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England women's national rugby union team
Team representing England in international women's rugby union
Team representing England in international women's rugby union
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | England |
| Badge | England national rugby team logo.svg |
| Badge_size | 160px |
| Emblem | Red rose |
| Union | Rugby Football Union |
| Nickname | Red Roses |
| Home Stadium | Twickenham Stadium and others |
| Captain | Zoe Aldcroft |
| Coach | John Mitchell |
| Most caps | Sarah Hunter (141) |
| Top scorer | Emily Scarratt (749) |
| Top try scorer | Sue Day (61) |
| pattern_la1 | _England_rugby_2021_h |
| pattern_b1 | _England_rugby_2021_h |
| pattern_ra1 | _England_rugby_2021_h |
| pattern_so1 | _whitetop |
| leftarm1 | FFFFFF |
| body1 | FFFFFF |
| rightarm1 | FFFFFF |
| shorts1 | FFFFFF |
| socks1 | FFFFFF |
| pattern_la2 | _englandrugby21a |
| pattern_b2 | _englandrugby21a |
| pattern_ra2 | _englandrugby21a |
| shorts2 | 000040 |
| socks2 | 000040 |
| World Rugby Rank | 1 |
| World Rugby Rank date | 2 October 2025 |
| World Rugby max | 1 |
| World Rugby max year | 2012–2013, 2014–2015, 2017, 2020– |
| World Rugby min | 4 |
| World Rugby min year | 2015 |
| First game | 4–22 |
| (Pontypool, Wales; 5 April 1987) | |
| Largest win | 101–0 |
| (East Molesey, England; 14 May 2005) | |
| Largest loss | 67–0 |
| (Burnham, New Zealand; 13 August 1997) | |
| World cup apps | 9 (First in 1991) |
| World cup best | Champions: (1994, 2014, 2025) |
| type | women |
| website | England Rugby |
the women's team
| World Rugby Rank date = 2 October 2025 | World Rugby max year = 2012–2013, 2014–2015, 2017, 2020– | World Rugby min year = 2015 (Pontypool, Wales; 5 April 1987) (East Molesey, England; 14 May 2005) (Burnham, New Zealand; 13 August 1997)
The England women's national rugby union team, commonly known as the Red Roses, represents England in women's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Women's Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on a total of 21 out of 30 occasions – winning the Grand Slam 19 times and the Triple Crown 25 times – making them the most successful side in the tournament's history. They have won the Women's Rugby World Cup on three occasions (1994, 2014, and 2025), and have been runners-up on six other occasions. Their current permanent head coach, as of October 2023, is John Mitchell. They currently hold the longest ever winning streak in rugby, of 33 consecutive games as of the 2025 World Cup final.
History
Until 2009, the badge and logo of England women's national teams was significantly different from that worn by men's teams. However, in 2009 in anticipation of the merger between the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football Union for Women England teams adopted the men's rose.
England have taken part in every Women's Rugby World Cup competition, winning in 1994, 2014 and 2025, they have finished as runner-up on six other occasions.
The 1995/1996 season saw the introduction of a Home Nations Championship between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which England won in its inaugural year. England won the Championship every year, except for the 1997/98 season when it was won by Scotland.
France joined the competition in the 1998/99 season, making it the Five Nations Championship, with England achieving the Grand Slam in three successive seasons.
In the 2001/02 season, Ireland re-joined the fold in preparation for the World Cup and the competition expanded to be known as the Six Nations. Since then, England have finished lower than runner-up on only 2 occasions, in 2013 and 2015 respectively, and have won the title on 16 separate occasions. This includes 7 consecutive tournament triumphs between 2006 and 2012, and between 2019–2025 and the Grand Slam on 14 more occasions, including 3 times in a row between 2006–2008 and 2010–2012, and 4 in a row from 2022 to 2025.
