With the Women’s Six Nations just around the corner, England have begun their preparations by announcing their new leadership team for the tournament.
Last year’s vice-captain, Megan Jones, will captain the Red Roses this year.
The Ealing Trailfinders fly-half has been promoted after the usual captain Zoe Stratford announced she is expecting her first child at some stage this year.
Jones, born in Cardiff, qualifies for England thanks to her Mother, but also moved to England when she was 16 to study Sports Science and Management at Hartpury.
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Star quality wing David makes the cut
Gloucester-Hartpury’s Alex Matthews and Sale Sharks hooker Amy Cokayne were also announced as vice-captains for the tournament, who bring a combined England appearance tally of over 160.
Despite the vast amount of experience brought in by last year’s World Cup winners, head coach John Mitchell has balanced out the team by selecting seven uncapped players.
Arguably, the most exciting of which is Abby Dow’s replacement, 20-year-old Millie David, following the former Wasps, Harlequins and Trailfinders wing’s retirement.
David scored 17 tries in her breakthrough campaign in the Premiership Women’s Rugby last season, which made her the joint top scorer alongside May Campbell, who also makes the squad.
David has already bagged nine tries this season, putting her third in the list of try scorers, which has made her England selection seem inevitable.
PICTURE: Alamy
Can the Red Roses continue their dominance?
The Red Roses haven’t lost a Six Nations game since 2018, in which they lost by a point to their closest rivals in the tournament, France.
Despite the changes made to the squad, England are obviously still favourites for the tournament, which they have controlled for almost a decade.
This is quite possibly the most dominant team Rugby has ever seen and it still shows no sign of stopping.
Unbeaten in 33 games and the Utrecht Shield holders, the World Cup last year was the final piece of the puzzle for this England side, after losing the 2022 World Cup final to New Zealand, which to date was their last defeat.
Is youth the way forward?
England begin their campaign against Ireland on 11th April in the first of two home games.
The opener will be played at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, but round three against visitors Wales will be played at Bristol’s home ground, Ashton Gate.
Visits to Scotland and Italy are also on the cards, before a final showdown, probably to decide the title, against France at the Stade Atlantique in May.
With retirements and pregnancies, for the likes of Abbie Ward and Lark-Atkin Davies, England may be entering a transitional phase into a new era, with Mitchell looking to youth to drive his team onwards.
Either way, the expectations are nothing less than a grand slam and Six Nations victory for the eighth year in a row for a team that has set the standards flying through the stratosphere in conjunction with the rise of popularity of the women’s game in England.
READ MORE: John Mitchell: Meg Jones is my choice for England captain for the Women’s Six Nations
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