Jamie George leads England into Twickenham ahead of the match against Wales. Photo: Getty Images/David Rogers
Since the England squad first assembled in early January, with the arrival of new captain Jamie George, there has been a strong focus on reconnecting with fans and improving the match experience at Twickenham.
George spoke passionately of his desire to «make Twickenham great again» as he revealed the team were brainstorming ahead of their first home game since England's disastrous warm-up against Fiji in August. The proposals focused on changes to matchday routines at Twickenham, which included increasing the amount of time players walk into the stadium upon arrival and increasing the amount of music played during breaks in play. On Saturday, England fans saw for the first time how the proposals would impact matchday.
The expanded entrance was the first and most obvious change, with the bus stopping about halfway into the stadium to give fans a better view of the players. Despite the presence of several (somewhat tense) event organizers, the players coming off the bus was a great moment and helped create the atmosphere around the pitch before kick-off. In addition, the stewards narrowed the passage, allowing fans to get closer to the players and even separate odd fives.
England players during a long break at Twickenham Photo: PA/Andrew Matthews
England's recent home record has been below par, with the team winning just five of their last 13 matches at Twickenham. Even more worryingly, Warren Gatland's astonishing statement earlier this week that he did not find Twickenham «intimidating at all» further illustrates the need for England to restore their home advantage. The question that many fans will ask is; If England can't win at home, where will they be?
The atmosphere at Twickenham is strange and can go from busy to quiet quite quickly — Saturday's meeting provided plenty of examples of this. Both anthems were a blast and the first 10 minutes of the match really got the stadium buzzing. But England failed to capitalize on their chances, and when they disappeared, so did the crowd. Two Welsh tries further quieted the home support, with only Ollie Chessum's yellow card sparking a furious reaction that echoed around the stadium. Conversely, England's second-half comeback, which featured a monumental defensive effort and more expansive play, once again galvanized the fans despite the nervousness of the final 10 minutes.
Many point to the success of Harlequins' annual Big Game as the basis for shaking up the headquarters and attracting a new generation of England fans. , the reason the stadium is packed and has a great atmosphere is because of the rugby on display. The match against New Zealand in 2022 proved this. The light show and fireworks were a great way to entertain the fans, but three minutes later the stadium fell silent due to Dalton Papalia's interception. It was only when England decided to turn it on in the final 10 minutes that the crowd came to life.
Other changes were made during the match, with more music played during breaks and graphics used to give fans a better idea of the state of the game. The increased frequency of the music was a welcome addition, especially with the nearly 82,000-strong crowd shouting out numbers like “Hey Jude” and “Wonderwall,” which proved to be a good way to take a break from the seemingly endless fight reboots and TMO recommendations. /p>
The graphics were… interesting. While it was quite informative to see the scrum and lineout success rates midway through the game, the stats could have been better suited for half-time and full time to give fans a chance to take them fully into account. Something else that stood out was after the match ended. In the past, players tended to disappear into the dressing room relatively quickly, but some stayed long after the final whistle to sign autographs, take selfies and just be among the fans.
England player Maro Itoje treats fans to a selfie after the match. Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville
While these could all be seen as positive changes to the overall matchday experience, the factor that helped the most was simply stated by the fan I was sitting next to: «winning». It was hard to argue with that.
So while the changes made to Saturday's match may not have made England's game any easier, it is good to see the team trying to improve their relationship with fans and improve the overall experience. . But for this to have the effect they hope for, England must turn Twickenham into a fortress for fans and players alike.
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