England 'go to the trenches' to silence doubters

In winning the 2026 Women's Six Nations, England etched another piece of history into their legacy. No side – men's or women's – has won a World Cup and a Six Nations back-to-back. England have done so in the space of eight months, extending their record-breaking winning streak to 38 Tests in the process. They achieved this despite repeated tests to their squad depth, with four players, including captain Zoe Stratford, absent because of pregnancy and more than a dozen players missing matches through injury. Only six of the players who started last year's World Cup final were in the starting XV against France. Head coach John Mitchell handed out five debuts over the championship, recalled Delaney Burns and Liz Crake after three-year absences, and was forced into desperate measures in his forward pack, notably fielding a different second row pairing in every game. "It was great to win a World Cup at home, but what we have navigated through this tournament – the youth that is coming through, we have our mates at home and becoming mums, and going through rehab, these girls are so brave," a tearful Mitchell told BBC Sport. "I have to take my hat off to the staff and the coaching staff. I want to be grateful to the people who do all the work behind the team, to navigate through so much change but that has made us such a better coaching unit." However, the New Zealander, who is yet to taste defeat since taking up the role in late 2023, is not one to rest on his laurels. …