England claimed the 2026 Women's Six Nations title with a 43-28 victory over France at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux on May 17, securing their eighth consecutive championship and fifth successive Grand Slam [1, 2, 3].

The win pushed England's overall Six Nations winning streak to 39 matches and extended their consecutive Test wins to 38 [1, 4, 3]. After trailing 0-7 in the first 20 minutes, England scored four tries before halftime to lead 26-7, turning the momentum in their favor [1, 2, 3]. France responded strongly in the second half, with tries from Anais Grando and Pauline Bourdon Sansus narrowing the deficit to eight points, but England’s experience helped them pull away decisively [1, 2, 3].

Key try scorers for England included Ellie Kildunne, who scored twice, Jess Breach with two tries, plus Amy Cokayne and Bern, contributing to the team's offensive strength [1, 2, 3]. Captain Meg Jones played every minute of the match, leading by example on and off the pitch [4, 2]. The match set a new home attendance record for the Women’s Six Nations in France with 35,062 spectators present in Bordeaux [1, 3].

England’s head coach John Mitchell praised the squad’s resilience amid significant challenges, including injuries that sidelined more than half their Rugby World Cup-winning players during the tournament. He said the players were “brave” and “so driven,” noting that trust within the group had helped him become a better coach and person [5, 6]. Mitchell also emphasized England’s offensive identity, stating, "We'll just keep scoring more. It's our new identity, it's the way that we're evolving our game" [5].

France's head coach François Ratier highlighted the importance of stopping England early but acknowledged England’s ability to recover and dominate after the initial setbacks [2].

Several younger players, including teenager Demelza Short, made important contributions off the bench, showcasing the depth of England’s squad nurtured through their Premiership Women's Rugby competition [5, 6]. England’s women have won 99 of their last 103 matches over the past decade and remain a dominant force in international rugby [6, 3].

England will look to continue their run of success as they prepare for upcoming international fixtures later this year.