Red Roses Open 2027 Home Six Nations at Stadium of Light
England’s Red Roses will play Scotland at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on 17 April 2027, their opening home match of the next Women’s Six Nations. The Red Roses Six Nations Sunderland fixture confirms the club’s return to Wearside less than two years after a record-breaking World Cup visit.
It is the first time England have staged a home match away from a rugby-specific ground outside of a World Cup year. The switch reflects how quickly interest in the women’s game has grown since that Sunderland tie in August 2025.
Official Schedule Details and Historic Stadium Return
England confirmed the fixture alongside their full run of 2027 Six Nations home dates, according to the BBC Sport report. Scotland visit Sunderland on 17 April, Italy travel to Northampton’s DPD Stadium on 24 April, and France arrive at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on 15 May. Venues for the away trips to Wales and Ireland have not yet been announced.
| Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 17 April 2027 | Scotland | Stadium of Light, Sunderland |
| 24 April 2027 | Italy | DPD Stadium, Northampton |
| 15 May 2027 | France | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham |
The Stadium of Light already holds a special place in Red Roses history. England drew a huge crowd there for a 67-9 World Cup win over the United States in August 2025, a figure that beat the attendance at the previous World Cup final. The Red Roses went on to sell out Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, setting a new record for their final victory over Canada.
Squad Context and Kildunne Reaction to Sunderland Fixture
Fullback Ellie Kildunne was among those who felt the scale of that August night in Sunderland firsthand. Looking back, she said: “It was an amazing atmosphere to be a part of – one of the favourites in my career.”
She recalled the reception the squad received before and after full time. “I just remember the noise when we got off the bus and the amount of time the fans stayed behind afterwards. It was incredible. They really spurred us on that night,” Kildunne said.
Kildunne is now looking ahead to facing Scotland on the same pitch. “If the match with Scotland can replicate anything close to that night, it’s sure to be another memorable occasion,” she said.
The fixture arrives amid recent Red Roses setup changes around the coaching staff. For more on the environment building behind the scenes, read our earlier report.
Upcoming WXV Global Series Timeline and Title Defence
Before any of that, England turn their attention to next month’s WXV Global Series. The Red Roses face two Tests against Canada and one against the United States away from home, all forming part of preparations for the Six Nations defence. There’s more on that assignment in our look at Red Roses international fixtures.
England go into the new campaign chasing a ninth consecutive Women’s Six Nations title, built on the same depth and crowd support Sunderland showed in 2025. The Red Roses Six Nations Sunderland fixture gives Wearside a return date to build towards, with Kildunne’s Stadium of Light memories setting the tone for what comes next.