Team records
Overall
;Full internationals only Correct as of 9 August 2025
| Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % | Total | 1987 | 330 | 284 | 3 | 43 | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1993 | 37 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 89.19% | ||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1991 | 58 | 45 | 0 | 13 | % | ||||||||
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1996 | 33 | 31 | 0 | 2 | % | ||||||||
| 1991 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 2000 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1990 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1997 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 19 | 39.39% | ||||||||
| 1994 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1994 | 34 | 32 | 0 | 2 | % | ||||||||
| 2005 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1991 | 17 | 15 | 1 | 1 | % | ||||||||
| 1988 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | ||||||||
| 1991 | 21 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 95.24% | ||||||||
| 1987 | 42 | 40 | 0 | 2 | % |
World Cup
Main article: England women at the Rugby World Cup
Six Nations
Players
Current squad
On 24 July 2025, head coach John Mitchell announced England's 32-player squad for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. The squad included eight players who were making their Rugby World Cup debut, while centre Emily Scarratt became the first English player to earn selection for five World Cups.
Note: The age and number of caps listed for each player is as of 22 August 2025, the first day of the tournament.
World Cup squads
List of all players
Main article: List of England women's national rugby union players
Individual records
World Rugby Awards
The following England players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Shelley Rae | Shelley Rae |
| 2006 | Maggie Alphonsi | Maggie Alphonsi |
| 2008 | Carol Isherwood | Carol Isherwood |
| 2010 | Maggie Alphonsi (2) | — |
| Danielle Waterman | ||
| 2012 | Michaela Staniford | Michaela Staniford |
| 2016 | Sarah Hunter | Sarah Hunter |
| 2019 | Sarah Bern | Emily Scarratt |
| Katy Daley-McLean | ||
| Emily Scarratt | ||
| 2021 | Zoe Aldcroft | Zoe Aldcroft |
| Poppy Cleall | ||
| 2022 | Alex Matthews | — |
| 2023 | Abby Dow | Marlie Packer |
| Marlie Packer | ||
| 2024 | Ellie Kildunne | Ellie Kildunne |
| Alex Matthews (2) | ||
| 2025 | Megan Jones | — |
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Maud Muir | — |
| 2024 | Maddie Feaunati |
| Year | Forwards | Backs | Total | No. | Players | No. | Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3. | Sarah Bern | 11. | Abby Dow | 5 | ||
| 5. | Abbie Ward | ||||||
| 6. | Zoe Aldcroft | ||||||
| 8. | Poppy Cleall | ||||||
| 2022 | 3. | Sarah Bern (2) | 13. | Emily Scarratt | 6 | ||
| 4. | Abbie Ward (2) | ||||||
| 6. | Alex Matthews | 15. | Abby Dow (2) | ||||
| 7. | Marlie Packer | ||||||
| 2023 | 2. | Lark Atkin-Davies | 11. | Abby Dow (3) | 7 | ||
| 3. | Sarah Bern (3) | ||||||
| 4. | Zoe Aldcroft (2) | 15. | Ellie Kildunne | ||||
| 6. | Alex Matthews (2) | ||||||
| 7. | Marlie Packer (2) | ||||||
| 2024 | 3. | Maud Muir | 10. | Holly Aitchison | 6 | ||
| 4. | Zoe Aldcroft (3) | 14. | Abby Dow (4) | ||||
| 8. | Alex Matthews (3) | 15. | Ellie Kildunne (2) | ||||
| 2025 | 1. | Hannah Botterman | 10. | Zoe Harrison | 7 | ||
| 3. | Maud Muir (2) | ||||||
| 5. | Abbie Ward (3) | 13. | Megan Jones | ||||
| 6. | Alex Matthews (4) | 15. | Ellie Kildunne (3) |
| No. | Players | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rocky Clark | Loosehead Prop |
| 3. | Sophie Hemming | Tighthead Prop |
| 5. | Tamara Taylor | Lock |
| 7. | Maggie Alphonsi | Openside Flanker |
| No. | Players | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | Katy Daley-McLean | Fly-Half |
| 13. | Emily Scarratt | Outside Centre |
| 14. | Lydia Thompson | Right Wing |
| 15. | Danielle Waterman | Full-Back |
| Year | Date | Nominee | Match | Tournament | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30 April | Abby Dow | vs. France | Exhibition Match | — |
| 2022 | 5 November | Abby Dow (2) | vs. Canada | Rugby World Cup | Abby Dow |
| 2023 | 29 April | Zoe Aldcroft | vs. France | Six Nations | — |
| 2025 | 22 August | Jess Breach | vs. United States | Rugby World Cup |
Hall of famers
England have six former players who have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame:
