It was a weekend on which England and France’s superiority over the rest of the Women’s Six Nations was clearly underlined. It was not just the margins of victory but the manner in which they were achieved: France’s 14 players commanding in Cork; an injury-ravaged England rarely threatened by Italy at Franklin’s Gardens.
The challenges that England are facing are worth summarising. Their list of absentees for their second-round fixture in Northampton was 19 names long. The hosts’ head coach, Simon Middleton, is about to leave. Sarah Hunter, their long-time captain, has just retired. Since the World Cup, England have lost as many as eight props that might have made a matchday squad.
Across these opening two weekends, none of that seems to have mattered – the Red Roses have looked totally dominant. And while their shared championship duopoly with France may not be new, it is an increasing concern as the tournament looks to capitalise on the momentum behind it and fulfil its commercial potential.
Sport, ultimately, is sustained by competition and jeopardy, and at the moment it feels the Women’s Six Nations is largely lacking in both. In encounters with non-French opposition in the tournament since 2019, the Red Roses’ wins have on average come by 55 points.
Having so few games that are true contests feels inhibitive at a time when attendances are booming. Twickenham should host more than 50,000 spectators for a game between England and France that can already surely be pencilled in as a grand slam decider, but will supporters at some point fatigue of one-sided scorelines, placing a natural cap on the swell of television and in-ground audiences?
“If anything, it will make the unions realise they need to up their game so we can compete with the best,” England captain Marlie Packer said after the Italy win when asked what benefits such dominant victories can bring. “We can only play what’s in front of us.
“We keep driving our standards. This week we’ll look at ourselves and look at what we did wrong and what we can do better against Wales.”
World Rugby have high hopes for their WXV competition, which will group the world’s top 18 nations into three tiers, and hope it can provide more appropriate, engaging fixtures. The inaugural edition will be played in the autumn, with the top-tier competition likely to be hosted by New Zealand.
It is not England or France’s fault, of course, that other nations are lagging behind. The Rugby Football Union’s early implementation of contracts should have prompted a swifter response from the other nations. Belatedly, it would appear other unions have woken up, though few would argue Ireland’s players particularly are being set up to succeed, with paltry contract offers declined by a number of Greg McWilliams’s more senior squad members.
But it is as much the development of the domestic structure and pathways that has driven the depth England now have, and this may prove tougher for other nations to replicate. The Premier 15s has evolved into a world-leading league that properly prepares players for international rugby, providing consistent high-class competition and ensuring that even those on the fringes of Middleton’s squad can step in and be ready for test rugby.
So too in France, where the Elite 1 Feminine lacks in profile but is fiercely competitive. Other nations could not, probably, support a similar league. A cross-border competition in the Celtic countries has been mooted, and would be welcome, but funding the venture could prove difficult.
And while there have been positive signs for Wales, Italy and Scotland as they begin their professional journeys, it is worth remembering that England’s system is still new, too. In the last twelve months, elements of Middleton’s programme have evolved considerably to try and maximise what it can achieve. Under the new direction and drive a new head coach should provide, a further kick-on seems likely in the lead-up to a home World Cup. The gap could yet grow before it begins to close.
Meanwhile, England are set to move training bases during the competition’s fallow week. Simon Middleton’s squad have been situated at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot, England men’s long-time in-competition home, during the first two rounds, and staying at a hotel in nearby Bracknell.
However, the Pennyhill Park pitch is in need of maintenance, necessitating at least a partial move away from England’s training centre. The Red Roses will utilise Bisham Abbey and The Lensbury in Teddington over the next few weeks, alongside planned training dates at Twickenham ahead of their final encounter with France. “It adds some variety to the programme,” Middleton explained. “I think it is important that we don’t get too rooted in one place so we are going to mix it up a little bit.”
The Independent also understands that the RFU’s contract model is being reviewed, with the number of players contracted under “ongoing discussion” as England move into this new, short World Cup cycle. Thirty Red Roses players are currently on full-time contracts, which are awarded annually with agreements running until the start of July.
Contractual decisions will be made by a four-person group. Conor O’Shea, the RFU’s executive director of performance rugby, and Charlie Hayter, who oversees the women’s performance programme, will combine with Louis Deacon initially, with inputs from Middleton’s successor as head coach once that individual has been appointed. Deacon, currently forwards coach, has been confirmed to be remaining as part of the England Women’s set-up through to the 2025 World Cup.
The new head coach announcement will not be made until after the Women’s Six Nations. England conclude their campaign against France on 29 April, which will leave little time for the new appointment to input on contracts. The recruitment process is ongoing.
