It has taken a while but, for richer or poorer, the Rugby Football Union has finally taken the plunge and made a long-term commitment to its top female players. If the announcement of 28 professional 15-a-side contracts is not a strictly ground-breaking development, the implications are sizeable.

Not for nothing did Simon Middleton, England’s head coach, describe the RFU’s move as revolutionary or his captain, Sarah Hunter, call it a huge day for all concerned, even though full-time deals already exist in sevens and were briefly introduced for XVs players before the 2017 World Cup, then subsequently withdrawn. This time RFU officials insist they are in for the long haul.

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The timing is slightly ironic given the recent cost-cutting at Twickenham, caused in part by an unforeseen overspend on the redeveloped East Stand. According to the RFU’s Nicky Ponsford, however, this fresh investment will prove worthwhile. “We’ve created a sustainable model which will carry us through to 2021 and beyond,” she said. “It’s been our long-term ambition and shows the RFU’s commitment to growing the game and its belief in the future of the sport.”

Figures suggest rugby is among the country’s fastest-growing female sports, with twice as many women and girls playing regularly at a club compared with 2014. World Rugby also says there has been a 60% increase in participation globally since 2013, with women making up a quarter of all players worldwide, and a crowd of 17,440 attended the Six Nations game between France and England in Grenoble’s Stade des Alpes last March.

Against this backdrop pressure has been building on the RFU to do the decent thing and allow England’s players the same scope to prepare and recover as their male counterparts. “It’s something I didn’t think would probably happen in my playing career,” said Hunter. “It’s hugely significant. As players it means our focus can now be solely on becoming the best we can be.”

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The top women’s XVs players in New Zealand and France now operate on a semi-professional basis but nowhere else in the world are permanent full-time deals of this type in place. It hardly creates a level playing field globally but England, having won one Six Nations title in the past six years after choosing to focus much of their energy on sevens, will happily settle for world domination.

“We want to become the No 1 side in the world again and we want to win the 2021 World Cup,” said Middleton bluntly. “This offers us a massive opportunity but with it comes massive expectation. It’s up to us to do everything we can to meet that expectation.”

Professionalism also involves ensuring the numbers add up. The RFU is refusing to reveal precise financial details but it is understood the fattest annual contract is worth a relatively modest £28,000, with sponsorship and match fees on top. “We’re comfortable we’re in the right ballpark compared to other unions and other women’s sports,” Ponsford said. “I don’t think financial sacrifice came into the conversations.”

Amy Cokayne, however, will continue to combine rugby with her RAF duties and no Lamborghinis or Ferraris will be rolling off the forecourts. Any prospect of England’s top men taking a big pay-cut – they are currently paid £23,000 per match – in a gender-neutral act of solidarity also currently feels remote. “I’m not going to make any comments about what the men’s team earn,” Ponsford said.

“The important thing is that the RFU have made a commitment to the women’s game and are looking to support it in the longer term.”

There is no contract for the centre Amber Reed, currently injured, or the prop Heather Kerr but for the vastly experienced Hunter and Katy Daley-McLean, both capped more than 100 times, this day is deserved reward for their long years of unpaid toil.