From steering England to their first world rugby title in 20 years to leading Harlequins to the top of the Tyrrells Premier 15s, no-one is better placed to comment on the skyrocketing success of women’s rugby than Gary Street.

In his 27 years coaching in the women’s game, Street has seen the sport transition from an anomaly to a normality, with rugby now centred on ability rather than gender.

Street took over as England coach in 2007 and under his tutelage the Red Roses scaled new heights, winning five Six Nations, four European Cups and the 2014 World Cup.

Now at Harlequins, changing perceptions of women’s rugby at both international and domestic level has always been at the forefront of Street’s ambition. He knows he still has a long way to go but if one thing is for certain, it’s that he won’t be looking back.

“Probably one of the biggest things, when I thought the world was changing a little bit, was last year at one of our Harlequins’ home games,” said 52-year-old Street.

“I saw a bunch of 18-year-old lads in the crowd, and they went and bought jerseys in the shop and waited to get them signed by Deborah McCormack, our Scottish international.

“I don’t think that would have happened ten years ago, and that was a game changer for me.

“In the past it was seen as a bit freakish. There were some questions you’d get asked constantly, like, ‘What do you do if they get hurt?’ – mainly from blokes who just didn’t really get it.

“It’s not seen as different anymore. It’s just another sport that girls play.”

Support for domestic women’s rugby is going from strength to strength with Street’s Harlequins at the heart of the progress.

Quins set a record crowd of 4,837 in their ‘Game Changer’ event at the Twickenham Stoop in March, a figure they will attempt to beat in next year’s edition against Wasps in April.

Before then, they will take on Irish giants Leinster at Twickenham on December 28 in an historic double-header with the men’s team, who will face Leicester Tigers.

It will be the very first women’s club game of its kind at the Home of English rugby – a move which, according to Street, is essential in accelerating the growth of the game.

“I remember the first time England ever got invited to a Six Nations launch and it was very much girls stand over there while the men are interviewed. Now there’s a whole queue of media who want to speak to the women players,” he added.

“The fact that we’ve got some really bright rugby females, like Maggie Alphonsi, who are going into punditry and the media is really important.

“People will ask ‘Who is she?’, then they’ll see she was a Rugby World Cup winner in 2014, and maybe then they go and look to see what the women’s rugby scene is like.

“I think that is really important, to keep getting those messages out there - that women play at the top level.

“I didn’t think that in my lifetime women’s club rugby would come this far, but it has and it’s brilliant and I think it’s only going to get better.”