Mitchell puts pressure on New Zealand and maintains England's World Cup focus
'New Zealand have more pressure on them to win the upcoming Rugby World Cup than us because they are on for the three-peat,' the England head coach, John Mitchell, said as his focus turns from celebrating Six Nations success to the looming global tournament.
The Black Ferns have won the past two Rugby World Cups, beating England in the 2017 and 2022 finals. But they have done a four-peat in the competition as they won the trophy from 1998-2010.
The Red Roses, who won their seventh consecutive Women's Six Nations title on Saturday with a 43‑42 victory against France, have not won the Rugby World Cup since 2014 despite dominating the sport in all other competitions in the past few years: in their past 62 games they have lost only one, that coming in the World Cup final three years ago.
Mitchell was asked if he and his coaches are keeping an eye on New Zealand pre-World Cup, particularly now that the Rugby World Cup all‑time try-scorer Portia Woodman‑Wickliffe has come out of retirement to compete in it.
'We are focusing more on the USA, Samoa and Australia [England's pool opponents],' Mitchell said. 'Then Wales, Scotland and France again in a semi‑final. If all things go to plan they [New Zealand] will be on the other side. We will deal with that if we earn the right but I think New Zealand are on for a three-peat in World Cups so there is probably more pressure on them to win a World Cup than us.'
The Rugby World Cup is being held in England and will start in August. Every team will have a squad of 32 and Mitchell said he does not know why the women's competition does not have 33-player squads like the men's Rugby World Cup.
Squads of 33 players for the men's competition were introduced for the 2023 tournament, an increase from 31, but it has not been brought in by World Rugby for the women's event. The women's squad number was initially increased to 30 from 28 but was upped to 32 for the tournament three years ago because of the pandemic.
Mitchell, who confirmed he would take 18 forwards and 14 backs to the tournament this year, said: 'It seems strange that the men's World Cup is 33 and we're only 32 and the teams have to come all this way.
'I think World Rugby will probably need to consider it going forward because otherwise you are going to have to wait for players to be flown from overseas. I think you have to wait until the 24-hours flight rule or whatever it is because the overseas teams would have to wait to bring their players in. I think 33 seems to be the right number, like [in] the men's game.'
It is understood the discrepancy in squad sizes is because the men's competition has more fixtures and the decision to remain at 32 players for the women's event this year was also taken in line with unions. But it is also thought that if unions wanted World Rugby to look into an increase in squad numbers for the next women's tournament in 2029, the governing body would be open to considering it.
Sign up to The Breakdown
The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed
after newsletter promotion
The grand slam-winning match against France was England's final game until they compete in warm-up matches, which Mitchell confirmed were happening. The dates of the games have not been confirmed but the head coach said of his team's preparations: 'We take on Spain in a warm-up in Leicester and we have this mob again [France] somewhere in the south-west.'
The players will have five weeks off before almost three months of pre-season preparation for the tournament. The centre Meg Jones, who won the grand slam on Saturday, said the upcoming competition may be the highlight of many of the squad's careers.
'We want to make sure that we have had sufficient rest which we are going to get and then we are going to go into a home World Cup which is probably going to be the pinnacle of our careers,' Jones said. 'It is going to be amazing. We just want to relish that opportunity as much as we can and not take it for granted. A home World Cup, it doesn't come around often. The last one was 2010.'
England's Rugby World Cup campaign gets under way on 22 August against USA in Sunderland.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Fifa warned about free speech restrictions at 2026 World Cup
The warnings follow recent US government policies under President Donald Trump, which include a travel ban affecting 12 countries, such as World Cup qualifier Iran, and heightened criticism over responses to civil unrest. The United States will co-host the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with California's Rose Bowl also set to host matches during the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which starts on Saturday. Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, said: "Fans travel to the World Cup to celebrate and express their passion and any attempt to curtail our fundamental rights, including the right to free speech, is a betrayal of the spirit of football. "We're particularly concerned about the potential for selective enforcement and discrimination against fans based on our perceived political views or national origin. "FIFA must obtain the necessary guarantees to ensure fans from all over the world are able to safely travel and attend the games." Human rights organisations have voiced concerns about increasing restrictions on freedom of expression, particularly regarding pro-Palestinian protests. Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said: "FIFA should publicly acknowledge the threat US immigration and other anti-human rights policies pose to the tournament's integrity and use its leverage with the US government to ensure that the rights of all qualified teams, support staff, media and fans are respected as they seek to enter the United States, regardless of nationality, gender identity, religion or opinion." The US government has stated that the travel ban will not apply to players or team staff from qualified nations. However, it will prevent fans from Iran and other affected countries from attending matches in person. FIFA and the US State Department have been contacted for comment.
