Rugby World Cup: England's Sarah Hunter among trio celebrated with murals
- Published
Prop Shaunagh Brown's mural - produced by MurWalls - was unveiled in south London
England players Sarah Hunter, Emily Scarratt and Shaunagh Brown have been celebrated in murals painted on walls across the UK.
The Red Roses - on a record 28-game unbeaten run - are preparing for Sunday's World Cup quarter-final against Australia in New Zealand.
The murals are in Newcastle, Leicester and London - locations important in the player's early careers.
"You can't be what you can't see," said captain Hunter.
"So I hope every young girl who drives past these murals on their way to school, or when they walk to rugby training is inspired, knowing that they too can one day play on the world stage."
Hunter will become the most-capped England international and the most capped-women's player when she makes her 138th appearance on Sunday.
Her mural is on the side of Novocastrians clubhouse in Newcastle which "will always hold a special place in my heart".
"While it's my face up there on the side of the clubhouse, it's also a celebration of the legacy of every woman who's pulled on an England jersey," she added.
The Red Roses are currently number one in the world and have not lost a game since July 2019.
Their most recent victory was a dominant 75-0 win against South Africa, securing their quarter-final meeting with Australia.
Forty years on from the first official international women's rugby union match, women's rugby is now one of the fastest-growing women's sports, external in the UK.
In a similar fashion to the Lionesses' European Championship glory this summer, the Red Roses are also hoping to 'bring rugby home', with their sights set firmly on a World Cup win.
Prop Brown, who has recently spoken about the struggles of navigating decisions about motherhood in rugby, said: "While we don't always ask to be role models, as professional athletes playing on the other side of the world we are, so I'm incredibly proud that aspiring young girls and boys, especially those of colour, can look to me in a very real way for inspiration."
Red Roses vice-captain and record points scorer Emily Scarratt said: "Growing up, it was my dad and brother who I looked up to, but I'm so happy that any girl who plays for Leicester Forest Rugby Football Club and across the broader area now has a woman to look up to."