"England's dominance of women's rugby is undeniable but is it bad for the game? Before addressing that question as England prepare for their penultimate 2026 Six Nations match against Italy in Parma on Saturday, another needs to be answered why are the world champions so dominant? The simple answer is the investment made by the Rugby Football Union. Of course the big player pool and talent play a huge part but they have been able to develop professionally since full-time contracts were announced in 2018."
"Alongside they have invested in marketing, getting sponsorships and gradually building crowds by showcasing the team across the country. Other nations have followed in England's footsteps but the Red Roses are a few years ahead and the former New Zealand World Cup-winning wing Ruby Tui says she could never be mad at a team for being too good. They changed their contracting system, everybody bought into the 15s, Tui says."
"It has taken that long nearly 10 years on, here we are. Systematically they have put in such long hours, years, that they are like no, we aren't losing now'. It is not overnight success. I have seen this big wave growing for a long time now. I was seeing it and saying: England are doing the smart moves and they are setting themselves up for years of dominance.'"
"The Red Roses captain, Meg Jones, has said she can see that spectators may want more competition but added that a lot of fans enjoy the great rugby England put out on the pitch. She wants other nations to put funding, pathways and infrastructure in place so teams develop and women's rugby can be a global sport. Jones has credited the RFU's investment as the reason England are in such a good spot. The vice-captain, Amy Cokayne, agrees: The RFU did the right thing, put their money where their mouth is and are reaping the rewards from that."
England’s women’s team has extended a world record winning streak to 36 matches, with no defeats in the Six Nations since 2018 and none since the 2022 Rugby World Cup final. The dominance is linked to Rugby Football Union investment, including full-time contracts announced in 2018 that enabled professional development. Talent depth and player pool contribute, alongside marketing, sponsorship growth, and efforts to build crowds by showcasing the team across the country. Other nations have adopted similar approaches, but England’s earlier start has created a longer runway. Players credit systematic long-term work and shared buy-in to a contracting system. Captains acknowledge fans may want more competition while also valuing the quality of rugby and urging global investment in pathways and infrastructure.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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