Resilient England Finally Get Test They Needed

The timepiece goes reddish and France request a people to triumph nan Women's Six Nations Grand Slam astatine Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

That was not successful nan script.

England had cruised past their title starring up nan Grand Slam decider, scoring 33 tries successful 4 comfortable wins.

Les Bleues came disconnected nan backmost of a scare successful Parma against Italy, wherever they were down astatine half-time but were saved by a second-half response.

The wide statement was nan Red Roses would cruise to a 4th consecutive Grand Slam.

A thrilling 43-42 triumph secured 4 successful a row and a seventh consecutive Six Nations title was achieved.

It whitethorn not person been cleanable and nan "complete performance" England caput coach John Mitchell asked of his players.

Before nan 25-minute mark, Mitchell's broadside led 31-7 but their power did not stay arsenic their visitors outscored their hosts 21-12 successful nan 2nd half, scoring six tries crossed nan 80 minutes.

However, Mitchell was happy his broadside person been tested earlier a location Rugby World Cup that starts successful August.

"I would alternatively person this benignant of feedback immoderate time of nan week," Mitchell told BBC Sport.

"We sewage it done, we completed a extremity that hasn't been done successful nan modern era - 4 Grand Slams successful a statement - and now we tin person a ceremony and get fresh for a World Cup.

"The French get power from occurrence but I knew that we would person to triumph nan crippled 3 aliases 4 times."

England's past conclusion successful nan Six Nations was against France successful 2018 and successful immoderate fixture was successful nan World Cup last by New Zealand successful 2022.

The Red Roses are connected a 25-game winning tally and eyeing their ain grounds 30-Test winning streak, which came to an extremity successful that World Cup final.

A shape which Mitchell does not want repeated.

"Those [close] games do thief america - we get them occasionally," Mitchell added.

"The Red Roses are a unsocial squad successful nan world but teams are retired to execute against us.

"It's going to proceed successful 2025. We are going to person to raise our game, that is clear."

Alongside winning a seventh title successful a row, Mitchell made clear his privilege was to build "two teams" for this year's World Cup.

Having utilized 34 players and trusting nan likes of full-back Emma Sing to commencement a Grand Slam decider to debar risking Ellie Kildunne's insignificant hamstring injury, Mitchell achieved his extremity of building a wider squad.

Continuity successful action will ever impact squad cohesion, and contempt it preventing a afloat 80-minute performance, Mitchell has built unthinkable subordinate depth.

Competition for places is astatine an all-time high, proven by some 2014 World Cup-winners Marlie Packer and Emily Scarratt missing retired connected nan matchday squad astatine Allianz Stadium.

"You can't play 8 matches pinch nan aforesaid group successful a World Cup," nan New Zealander said.

"We don't person to do that because of nan title we person got.

"We springiness them their jobs early. Some girls mightiness only get 1 crippled astatine nan World Cup and that is my job. We person matured massively successful that area now. We are fresh for what is to come."

If England and France apical their excavation and triumph their quarter-finals they will meet successful Bristol for nan semi-finals of this year's World Cup.

Former England flanker Maggie Alphonsi, who besides won nan World Cup successful 2014, agrees pinch Mitchell that a reliable trial against Les Bleues will beryllium a blessing for nan Red Roses travel nan showpiece tournament.

"The Six Nations needed that jeopardy," Alphonsi told BBC Sport. "It was a due Test lucifer and England should beryllium proud of nan measurement they dug heavy to win.

"They had to grind it retired and you want that trial earlier a World Cup."

The Red Roses person been defeated by nan Black Ferns successful nan past 2 World Cup finals and nan tie for this year's tourney intends they could again coming nan last hurdle.

Since losing to New Zealand successful 2022, Mitchell's broadside person defeated nan world champions 3 times to summation their tag of favourites for nan competition.

Canada, who are classed number 2 successful nan world down England, person besides vastly improved and despite defeat gave nan Six Nations champions a bully trial astatine WXV1 successful October.

With nations improving, nan knack of simply getting complete nan statement erstwhile it matters will guidelines Mitchell's broadside successful bully stead.

"Would England person sewage distant pinch that playing New Zealand?" erstwhile England hooker Brian Moore told BBC Sport.

"That's nan mobility they person to ask. It is astir winning and England sewage complete nan line."

England skipper Zoe Aldcroft had a believe tally astatine lifting a trophy astatine nan venue that hosts nan World Cup final.

She astir dropped it, but for illustration her squad held on. Should England make nan last astatine Twickenham successful September, nan skipper and her squad will beryllium fresh for immoderate comes their way.