Supremacy at the Six Nations: is England’s dominance an issue for women’s rugby?

Red Roses are reaping rewards of investment with call for others to follow their lead to increase jeopardy

A world record winning streak stretched to 36 matches, no defeats in the Six Nations since 2018 and none at all since the 2022 Rugby World Cup final: 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.