England Women's Rugby Wins 35th Straight Despite Injuries

When England's Red Roses took the field in Edinburgh on Saturday, they were missing their captain and five other stars to pregnancy, retirement, and injury. What happened next sent a message to every team in women's rugby.

The world champions demolished Scotland 84-7 in front of 30,498 fans at Murrayfield, the largest crowd ever for a standalone women's sporting event in Scotland. It was England's 35th straight victory, and perhaps their most impressive given the circumstances.

Captain Zoe Stratford, along with three teammates, is sitting out due to pregnancy. World Cup heroes Emily Scarratt and Abby Dow retired after their September championship. Four more players were ruled out with injuries just before the tournament started.

Head coach John Mitchell called it the biggest test of his team's depth since taking charge. His players responded by scoring 12 tries and dominating every minute of the match.

Nineteen-year-old Demelza Short made her debut in the back row. Abi Burton, normally a back row player, filled in at lock where injuries left England short on options. Maud Muir celebrated her 50th cap with powerful runs before substitute Sarah Bern came on and scored two tries.

The Bright Side

What makes this victory special isn't just the scoreline. It's what it reveals about the transformation of women's rugby in England.

Former England captain Katy Daley-Mclean said she'd never seen such an accomplished performance from start to finish. Whether players had one cap or 113, everyone delivered. The team that looked rusty against Ireland the previous week came back with precision and power.

Wing Ellie Kildunne scored twice to reach 50 international tries, silencing anyone who questioned whether she could perform in that position. Fly-half Zoe Harrison converted all 12 tries. The team's lightning-quick ruck speed gave Scotland no breathing room.

Captain Meg Jones, who scored one of the tries, called her team "relentless" and said they're focused on getting better with every match. The record crowd in Edinburgh got to witness something special: a team so deep in talent that losing six stars only made them more determined.

Other nations have every reason to be worried about what comes next.