| Players | Year inducted | Refs |
|---|---|---|
| Carol Isherwood | 2014 | |
| Gill Burns | 2014 | |
| Maggie Alphonsi | 2016 | |
| Sue Dorrington | 2022 | |
| Mary Forsyth | 2022 | |
| Rocky Clark | 2025 |
Six Nations Awards
The following England players have been recognised in the Women's Six Nations Awards since 2020:
| Year | Nominee | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Emily Scarratt | Emily Scarratt |
| 2021 | Zoe Aldcroft | Poppy Cleall |
| Poppy Cleall | ||
| 2022 | Sarah Bern | — |
| Marlie Packer | ||
| 2023 | Holly Aitchison | |
| Marlie Packer (2) | ||
| 2024 | Ellie Kildunne | Ellie Kildunne |
| 2025 | Abby Dow | — |
| Year | Nominee | Match | Winner | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Abby Dow | vs. Ireland | — | |
| Ellie Kildunne | vs. Wales | |||
| 2025 | Abby Dow (2) | vs. Scotland |
| Year | Forwards | Backs | Total | No. | Players | No. | Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3. | Sarah Bern | 14. | Lydia Thompson | 5 | ||
| 6. | Alex Matthews | ||||||
| 7. | Marlie Packer | 15. | Helena Rowland | ||||
| 2023 | 1. | Hannah Botterman | 10. | Holly Aitchison | 9 | ||
| 4. | Zoe Aldcroft | ||||||
| 5. | Sarah Beckett | 11. | Abby Dow | ||||
| 6. | Sadia Kabeya | ||||||
| 7. | Marlie Packer (2) | 14. | Jess Breach | ||||
| 8. | Alex Matthews (2) | ||||||
| 2024 | 1. | Hannah Botterman (2) | 9. | Natasha Hunt | 9 | ||
| 10. | Holly Aitchison (2) | ||||||
| 3. | Maud Muir | 11. | Abby Dow (2) | ||||
| 5. | Zoe Aldcroft (2) | 13. | Megan Jones | ||||
| 7. | Sadia Kabeya (2) | 15. | Ellie Kildunne | ||||
| 2025 | 3. | Sarah Bern (2) | 13. | Megan Jones (2) | 4 | ||
| 4. | Abbie Ward | 14. | Abby Dow (3) |
| Year | Nominee | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Abi Burton | — |
| Jade Shekells |
Rugby Players' Association Player of the Year
The following players have been voted as the RPA England Player of the Year since 2013:
| Year | Winners | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Emily Scarratt | |
| 2014 | Rachael Burford | |
| 2015 | Rocky Clark | |
| 2016 | Sarah Hunter | |
| 2017 | Tamara Taylor |
| Year | Winners | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Danielle Waterman | |
| 2019 | Sarah Bern | |
| 2020 | Zoe Aldcroft | |
| 2021 | Poppy Cleall | |
| 2022 | Marlie Packer |
| Year | Winners | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sadia Kabeya | |
| 2024 | Alex Matthews | |
| 2025 | Zoe Aldcroft (2) |
| Year | Inductees | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Rocky Clark | |
| 2022 | Katy Daley-McLean | |
| 2023 | Sarah Hunter |
| Year | Winners | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Emily Scarratt | |
| 2024 | Marlie Packer |
Statistical leaders
Players active at international level as of September 2025 are listed in bold italics.
Coaches
Current coaching staff
The following table outlines the current England senior coaching team, as of the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
| Nationality | Name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| NZL New Zealand | John Mitchell | Head Coach |
| ENG England | Louis Deacon | Forwards Coach |
| ENG England | Lou Meadows | Attack Coach |
| ENG England | Sarah Hunter | Defence Coach |
| ENG England | Nathan Catt | Scrum Coach |
| ENG England | Charlie Hayter | Head of Performance |
| ENG England | Ethan Kinney | Lead S&C Coach |
Notable former coaches
- ENG Gary Street (head coach 2007–15) : 1x World Cup winner (2014) : 1x World Cup runner-up (2010) : 6x Six Nations winner (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- ENG Simon Middleton (assistant coach 2014, head coach 2015–23) : 1x World Rugby Coach of the Year (2021) : 2x World Cup runner-up (2017, 2021) : 6x Six Nations winner (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Honours
-
World Cup : Winners (3): 1994, 2014, 2025 : Runners-up (6): 1991, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021
-
Six Nations Championship : Winners (21): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 : Grand Slam (19): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 : Triple Crown (25): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
-
European Championship : Winners (5): 1997, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 : Runners-up (1): 2004
Notes
References
References
- (9 January 2025). "'Phenomenal' Zoe Aldcroft named England women's rugby union captain".
