Jones on New Role as England Captain
Meg Jones, who debuted for England as an 18-year-old fly-half in 2015, has been appointed the new captain of the world champion Red Roses. She takes over the leadership role following skipper Zoe Stratford's announcement that she is expecting her first child in September.
Jones expressed her intention to maintain her authentic self while adapting her leadership style.
"I'm still going to be me, but probably less weird!" she told .
"Probably a bit more serious at times, but I want to keep that playful nature.
"I want to be relatable because growing up I always thought professionalism and being the top of your game meant being really serious.
"It's actually quite the opposite for me - when I'm doing well is when I'm enjoying myself."
At 29 years old, Jones was nominated for World Player of the Year in 2025. She is known among her England teammates for celebrating scores with a distinctive 'cowboy' dance.
Jones also co-hosts the Barely Rugby podcast alongside teammate Hannah Botterman and comedian Harriet Kemsley, where they discuss life beyond rugby. Her openness about coping with the grief following the deaths of her parents has been widely praised.
Learning from Predecessors and Team Culture
Jones has a tattoo on her calf depicting Stratford lifting the Rugby World Cup, symbolizing her respect for her predecessor. She plans to draw on the experience of both Stratford and England's all-time leading points scorer Emily Scarratt, who has recently taken on a coaching role with the Red Roses.
The 'cowboy' celebration originated from a group of players' rental scooter rides during a tour in New Zealand and has become a fan favorite, inspiring sequinned Stetsons among supporters in the crowd.
"Emily Scarratt is remarkable. She's just always had a natural aura about her and I think probably the most that the bit I've learned from her and other captains as well would be to not jump to a conclusion straight away," Jones said.
"I'm quite irrational - straight to the point, let's just get it fixed - whereas Scaz is a bit more rational and 'let's have a think'.
"That's probably what I am going to have to lean into a little bit more."
Outlook for the Upcoming Season
Jones does not anticipate challenges in motivating her teammates following their world title victory in September.
"England have actually never won a Six Nations after a World Cup win - men or women - so to do that would be writing more history again," she stated.
"We pride ourselves on continuing to win and the competitive nature in this group is just unreal."
The Red Roses will begin their Six Nations title defense against Ireland on 11 April, with over 70,000 tickets sold for the match at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium.
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