There is something unmistakable in building a match in Twickenham.
As you leave the train, energy changes. Fans draped in white shirts with red roses, the buzzing anticipation in their conversations, and this spicy aroma of tallow, grilled onions and blond beer bordering the route to the stadium all builds a feeling of ritual.
People move with a goal, but also with joy, knowing that they are part of something much bigger than one match.
For me, the experience was particularly personal. I was fortunate to attend the England match against Italy of the Six Nations earlier this year with my father, looking from the Hospitality Box O2 in Twickenham.
He has taken me to the stadium since I was a child, and be back with him in such a special setting has completed everything. From view to the field to incredible food and atmosphere, it was a day filled with pride, nostalgia and connection.
Sharing this moment with him reminded me how powerful rugby and Twickenham can be powerful to bring people together through generations.
This feeling of connection is at the heart of the 30 -year partnership of O2 and England. Since 1995, collaboration has helped shape the identity of sport on and off the field.
What started as a shirt sponsorship has become one of the most recognizable and lasting relationships in professional sport, focused on the motivation of engagement, inclusiveness and access to all levels of the game.
O2’s commitment went far beyond the male team. In recent years, the brand has been a leading voice in the rugby sex awareness commission, supporting red roses with equal marketing expenses, historical documentaries and day activations that have helped fill the stages and develop new audiences.
Its priority platform continues to offer fans access to unforgettable rugby moments, while its investment in connectivity and creation of Twickenham content guarantees that supporters feel in the trip wherever they are.
While England rugby and O2 celebrate three decades side by side, the shared heritage is clear – not only in the moments under the lights of the stadium, but in the memories created, the people together and the passion that continues to grow with each game.
