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England withstand France’s late surge to clinch Grand Slam by a single point
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham hosted a gripping encounter as England edged France 43-42 in the Women’s Six Nations decider on Saturday.
Head coach John Mitchell’s team held firm to capture a fourth successive Grand Slam and their seventh consecutive Six Nations crown.
The tournament’s finale delivered the excitement fans craved, even as its predictability remains a talking point.
This marks the fourth consecutive season that England and France have contested the final round with the Grand Slam at stake.
While recent deciders have been fiercely competitive—three of the last four settled by a single score—the gulf between them and the rest endures.
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In 2022, fixtures were restructured to ensure an England vs France finale, diverging from the men’s Six Nations—won by France this March—which features a rotating schedule.
This scheduling aimed to maintain Grand Slam suspense by reserving the probable decider for the last round.
The change has heightened intrigue in closing matches, including Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Wales, as they battle for ranking positions and to stave off the Wooden Spoon.
However, a significant imbalance persists when these sides face the leading duo.
France—England’s last Six Nations conquerors in 2018—may have shown inconsistency, but have swept aside all other teams across the last four campaigns.
England utilized 34 players this season and, despite continuous rotation, recorded 33 tries and conceded just five ahead of the Grand Slam finale.
This superiority is partly attributed to England’s decision to introduce 28 full-time professional contracts in 2019, an investment unmatched by other nations at the time.
Wales implemented professional contracts in early 2022, followed by Ireland later that year, and Scotland revealing similar intentions by year’s end.
Italy, prior to the 2023 Six Nations, confirmed professional status for 22 players.
Scotland concluded their campaign with victory over Ireland, who found solace in a dominant win against Italy. Italy narrowly lost to France but ended with a comprehensive victory over Wales, hinting at growth.
Despite a winless campaign and the Wooden Spoon, Wales look to the future under coach Sean Lynn after the Welsh Rugby Union announced a restructuring of elite women’s squads to boost player pathways and depth.
Asked on the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly when other nations might break the Anglo-French stranglehold, Scotland coach Bryan Easson responded: “It will take time, but I truly believe another team will win it one day.”
His squad suffered heavy losses to the top two, who benefit from much broader player bases and domestic investment, with Premiership Women’s Rugby serving as a prime example.
“The gap will close,” Easson added, “but professionalism will take longer than many expect. We’ve only been professional for 18 months, and Wales, Ireland, Italy, and ourselves are still catching up.”
“We’re essentially in the same position,” he emphasized.
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To address scoreline disparities, BBC Sport’s Sara Orchard, speaking on Rugby Union Weekly, proposed adopting a two-tier structure based on team rankings preceding the championship.
This proposal was endorsed by former England fly-half Katy Daley-McLean—who experienced title defeats to France and Ireland—saying the competition must be “brave” and open to format innovation., external
Alex Teasdale, Rugby Football Union director of women’s rugby, told the BBC the RFU remains “open to any proposals.”
“Six Nations is a tournament rich in heritage and its structure is significant both to men’s and women’s editions,” Teasdale said.
“Major changes wouldn’t be straightforward, but the women’s game evolves and must do what’s best for its future.”
The suggested model mirrors the 2021 format, when Covid-19 prompted the championship to split into two groups.
Orchard’s vision would see the top-ranked side play both home and away against the second and third-ranked nations; a parallel process would occur among teams ranked three to six.
Final standings would be decided via play-offs, including the first and second from the top pool vying for the crown.
The third-place top pool finisher would face the top-ranked team from the secondary pool for a spot in next year’s top group, while the lowest placings would contest the Wooden Spoon.
A finals triple-header—rotating among the nations each year—would serve as a showpiece conclusion.
“The women’s Six Nations offers scope for innovation that the men’s tournament might not,” former Wales captain Philippa Tuttiett told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“The logic for change is clear, but personally I prefer the sense of anticipation that maybe this year, anything could happen.”
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