The crowd didn't wait in the bars until the last minute before trying to rush into the ground.

It was more mixed, and this, in turn, had several consequences. There was, unsurprisingly, a different demographic in the crowd – less corporate, and not just in the hospitality boxes. Moreover, the revenue lost from discounted prices will, to some extent, have been offset by increased sales in the heavily populated RFU merchandise outlets. Ticket prices allowed families to attend, without taking out second mortgages to finance a day out. The following observations are both personal and from comments made to me at the game, by many seasoned Twickenham goers, some of whom had little or no contact with the women's game before last Saturday. To that extent, the game was perfectly set up, but there were other things around this match that made the fan experience far better than is on offer at other times. Yes, the sun was shining, and that framed the day in a hugely positive way. If the game is to emerge from its present downturn, the future lies in recreating this type of game, with this type of atmosphere. That was only part of the wider narrative for a game that was a significant marker for women's rugby. On Saturday, England clinched the Grand Slam against France in front of a world record crowd at Twickenham.

Lost roses