England far from perfect but Red Roses machine marches on

John Mitchell’s England squad secured a historic victory over Ireland, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 77,120 at Allianz Stadium for their Women’s Six Nations opener. This follows their World Cup triumph, which saw a staggering 81,885 fans pack the venue—a figure that set an impressive benchmark for the sport. The scale of the occasion is unparalleled, making it a defining moment for women’s rugby in the UK.

The Red Roses have worked tirelessly to cultivate a dedicated fan base across the nation, culminating in a triumphant return to the stadium in September when they defeated Canada to win their first World Cup in over a decade. Now, with the momentum of unprecedented viewership figures, the team has taken another bold step by luring supporters back to Allianz Stadium for their Six Nations debut against Ireland. The result was a 5-try win, extending their unbeaten streak to 34 matches.

Despite the victory, the Red Roses were not without flaws. Their first-half dominance, marked by three tries, established a 21-point lead before Ellie Kildunne’s error in the second half nearly disrupted the flow. However, the full-back quickly rebounded, showcasing her composure and speed to finish the game decisively. “People will want an explanation as to what happened—I just dropped the ball,” Kildunne admitted, highlighting the human element behind the team’s relentless performance.

“You can never replicate a game that has happened before [the World Cup final],” said Kildunne. “The World Cup final is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life and I don’t want to compare the two things. We have to get used to this. We sold out then [the World Cup final] and we nearly sold out now, this is going to become the norm. This shows where the women’s game is going and long may it last.”

Looking ahead, England aims to claim an eighth consecutive Six Nations title and their fifth Grand Slam in a row. The team’s resilience was tested as they faced challenges, including the loss of four key players from the World Cup final due to pregnancies. Among those, Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, and Rosie Galligan returned to the second row, while Megan Jones stepped up as captain, delivering a standout defensive display and earning player of the match honors.

Unfortunately, injuries struck during the clash with Ireland. Lock Morwenna Talling was stretchered off, and Mitchell confirmed she, along with replacement scrum-half Natasha Hunt, would likely miss the rest of the tournament. In her absence, 19-year-old Haineala Lutui, a back-rower at Loughborough Lightning, made her debut. “We must adapt,” Mitchell said. “If that means using back rowers, then so be it. There are different ways to play this game, and we will make it work.”