The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
Dave Ryding, Britain's most successful Alpine skier, to retire at end of 2025-26 season
Dave Ryding, Britain's first-ever Alpine skiing World Cup winner and one of Britain's all-time greatest winter sport athletes, will retire at the close of the 2025-26 season. The 38-year-old has competed on the elite circuit for ten years, securing seven podiums – six in slalom, one in parallel slalom – in that time. The highlight of his career to date was a historic win in Kitzbuhel in 2022, the first by a Brit in the World Cup's 55-year history. Ryding is one of four British skiers to have ever recorded World Cup podiums - the most recent a third place in Madonna di Campiglio in December 2023 - and the only one to claim a victory, as well as amassing three World Championships top-10s and two Olympic top-10s over the course of his career. Ryding said it was a 'natural' decision to retire and that it was important for him to go out on a high. He recorded his best-ever World Championships results in the 2024-25 edition in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, a sixth place in slalom, and his goal is to secure a similar career best in the Winter Olympics next year. The Lancashire native told The Independent that, 'After the last Olympics, I think I was quoted as saying, I'd rather cry than do another four years, or have a divorce or something like that! I wasn't thinking I would get another four years out of myself. As you get older the younger guys catch you up and you naturally peter out. So I took it year by year, and I really felt like I went in all in every year.' But the drive and hunger to compete remained, and with Milan-Cortina on the horizon, Ryding says it felt like the 'right time' to announce this would be his final season. 'It was quite an easy decision, taking into consideration my family as well and the sacrifices they make with me being away. It was nice to think, let's draw a line there and go absolutely all in again, and then come the Olympics try to do my best ever performance.' Ryding, who is Britain's highest-ranked Alpine skier, competed in seven world Championships and Milan-Cortina is set to be his fifth Olympics for Great Britain. He took a different route than most elite Alpine skiers, growing up training and competing on dry slopes in the UK before making the transition to snow in his 20s. He made his debut on the World Cup circuit in 2009, making history as the oldest race winner in 2022 aged 35, as well as the first Briton. His highest placing at an Olympics so far was ninth in slalom in Pyeongchang in 2018. He will likely continue to contest the final World Cups of the 2025-26 season after the Games next February, but that will be his final major goal as a professional athlete. 'Whether that's the number one spot or eighth, let's see, but I want to be better than ninth and sign off with my best ever Olympic result,' he said. 'That's exactly where my mind's at, to do the best I've ever done.'
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Tuchel makes honest admission over England start after World Cup wake-up calls
England manager Thomas Tuchel has no concerns over his side ahead of next year's World Cup after an underwhelming start to life in the Three Lions hotseat Thomas Tuchel has insisted England will be ready for the World Cup - but admitted he must improve. Tuchel confessed it has been a 'big challenge', he is adapting to the job and he is 'far from perfect' after England were given two major wake-up calls in the space of four days. The humiliating defeat by Senegal and their unconvincing win against World Cup minnows Andorra has set the alarm bells ringing about England's chances next summer. But Tuchel says the job is not as easy as the army of armchair fans think but England must stay calm as he stressed they will definitely qualify and have a year to get better. The England boss said: 'We need to get better. I need to get better. There's still a long way to go. Next week is not the World Cup. It's in one year and we'll be smarter at the next World Cup qualifier. 'I think it's very important now we stay calm and stay together. I feel this togetherness between the players and the staff from all of us. It's very important we remind ourselves this is needed if we want to get better. 'It's just a learning curve. The job looks always easy from the outside. There are always millions of football coaches who have an answer and better ideas and I'm far from perfect and far away from that I think I do everything right. 'It is a big challenge, I knew this before. I adapt to international football, I adapt to selecting camps, how to influence team and staff in a short period of time, which is then very intense.' Tuchel won his first three games without conceding a goal but England were poor against Andorra and were thumped by Senegal. That made the England boss admit that the start to his £5m-a-year job to win the World Cup has been far from ideal. Tuchel added: 'I want to win every match. So it's not perfect. But I still stand by the decision to select this team and see these players in these combinations and take the responsibility for it. 'If you know me, then you know after a loss I will never say yes it's a good start. Never. I will never allow that to myself. 'With a job and building an atmosphere and building a group and being a leader it's about more than just results but of course I'm judging myself also on results.'
