GLOUCESTERSHIRE-based Women's World Cup star Danielle Waterman hopes the sport can grow despite England crashing to defeat in the final at the Twickenham Stoop.

The 25-year-old full-back, who also tasted defeat in the final four years ago in Edmonton, Canada, was unable to prevent New Zealand lifting their fourth successive crown.

But with the tournament taking place on home soil and broadcast on Sky Sports, the Worcester player wants more girls to take up playing the game.

"We were the best we have ever been prepared and it has been a tremendous tournament," said Waterman.

"The Twickenham Stoop was amazing. I have never played in front of a crowd like that before and I have played in front of 50,000 people before and they were even louder than that.

"But we have done ourselves proud and we showed England we can play some good rugby and we have shown up on home soil.

"Hopefully it has shown the world and not just England so hopefully the game can grow even more now.

"And hopefully it will inspire a lot of girls to take up the game now.

"I coached throughout Gloucestershire all last year and they all certainly knew the tournament was coming up and they were all watching."

Waterman says she will take a week off to rest and recuperate before staring her new job at Hartpury College next Monday.

The Taunton-born player finished as a school sports co-ordinator for Ribston Hall High School in Gloucester earlier this year and will oversee the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme at Hartpury.

Waterman, whose father Jim played 400-plus senior matches for Bath, will also have a break from playing now until October.

But she hopes to be back in four-years time trying to stop the Black Ferns triumphing once more.

"I am gutted and very tired but it is the nature of sport and unfortunately it did not go our way and I am just so proud of the girls," she added.

"This feels worse than it did four years ago because it was on home soil but all credit to them they played really well."