It has been 196 days since the Red Roses won the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the third time and performed in front of a record capacity crowd at Twickenham.
With the Women’s Six Nations kicking off on April 11, the Red Roses are ready to have fun under the lights again, with Swing Low winning their tournament opener against Ireland at Allianz Stadium.
More than 75,000 fans are expected to welcome the Roses home and Meg Jones will captain the team for the first time, with former captain Zoe Aldcroft among the four players absent due to pregnancy.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
England rugby captain Megan Jones talks about the Red Roses’ culture and John Mitchell’s influence on it ahead of the Six Nations
“How classy is it to be able to maintain those numbers after the World Cup? That’s what we’re talking about as a country that we’ve always led,” Jones said.
“Our role is to be entertainers and make sure we deliver work that people want to come back to.
“We always say how great our fans are and how much energy and push they give us.
“When I think back to that World Cup final, I just think how amazing it was to see the echoes of the swing-low going around the stadium cheering us on.
“I have full faith in the fact that they will be an additional 16th player in that game.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
England’s Sadia Kabetani talks about wanting rugby to become more accessible to everyone and how the Red Roses are taking inspiration from the Lionesses
England and Ireland have not faced each other since last year’s Six Nations, when the Roses won 49-5 in Cork, but both teams will be hoping to extend their winning streak to 33 Tests.
The Roses are expected to win eight straight Six Nations and a Grand Slam, and pressure is on to ensure the team’s performance on John Mitchell, who has been undefeated in his two years as manager.
He selected a familiar 32-man women’s squad, including 25 returning World Cup winners and only one player, who won her first cap on Saturday, Hainela Lutui, daughter of former Tonga men’s captain Areki Lutui.
However, both teams are certain to share the lead as hooker Cliodna Moloney-Macdonald marks her 50th appearance for Ireland in her first appearance against her wife, England winger Claudia Moloney-Macdonald.
The promising Irish team will be captained by Erin King, who missed the World Cup with a knee injury, and will anchor a strong back-row alongside last year’s Six Nations MVP Aoife Weffer.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Murray Packer and Megan Jones discuss Red Roses’ amazing crowd ahead of another record-breaking Six Nations opener against Ireland
Can France reach a Grand Slam final?
France once again assumes the role of the main challenger to the English throne.
Their run to the World Cup semi-finals and their recent epic clash with England shows they have the pedigree to go toe-to-toe with the Red Roses.
Their next challenge is to turn these encouraging performances into one that declares victory.
They enter the Six Nations in January with a new set-up led by Francois Rattier. The new system brings uncertainty and intrigue to the Les Bleus camp, which is stuck in a “best of the rest” loop.
If they can achieve their main objective of ending years of stagnation and setting up a Grand Slam round-of-five decider against England in Bordeaux, who’s to say they can’t go one step further?
It’s not just a two-horse race
Scotland’s Rachel Malcolm (left), Ireland’s Erin King, France’s Manae Ferreux, England’s Meg Jones, Wales’ Kate Williams and Italy’s Silvia Turrani (right) pose with the trophy at the 2026 Women’s Six Nations launch event.
Ireland, Scotland and Wales each enter the Six Nations with a sense of renewal and the potential to reshape the tournament’s familiar hierarchy.
With the World Cup cycle reset and buoyed by a newly extended head coach, Ireland are starting to look like the team most capable of breaking France’s long-held position as England’s top challengers.
Last year’s third-place finish suggests upward momentum, and the mood across the team is particularly optimistic.
But Scotland and Wales also enter a new era under fresh coaching teams. Scotland are gaining real momentum and confidence after making steady progress, while Wales have been outspoken about their need to bounce back from a disappointing World Cup and re-establish their identity.
Wales also host Scotland at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, hoping to break the attendance record of 21,186 set for last year’s game against England.
Kate Williams will captain Wales as they aim for victory against Scotland on opening weekend
The Welsh side was whitewashed for the first time in 2025, but manager Sean Lynn has had some time to rest, bringing in a new coach and nine new caps, choosing flanker Kate Williams, one of 12 players from unbeaten Gloucester-Hartpury in the English Championship, as captain.
Scotland defeated Wales 38-8 on their way to the World Cup quarter-finals, but that victory resulted in injuries to Fran McGee (three tries), Evie Gallagher, Sarah Bonner and Lisa Thomson, and three others withdrawing.
Teenage flanker Emily Kubrow will make her debut under new coach Sione Fukofka, who led the United States at the World Cup.
Three home countries working together adds depth, unpredictability and narrative weight to a championship that is often framed as a two-horse race.
England 2026 Women’s Six Nations fixtures
v Ireland (Saturday 11 April) – Twickenham, Allianz Stadium (2.25pm) v Scotland (Saturday 18 April) – Murrayfield, Edinburgh (1.30pm) v Wales (Saturday 25 April) – Ashton Gate, Bristol (2.15pm) v Italy (Saturday 9 May) – Parma, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (3pm) v France (Sunday 17 May) – Stade Atlantique, Bordeaux (5:45pm)
