England’s women’s rugby head coach John Mitchell has called on World Rugby to increase the size of the teams from the Women’s Rugby World Cup, saying all the pressure is in New Zealand ahead of this year’s tournament.
Mitchell was speaking after England secured the fourth Six Nations Grand Slam in a row after beating France 43-42 at Twickenham on Saturday. England heads to the Home World Cup later this year as a favorite, with Mitchell in the final stages of deciding which players form his 32-man team.
But Mitchell wants to increase the size of these teams. While the men’s World Cup teams can select 33 players, only 32 players can select the competition at this year’s Women’s World Cup. The increase to 33 men was introduced ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France.
As Mitchell is trying to fine-tune his team ahead of this year’s tournament, he has confirmed he will take 18 backs and 14 backs, so he feels this gap needs to require attention from the Governing Body of the Sports.
“I think world rugby needs to take that into consideration, and then, because otherwise, they’ll have to wait for players to fly from overseas,” Mitchell said. “I think we have to wait for overseas teams to take players, like 24-hour flight rules, so we have to wait what that is. I think 33 is like the correct number like a man’s game.”
England is the favourite to lift its first World Cup title since 2014, competing later this year. They have won 25 amazing matches, earning 55 of their final 56 matches. Their final defeat took place in the 2022 World Cup final, where they lost to New Zealand.
Black Ferne won the past two World Cups and won the UK in both finals. New Zealand’s chances were last week when Portia Woodman Wickliff, who won a News Rugby World Cup try, came out of retirement with the aim of creating a team ahead of this year’s tournament. And despite the incredible British run, Mitchell says all the pressure is in New Zealand.
“We’re focusing on (opposing the English pool) USA, Samoa and Australia,” Mitchell said. “Then Wales, Scotland and France again in the semi-finals. If everything goes to plan, they (New Zealand) will be on the other side.