Hunt says Red Roses can no longer meet all post-match selfie and autograph requests

England scrum-half Natasha Hunt said it is no longer possible to satisfy fans' post-match requests for selfies and autographs, speaking ahead of the Red Roses' meeting with New Zealand at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on Saturday, 26 September. Hunt made the comments to Rugby Union Weekly as ticket demand and crowd sizes around the team have grown markedly.

Hunt, 37, has won 90 Test caps for England and made her debut in 2011, when the Red Roses were regularly playing in front of three-figure crowds. In 2019 an attendance of 4,674 for the Women's Six Nations game against France set a record for a standalone Red Roses fixture away from a Rugby World Cup. More than 50,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's meeting with New Zealand at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium, a year on from a world record sell-out crowd of 81,885 who watched the Red Roses beat Canada to become world champions at the venue. The Red Roses have become the biggest draw in women's rugby on the back of their on-pitch success and Rugby Football Union investment.

Hunt described the squad's appreciation for supporters and the difficulty created by rising expectations, saying: "I didn't think ever in my lifetime I would be in a position where we'd get crowds the size that we do," and "It is unbelievable and we definitely don't take it lightly." She added: "We're so appreciative and we absolutely adore our fans and love them and what they do for us and have done for us."

On the practical limits of meeting fans, Hunt said: "But I do think we're in a tricky space at the minute where there's that expectation that everyone has to have a photo or a signature or something." She gave an example: "Sometimes you go and you see people and they will say 'can you go get Ellie [Kildunne]? Can you go get Meg [Jones]?' And I really can't because they're probably being bombarded by 700 people over there."

Hunt noted the emotional impact on players when they cannot oblige every request, quoting messages sent to squad members: "Some of the girls have had DMs saying 'it would have made our day, we're disappointed' and it breaks your heart because you want everyone to have the best time ever." The Red Roses have partly built their relationship with supporters by engaging as people as well as players.

The same crowd-management issue has emerged in women's football, with Women's Super League club Chelsea banning their players from posing for photos and signing autographs after matches, saying that although it was a "tough" decision, it was "no longer safe or sustainable". Former Chelsea and England defender Millie Bright previously expressed concern that players were become "collectibles" to fans, emphasising that "we are humans the same as you" in an Instagram post.

Hunt said a player's capacity to interact after a game can depend on performance, injury and recovery demands, and family commitments, adding: "If one of the girls is injured or they've not had the best game, their capacity and energy to come to you and give back might be a little bit less than others on that day," and "I'm not saying we don't want to have the photos and autographs, but there is a cap on the time where we have to be back in the changing rooms doing the recovery." She also said: "And family is huge for us, let us see our families first."

Hunt recalled earlier days when crowds were smaller, saying: "It was everyone's parents at Esher Rugby Club back in the day," and "I would have been out there for 20 minutes, signed everything twice over, everyone had a chat with me, then gone in [to the changing room]!" She cited openness from individuals such as captain Jones about her grief for her parents and Kildunne's willingness to talk about her body dysmorphia as part of how the team has connected with supporters. A recent survey carried out by The Good, The Scaz and The Rugby podcast found that 62% of women, compared to 41% of men, said they "watch women's rugby because I identify with the players' causes, interests or specific challenges that players face".

Saturday, 26 September, 15:00 BST Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app, with accompanying live text commentary.