England opens Women’s Six Nations defense with 25 World Cup winners and a new captain
While England's players would never be so cocky as to say what Bird said they must be tempted sometimes. England's achievements are awe-inspiring: Won 21 of the 30 championships including the last seven titles. England is on a world record winning run of 33 straight tests, capped by sweeping up the greatest Women's Rugby World Cup last September in front of a record sell-out crowd of 82,000 at Twickenham.
LONDON (AP) — Before the 1988 NBA three-point shooting contest, defending champion Larry Bird looked around at his competition and asked, “Which one of you guys is playing for second? ” In the same way, England rules Women's Six Nations rugby. While England's players would never be so cocky as to say what Bird said they must be tempted sometimes.
England's achievements are awe-inspiring: Won 21 of the 30 championships including the last seven titles. England is on a world record winning run of 33 straight tests, capped by sweeping up the greatest Women's Rugby World Cup last September in front of a record sell-out crowd of 82,000 at Twickenham. John Mitchell, unbeaten in two years as coach, signed on to the next World Cup in 2029 in Australia.
Turnover was light after the recent World Cup: Captain Zoe Aldcroft, Abbie Ward, Lark Atkin-Davies and Rosie Galligan are pregnant, Tatyana Heard is out with a foot injury, and Emily Scarratt and Abby Dow retired. Scarratt, the only England player to compete in five World Cups, has moved into Mitchell's coaching staff. Mitchell declared a clean slate for squad selection but his 32-woman squad includes 25 World Cup winners.
The only new cap for their Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday is 19-year-old forward Haineala Lutui, the daughter of former Tonga men's captain Aleki Lutui. The captaincy was given to center Megan Jones, feisty, selfless and with nothing to prove. Jones debuted at 18 against New Zealand in 2015, played in three World Cups, and was the only England woman shortlisted for world's best player of 2025.