphere building up. It's brilliant," he said.

"The Women's Euro final was electric, ecstatic and amazing."

Mark Such, from The King and Queen pub, said he was expecting good footfall

Bella Sankey, Brighton & Hove City Council leader, said the community was "absolutely ecstatic" to be hosting the matches.

"What a huge moment for Brighton and Hove on the world stage and what a brilliant opportunity to profile the sport of rugby for women and girls in the city," she said.

She said that when the city hosted South Africa vs Japan and Samoa vs the United States during the men's competition in 2015, it contributed about £8m to the local economy.

England player Jess Breach (right) began playing rugby in Chichester

As well as boosting local businesses, Sankey also highlighted the legacy of hosting the games.

"For so long, women's sport hasn't had the same profile as men's sport and we're really seeing that start to shift," she added.

"And I think that's really exciting as a woman seeing my daughter, for example, get really excited and seeing the stars come and play in her city and really appreciating that girls and women could do anything that they want, and they can compete at such a high level."

Saturday's fixture is especially significant for England player Jess Breach. Not only could it be her 50th appearance for her country, she is also from the area.

Breach grew up in Chichester, West Sussex, and played rugby in Brighton when she was a child.

When it was announced Brighton would be hosting the games, the city council celebrated by renaming the seafront "Brighton Breach".

"It's really, really exciting to play somewhere that I can really call home, for instance, and be in that Sussex bracket," Breach said.