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The WXV Global Series starts tomorrow and England are one of the top 12 nations in the world playing matches in the competition this fall.
The competition has been renewed and there are no trophies to win. But there are more games with home and away games for each team.
The Red Roses kick off their campaign on Saturday 12th September, but who will they be up against? And what are the biggest tests they will face? Everything you need to know is below.
Recent pattern
The Red Roses have played five games so far in 2026 and won them all. Those matches were held in Guinness Women’s Six Nations and cumulatively won them by a margin of 283-104.
Despite several injuries and pregnancies with stars such as Hannah Botterman, Zoe Stratford and Mo Hunt all ruled out, England had one of their most dominant attacking campaigns in years.
England blew away the cobwebs Ireland with the fact that the performance is not complete. Ireland asked a few questions but the Red Roses managed to win over the line. After that match, they smashed all other opponents. It started with a big 84-7 victory Scotland and they followed it up with a huge score against Wales and Italy.
Some wondered if they would be able to overcome their rivals France with a depleted team away from home. France was also in good form. But England proved any doubters wrong. Although they didn’t have it all their own way, England eventually steered the ship over the line and silenced the French crowd.
The Red Roses were the first team ever to win the women’s Six Nations competition after the women’s Rugby World Cup victory. So what is their shape? Pretty good.
The biggest tests
England will play in six games, but they only have four opponents. That’s because they’re playing Canada three times, once in England and twice in Canada.
The Red Roses’ home games are the first and all take place in September. England will play first Australia September 12, Canada September 19 and New Zealand September 26. Their game against the Black Ferns will be played at the Allianz Stadium and 50,000 tickets have already been sold.
England travels in October. First for two games against Canada before traveling to New York for the match against the USA.
Probably their toughest test will be when they face their own Women’s Rugby World Cup Final opponents 2025 in Canada away. Not only will they have to contend with a tricky opponent, but they will also have the challenges of being away from home with the added pressure of travel.
But whether it will rock John Mitchell’s side is not the biggest question that will be asked of England. It will be: can they keep winning? This will be the main question for the Red Roses until they lose the game. They are currently on a 38-game winning streak with the Rugby World Cup won during that time.
Another area fans will question is England’s defence. Italy, Wales and France all picked up try bonus points in the Women’s Six Nations, with the former two scoring their most points ever against England. While the Red Roses’ own attack meant they closed out those games with big wins, their defense must be just as precise.
Star Players
Meg Jones – The Trailfinders The women’s center is probably the best player in the world right now. She has always been key for the Red Roses, but she proved her weight in gold at the recent Women’s Six Nations. The 29-year-old was the linchpin that held England’s attack together and was the spark when the team needed a jolt in the right direction. Not only is she fast, accurate and unpredictable, but her leadership qualities as a captain have shone since she took over the captaincy at the beginning of this year.
One of the most recent examples of the Cardiff-born star keeping a game close was England’s Women’s Six Nations win against Wales. Her attempts on the day were impressive, with one being named the best try of the championship. So England’s opposition know that if they want to silence the Red Roses, they must contain Jones’ talent.
Ellie Kildunne – The BBC Sports Personality of the Year runner-up has produced some of England’s most iconic moments over the past few years. She is a player who electrifies the audience as soon as she gets her hands on it. One of her best ever tries was against Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final where she eluded multiple defenders to set up England’s victory last September.
Her role has been tweaked a bit in the Six Nations with frequent shifts to the wing, but her best position is full-back. The Bristol Bears the defender may not always be consistent all over the pitch, but fans can always count on her for a stunning moment of brilliance.
Amy Cokayne – When injuries mostly hit players earlier this year, Cokayne was the rock that held the set together. The prostitute has a pair of trustworthy hands and impresses not only on stage. Her yards above the gain line, tries and even kicks are the highlights of her game. In the last JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby game of her season at her club Sale Sharks she produced a perfect 50-22 so she really is a jack of all trades.
Cokayne was in the leadership group for a while, but is now also the official vice-captain. It added more gravitas to the new players that came out earlier this year and even more of a role model to follow in combat. Cokayne is probably England’s most reliable star and will prove it once again in the upcoming tournament.
Prediction
England’s winning streak will continue and they will come out the other side of the WXV Global Series with 44 straight wins under their belt.
They may face some more challenges when they visit Canada, but Kévin Rouet’s side don’t have as much time together during the year as England and the world champions will find a way to win.
If nothing else, these next two months could make England even stronger as they get used to playing away more with the added length of travel. If they were to lose, the opponent would have to play a perfect game, and that doesn’t seem possible at the moment.
