The big question heading into this year’s Women’s Six Nations was whether any side could finally break England’s iron grip on international rugby. Two rounds in, the Red Roses have shown they are more than capable of keeping that dominance alive, despite a wave of injuries and a spate of pregnancies that has forced the squad into a transition period not seen in ten years. Their depth, however, appears virtually limitless. World Cup captain Zoe Stratford (formerly Aldcroft) sat out the opening match, adding her name to a long roster of absentees.
England looked a little rusty in their first test against Ireland, yet the bench was deep enough to see them through the challenge. In the second round, the champions again fielded a side missing ten players for the trip to Murrayfield.
They still managed to steamroll Scotland, crossing the try line twelve times and posting a record 84-7 win – their 35th consecutive test victory. Saturday’s clash sees England travel to Ashton Gate in Bristol to take on Wales in the third round. Ahead of the game, two very different players opened up to the media: veteran prop Sarah Bern, 28, who has already earned 81 caps and was part of the World Cup‑winning squad, and 19‑year‑old back‑row Demelza Short, who made her test debut just a week earlier in Edinburgh.
"We've had a real mix around," Bern explained. "There are a number of pregnancies in the squad, which has opened doors for younger players like Demelza and others coming through. We've also had a few injuries, so things have been changing very quickly." She continued, "But the message we give the players is simple: this is your licence to attack, to be bold, to be yourself and to show what you can do.
That's how we approach every game." Both Bern and Short highlighted the high standards that permeate the Red Roses environment. Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, the expectation is always to push the envelope.
The list of players currently unavailable due to pregnancy includes Zoe Stratford, Abbie Ward, Rosie Galligan and Lark Atkin‑Davies, while injuries have sidelined Hannah Botterman, Morwenna Talling, Natasha Hunt, May Campbell, Tatyana Heard and Ales Matthews. When asked if constant success ever becomes boring, Bern replied, "I don’t think any of the girls would say we’ve ever put out a performance we aren’t proud of. Every week we ask ourselves how we can develop our game, how we can grow the sport and how we can deliver the best possible attack and defence. It may sound impossible, but that relentless pursuit is in the Red Roses’ DNA." She summed up the team philosophy with a memorable line: "Rugby doesn’t care what you did last week.
It doesn’t care if you won a World Cup. It only cares about how you show up on the day." Bern also spoke about the challenge of integrating young talent like Short into the senior set‑up. "We have a few newcomers getting used to the environment and we try to get them up to speed as quickly as possible," she said.
The sheer volume of unavailable players has forced England to deepen its talent pool, and the strategy is paying off. "We are ambitious, we are brave," Bern added. "Winning the World Cup was fantastic, but we know we can improve our attacking play, and this is the perfect opportunity to do that." She noted that injuries have accelerated the progression of several players, creating a situation where everyone must step up and contribute. "It requires a lot of hard work off the pitch as well as on it," Bern observed.
"Leaders make sure everyone knows the details, because when you step onto the training field you need to be prepared – otherwise it becomes very tough. Every player helps each other out." Bern emphasized that the constant influx of new faces makes the competition more exciting for fans. "If supporters see the same line‑up week after week, it gets stale. We want to be entertaining and give people a reason to come to the stadium.
Our Red Roses have the skill to carry, fend, and play an exhilarating brand of rugby, and we want to showcase that to the world." She concluded with a broader statement about women’s rugby: "We need to keep pushing, show our personalities and prove that women’s rugby is a fantastic sport to watch. It may be different from the men’s game, but both are equally entertaining and have their own selling points." Demelza Short’s journey illustrates just how quickly things can change for a young player.
Within twelve months she moved from representing England at the U18 Six Nations festival at Wellington College, playing full 70‑minute matches, to earning a place in the senior Red Roses squad alongside recent World Cup winners. "I still can’t quite believe what has happened," Short admitted. "It feels surreal, like a whirlwind. It hasn’t fully sunk in yet, but it’s becoming a bit more normal as the weeks go by – though it’s still far from ordinary." She reflected on her rapid rise: "I wasn’t sure this could happen.
I only played U18s last year. Being selected for the U20 camps gave me hope, but I never imagined I would be called up to the Red Roses this season. Getting that call and then actually making my debut in this campaign is just crazy." Overall, England’s women’s team demonstrates that even with a roster in flux, a culture of high expectations, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Red Roses can maintain their dominance while also fostering the next generation of talent.
Their approach—mixing seasoned leaders with emerging stars, emphasizing aggressive, expressive play, and reminding everyone that rugby judges you solely on the day’s performance—ensures that the team remains both formidable and fresh, keeping fans engaged and opponents wary throughout the Six Nations and beyond.