In the months after England finally achieved their World Cup dream, centre Meg Jones wondered what challenges remained in her rugby career.
Jones, who was the team’s vice-captain, was nominated for the player of the tournament award after a series of standout displays in the Red Roses’ march to an unforgettable triumph.
“After the World Cup, I thought that was it, like I’ve won it now, I’ve won rugby. What more is there to do?” Jones told BBC Sport.
“The comedown was surreal. Obviously there was good stuff, but you also get massively overwhelmed. It’s crazy the adrenaline and all the highs you’re on.
“So I was a bit like, what’s going to make me drive, and what’s going to create the spark again?”
In January, at the Red Roses’ first get-together since lifting the World Cup in September, head coach John Mitchell provided that spark.
The New Zealander challenged his World Cup winners to take their games to new levels to give themselves the best possible chance of making the squad for the historic British and Irish Lions women’s tour in 2027.
“Mitch is unbelievable the way he thinks,” added Jones, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list. “The passion and drive just radiates off him.
“I’m feeling more motivated now, that there’s something that we can keep pushing on for.
“I’m only 29 and it’s given a bit of spring to my step.
“Playing for the Lions is not something I’ve ever dreamed of really. I’ve played for Great Britain at the Olympics so I understand that whole camaraderie, bringing all the nations together, and I love that side of things. It’s exciting, for sure.”
England have dominated the Women’s Six Nations, winning 21 of the 30 editions, and will start their bid for a fifth successive Grand Slam in April.
But the Red Roses have only won three World Cups to New Zealand’s six and have never won two in a row, something Mitchell wants his players to rectify.
“We had a lot of young girls in that squad who were probably going ‘wow, I’m feeling fresh’ but the rest of the girls were like ‘we’ve just won a World Cup, we’ve never done back to back, so what’s going to really drive us to do that?’ said Jones.
“Even just looking at the trophy, the amount of times New Zealand’s name is on there, you’re like, ‘I want to override that a little bit’. I want to be part of that legacy.”
