Resilient England finally get test they needed

The clock goes red and France need a score to win the Women's Six Nations Grand Slam at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

That was not in the script.

England had cruised past their competition leading up to the Grand Slam decider, scoring 33 tries in four comfortable wins.

Les Bleues came off the back of a scare in Parma against Italy, where they were behind at half-time but were saved by a second-half response.

The general consensus was the Red Roses would cruise to a fourth consecutive Grand Slam.

A thrilling 43-42 win secured four in a row and a seventh straight Six Nations title was achieved.

It may not have been perfect and the "complete performance" England head coach John Mitchell asked of his players.

Before the 25-minute mark, Mitchell's side led 31-7 but their dominance did not remain as their visitors outscored their hosts 21-12 in the second half, scoring six tries across the 80 minutes.

However, Mitchell was happy his side have been tested before a home Rugby World Cup that starts in August.

"I would rather have this sort of feedback any day of the week," Mitchell told BBC Sport.

"We got it done, we completed a goal that hasn't been done in the modern era - four Grand Slams in a row - and now we can have a celebration and get ready for a World Cup.

"The French get energy from success but I knew that we would have to win the game three or four times."

England's last defeat in the Six Nations was against France in 2018 and in any fixture was in the World Cup final by New Zealand in 2022.

The Red Roses are on a 25-game winning run and eyeing their own record 30-Test winning streak, which came to an end in that World Cup final.

A pattern which Mitchell does not want repeated.

"Those [close] games do help us - we get them occasionally," Mitchell added.

"The Red Roses are a unique team in the world but teams are out to perform against us.

"It's going to continue in 2025. We are going to have to raise our game, that is clear."

'We are ready for what is to come'

Alongside winning a seventh title in a row, Mitchell made clear his priority was to build "two teams" for this year's World Cup.

Having used 34 players and trusting the likes of full-back Emma Sing to start a Grand Slam decider to avoid risking Ellie Kildunne's minor hamstring injury, Mitchell achieved his goal of building a wider squad.

Continuity in selection will always affect team cohesion, and despite it preventing a full 80-minute performance, Mitchell has built incredible player depth.

Competition for places is at an all-time high, proven by both 2014 World Cup-winners Marlie Packer and Emily Scarratt missing out on the matchday squad at Allianz Stadium.

"You can't play eight matches with the same group in a World Cup," the New Zealander said.

"We don't have to do that because of the competition we have got.

"We give them their jobs early. Some girls might only get one game at the World Cup and that is my job. We have matured massively in that area now. We are ready for what is to come."

If England and France top their pool and win their quarter-finals they will meet in Bristol for the semi-finals of this year's World Cup.

Former England flanker Maggie Alphonsi, who also won the World Cup in 2014, agrees with Mitchell that a tough test against Les Bleues will be a blessing for the Red Roses come the showpiece tournament.

"The Six Nations needed that jeopardy," Alphonsi told BBC Sport. "It was a proper Test match and England should be proud of the way they dug deep to win.

"They had to grind it out and you want that test before a World Cup."

The Red Roses have been defeated by the Black Ferns in the past two World Cup finals and the draw for this year's tournament means they could again present the final hurdle.

Since losing to New Zealand in 2022, Mitchell's side have defeated the world champions three times to increase their tag of favourites for the competition.

Canada, who are ranked number two in the world behind England, have also vastly improved and despite defeat gave the Six Nations champions a good test at WXV1 in October.

With nations improving, the knack of simply getting over the line when it matters will stand Mitchell's side in good stead.

"Would England have got away with that playing New Zealand?" former England hooker Brian Moore told BBC Sport.

"That's the question they have to ask. It is about winning and England got over the line."

England captain Zoe Aldcroft had a practice run at lifting a trophy at the venue that hosts the World Cup final.

She nearly dropped it, but like her team held on. Should England make the final at Twickenham in September, the skipper and her team will be ready for whatever comes their way.

Stats behind England's magnificent seven