England sealed an eighth successive Women’s Six Nations title on Saturday after beating France in Bordeaux, and they did it with the same cold certainty that has defined their run through the competition. The win also completed a fifth grand slam in a row, making them the first team to lift the tournament immediately after winning the World Cup.
Meg Jones was the captain on the night and the only Red Rose who had played every minute of the tournament. In a sunny but windy Bordeaux, England were pushed early, but once they settled, their power and patience told. France opened the scoring with a spectacular team try finished by Pauline Bourdon Sansus in the 14th minute, yet England answered through Sarah Bern before Ellie Kildunne struck twice in the first half.
Jess Breach then added a try in the corner and later completed her own brace, while Zoe Harrison kicked a penalty to start the second half and keep the pressure on. England finished the job after 31 shots at the posts and only two missed shots, a reflection of how relentlessly they controlled territory and possession once the match opened up.
The result mattered because France were not simply making up the numbers. They had been building something special, and their home crowd turned Bordeaux into a heavy, noisy stage for the final. François Ratier said the French needed to hit England where it hurt, and for long stretches they did just that. Anaïs Grando added a fifth try in five games for France, while Alexandra Chambon’s yellow card for a high shot on Claudia Moloney-MacDonald became a flashpoint, with the French record crowd disagreeing with the decision.
That dispute never changed the outcome. England’s depth and discipline held, even after a season described as being hit by the worst injury and unavailability crisis the side had seen for a decade. The champions had already won the 2025 World Cup before this Six Nations campaign began, and they still found a way to end it with another title, another grand slam, and another reminder that the gap they have opened on the rest of Europe is still wide. For Jones, who played every minute and lifted the team through the pressure, there was no mystery left in the finishing line: England are still the team everyone else is chasing.