- "John Mitchell profile page - England Rugby".
- Rendell, Sarah. (8 March 2024). "Top ten Red Roses appearance holders – most-capped England women's rugby players".
- (4 May 2023). "England: John Mitchell appointed women's head coach after Simon Middleton departure". BBC Sport.
- (24 July 2025). "Red Roses Rugby squad for 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup {{!}} Rugby Football Union". England Rugby.
- (24 July 2025). "The eight Red Roses playing in their first Women's Rugby World Cup {{!}} Rugby Football Union". England Rugby.
- (24 July 2025). "Mitchell explains Red Roses Rugby World Cup selection {{!}} Rugby Football Union". England Rugby.
- "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". World Rugby.
- (13 November 2016). "Sarah Hunter crowned women's player of the year by World Rugby".
- (3 November 2019). "England's Emily Scarratt crowned women's world player of the year".
- (10 December 2021). "Aldcroft crowned World Rugby's Women's Player of the Year". Six Nations Championship.
- (4 November 2023). "Marlie Packer: England captain wins World Rugby Women's Player of Year award for 2023". BBC Sport.
- (24 November 2024). "Ellie Kildunne named World Rugby Player of the Year". 4 The Love Of Sport.
- (2 October 2025). "Women's Rugby World Cup stars shine in World Rugby Awards 2025". World Rugby.
- (7 December 2020). "Eight Red Roses named in World Rugby team of the decade".
- "Carol Isherwood - World Rugby - Hall of Fame".
- "Gillian Burns - World Rugby - Hall of Fame".
- "Margaret Alphonsi - World Rugby - Hall of Fame".
- "Sue Dorrington - World Rugby - Hall of Fame".
- "Mary Forsyth - World Rugby - Hall of Fame".
- "Cantwell and Clark to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2025".
- "Women's Six Nations Player of the Championship".
- (29 April 2021). "Poppy Cleall crowned 2021 Women's Six Nations Player of the Championship".
- (17 May 2024). "Kildunne wins Guinness Player of the Championship".
- (14 May 2022). "2022 TikTok Women's Six Nations Team of the Championship revealed".
- (16 May 2024). "Revealed: The Fans' 2024 Team of the Championship".
- (21 March 2025). "Introducing the BKT Rising Player Award".
- (28 April 2025). "The 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations Team of the Championship".
- (2 May 2024). "Try of the Championship - Vote Now".
- (30 April 2025). "Vote for your 2025 Try of the Championship!".
- "The RPA Awards – Previous Awards".
- "2013 – The RPA".
- "2014 – The RPA".
- "2015 – The RPA".
- "2016 – The RPA".
- "2017 – The RPA".
- "2018 – The RPA".
- "2019 – The RPA".
- "2020 – The RPA".
- "2021 – The RPA".
- "2022 – The RPA".
- "2023 – The RPA".
- (29 May 2024). "The RPA Awards: 2024 Winners".
- (4 June 2025). "England Rugby players recognised at The Rugby Awards for 2024-25 season".
- "Player Records".
- (4 September 2025). "Women's Rugby World Cup: England v Australia - Alex Matthews to captain Red Roses".
- (4 May 2023). "John Mitchell appointed Red Roses Head Coach".
- (3 March 2025). "Second Red Roses training squad of 2025 announced".
- (26 June 2015). "England Women coach Gary Street steps down five months after winning World Cup". [[Sky Sports]].
- (7 February 2023). "Simon Middleton: Reflecting on the England coach's legacy". BBC Sport.
- (24 April 2024). "Rugby World Cup: England's first world champions in 1994". BBC Sport.
- (17 August 2014). "England 21-9 Canada – Women's rugby World Cup match report". The Guardian.
- (13 October 2024). "England defy Canada to secure 20th straight win and clinch WXV 1 title". The Guardian.
- (27 April 2024). "France 21-42 England - Red Roses win Grand Slam". BBC Sport.
- (27 April 2025). "England hold on to claim Women's Six Nations grand slam with one-point win over France". The Guardian.
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