women
international women
Pictures of John Mitchell and Meg Jones sitting together after the Women’s Red Roses Rugby World Cup The Triumph 2025 immediately became an icon.
The coach, talking to his player on the stage where England had liftedthe Women’s Rugby World Cup the trophy just minutes before, covered in glittering gold ribbons.
Just months later, in the absence of Zoe Stratford, Jones was named captain of her country ahead of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations Women’s Tournament.
By the end of the Test year, the Red Roses had won their eighth consecutive women’s competition Six Nations title and ended their four-year unbeaten streak.
Among these, Jones was nominated for the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year and named in the 2026 World Women’s 15s Dream Team.
The 30-year-old was also named the best player in the RugbyPass Top 50.
After leaving her hometown of Cardiff at the age of 16 to play rugby in England, Jones has become one of the most popular players in English rugby and consistently impresses her head coach.
“She’s just a very authentic person,” Mitchell said RugbyPass.
“She believes in her abilities, and her attitudes are clearly shaped by being around good people, her family, and the continued success she’s shown as a professional.
“She obviously left home and messed things up. All those things probably put Meg in a really good position.”
“She’s also energizing in the way she communicates. She’s very clear and leads through her actions.”
In the 11 Test matches England played in 2026, Jones started and finished them all. She played all 880 minutes of England’s international campaign.
That’s before you even take into account her efforts with the Premiership Women’s Rugby Club Trailfinders Women, who finished the season as vice-champions.
The year did not end quite as England would have hoped. Consecutive defeats of Canada in WXV Global Series exposed vulnerabilities in a team that has set the standards in women’s rugby for years.
But it was a definite sign that the rest of the world was starting to take Mitchell’s all-conquering side. However, the WXV Global Series provided an early indication of the challenges that lie ahead for England as they begin preparations for the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
It will be six months until the next match of the Red Roses. England will probably be a lot different by then, especially given their volatility at the end of the year. Even so, Mitchell knows his captain has plenty to be proud of.
“The great thing is that she ran a successful Six Nations campaign,” Mitchell said.
“Knowing how honest she is, I’d say she’s probably a little disappointed with some of the inconsistencies in her performances during this (WXV Global) series. That’s the kind of person she is. She’ll grow out of it.”
“She is someone who will lead your team forward. Although she is individually driven, she always thinks of the team first and plays accordingly.”