John Mitchell hails ‘authentic’ Meg Jones after impressive captaincy debut

England Red Roses head coach John Mitchell praised captain Meg Jones following a standout 2026 campaign that culminated in her topping the RugbyPass Top 50 list. Mitchell commended the 30-year-old for her leadership, belief, and clear communication after she captained England to an eighth consecutive Women's Six Nations title in Zoe Stratford's absence.

Jones played all 880 minutes across England's 11 Test matches in 2026, earning nominations for World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year and Dream Team honors. Despite back-to-back losses to Canada in the WXV Global Series that ended England's four-year unbeaten run, Mitchell expressed confidence that Jones will continue to drive the team forward.