England’s Red Roses have once again asserted their dominance, securing their eighth consecutive Women’s Six Nations title and a fifth successive Grand Slam. The Red Roses triumphed over France in Bordeaux with a 43-28 victory. This extends their unbeaten streak to 38 Tests.
England Overcome France in Grand Slam Decider
The emotion was evident after the final whistle, marking more than just another win for the Red Roses. According to captain Meg Jones, the team had to “go to the trenches” during their title defence. They “fronted up” to silence any doubters.
England’s win marked their fifth bonus-point victory in a row. They scored six tries, bringing their championship total to 42. However, the scoreline doesn’t fully reflect the challenges they faced.
England were second best for much of the opening 20 minutes against a spirited France side. They also had to stave off a comeback from their hosts, who narrowed a 26-7 half-time deficit to 29-21 heading into the final quarter.
Defensive Doubts Silenced
Questions had been raised about England’s defence in the lead-up to the Grand Slam decider. Both Wales and Italy had achieved record points tallies and a try bonus point apiece in their previous two matches. England had conceded 76 points across their opening four matches, a significant increase from the 29 conceded the previous year.
France took an early lead in the 13th minute with a try from Pauline Bourdon Sansus. However, England responded by silencing their critics. France did not score again until the 53rd minute, by which point England had scored four tries.
Jones told BBC Sport, “We went through the trenches there. We asked for a good defensive set because everyone was doubting it.” She added, “We fronted up and showed what England is about. Defence is a mindset, but you just have to front up and own your collisions.”
Jones added, “The calibre of the players we have, we shouldn’t have doubted it. Maybe we let outside noise creep in. We wanted to raise the floor and did that in abundance.”
Record-Breaking Feat
England haven’t lost in the Women’s Six Nations since March 2018.
By winning the 2026 Women’s Six Nations, England have further cemented their legacy. No side – men’s or women’s – has ever won a World Cup and a Six Nations back-to-back. England have achieved this in just eight months, extending their record-breaking winning streak to 38 Tests.
This was achieved despite challenges to squad depth. Four players, including captain Zoe Stratford, were absent due to pregnancy. More than a dozen players missed matches through injury. Only six of the players who started last year’s World Cup final were in the starting XV against France.
Head coach John Mitchell handed out five debuts over the championship. He also recalled Delaney Burns and Liz Crake after three-year absences. He was forced into desperate measures in his forward pack, notably fielding a different second row pairing in e