Red Roses’ Relentless Pursuit of Excellence

England’s women’s rugby team, the Red Roses, enter the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations with an aura of invincibility. Under head coach John Mitchell, they boast a staggering 20-game winning streak and are favorites to secure a seventh consecutive Six Nations title. But this year is about more than just another championship—it’s about cementing a legacy.

The Ultimate Prize: A Home World Cup

With the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicking off in August on home soil, every match in the Six Nations serves as a crucial stepping stone. A Grand Slam—something England has achieved in three of the last four tournaments—would provide the perfect momentum. Mitchell’s squad must use this campaign to refine tactics and exorcise the demons of their 2022 World Cup final loss to New Zealand.

"We park [World Cup talk] and focus on evolving our game in this tournament," Mitchell told BBC Sport. "By the time we reach World Cup preparation, we’ll be ready to consolidate."

Fresh Faces and Tactical Shifts

Mitchell has rung the changes for their opener against Italy, making seven adjustments to the starting XV. Key selections include:

• Zoe Aldcroft captaining the side for the first time under Mitchell.
• Mia Venner earning a starting wing spot after stellar Premiership form.
• Claudia MacDonald returning from injury, eager to reclaim her 2022 World Cup form.

The bench features potential debutants like Jade Shekells (GB Sevens) and Flo Robinson (Exeter), showcasing England’s depth.

Italy: A Test of Adaptability

Italy, under new coach Fabio Roselli, promises a more attacking style. Though they lost 48-0 to England last year, their first-half resilience (trailing just 10-0 at the break) suggests they won’t roll over. Mitchell anticipates a team keen to impress:

"They’ll want to express themselves early. We must be ready for surprises."

Prediction: England’s firepower and depth should overwhelm Italy, but the real challenge lies in fine-tuning for September’s World Cup.

Key Stat: A fourth straight Grand Slam would make England the most dominant side in Women’s Six Nations history.

Line-Ups

England: Sing; Venner, Scarratt, Aitchison, MacDonald; Rowland, L Packer; Clifford, Cokayne, Muir, Galligan, Ives Campion, Aldcroft (capt), M Packer, Feaunati.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, D'Inca, Rigoni, Granzotto; Madia, Stefan (capt); Turani, Gurioli, Seye, Fedrighi, Duca, Veronese, Locatelli, Sgorbini.

Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra)