The Red Roses are looking to extend their unbeaten run to 38 games, and their fifth Grand Slam in a row, as they get set for the last two games of the Women’s Six Nations. Their next two games are against Italy, and then a title decider with France in France.
Their last defeat came back in November 2022, when they lost to 34-31 to New Zealand at the World Cup Final. Prior to that defeat, they had won 30 games in a row after a defeat to New Zealand again, this time in the Women’s Rugby Super Series in July 2019.
Six Nations Dominance
Their record in the Six Nations is even more impressive. Their last defeat came against France at the Stade Des Alpes in Grenoble, in a narrow 18-17 loss, back in March 2018. Since then, they have won 36 games in a row in the Six Nations, winning four straight Grand Slams. That number would be higher, but in the 2021 Six Nations, England only played three games, winning them all. Before that, they had won two Grand Slams in a row.
Over those 36 wins, the Red Roses have scored a massive 1863 points and conceded only 320, with nine shutouts. Their biggest margin of victory was against Scotland in March 2019, where the Red Roses won 80-0. The closest anyone has come to ending this streak was France in last season’s finale, as England won by 43-42. That game was closer than it should have been, as England missed three conversions.
Is a lack of competition damaging?
The Red Roses’ complete dominance of World Rugby is an amazing feat. However, is it damaging to the game? The viewing figures would suggest not. According to RTE, attendance at the Women’s Six Nations has reached a record high. The cumulative crowd figure is 194,466, which beats the previous record of 188,128, set over five games in the 2024 Six Nations, and represents a 136% increase compared to attendances at the same stage last year.
Despite the record crowds, there are calls to expand the Women’s Six Nations, or to change the size of the ball for this autumn’s WXV Global Series, which Zoe Harrison called ‘the worst decision someone has ever made.’
I’m a person who believes in ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it’, so Women’s Rugby is in a great place right now, and it’s continuing to grow. And with the personalities like Ellie Kildunne and Ilona Maher, the visibility of the game is only going to increase.
