John Mitchell’s New England pass test in France and only get better | Women’s Six Nations

SecondEngland head coach John Mitchell couldn’t have been clearer about his side’s ambitions ahead of this season’s Women’s Six Nations. “The potential of this team is huge,” he told the Guardian. “We’ve always been a very good team, but we want to be a great team.” Their goal is not just to win games, but to surpass anything they’ve accomplished before.

Bordeaux’s latest coup de grace proves that mission is firmly on track. At first glance, a sixth consecutive Six Nations title and a third consecutive Grand Slam may seem like an ordinary expected story, but this one stands out for several reasons. Firstly, it’s their first under Mitchell, whose familiar brand of no-nonsense Kiwis is already paying dividends. Second, it was a victory on French soil over decent opposition that kept arriving and posing ongoing problems.

But more than anything, it’s the sheer number of options England have that really stands out. The best of the best has a full game for all occasions. Red Rose can damage opponents at close range or tear them apart over a wide area. They can soar from the lineout or launch a ferocious attack through midfield. The only real issue was their game management under pressure, which was timely evidence of progress in this important area as well.

Think back to the last World Cup, when they were ambushed by the Black Ferns in that epic final in Auckland. England put all their eggs in the same forward-heavy basket and, reduced to 14 players, New Zealand snuck in and disrupted their dreams. Eleven games into Game 23 were played here, but there was a different vibe to what they were trying to do.

There is also a more composed feel at center back, with Mo Hunt adding experience and busyness, and a better balance in all aspects. England didn’t get as many chances to use their speedy back three this time around, but the center pairing of Tatiana Hird and Meg Jones complemented the strength in front of them well. Jones is a rarity as a Welsh-speaking England international, but her interception attempts are priceless in any language.

Add to that the hurling of Amy Cockayne, the power of Morwenna Tarling and the relentless work of Alex Matthews, and the end result is that opponents even manage to let in as France have long done. The ball was far away from the lightning-fast Abby Road, and he couldn’t relax for a second. A total of 44 attempts in five games tells a compelling story.

Perhaps most ominously, England clearly still have a lot of room for improvement. The excellent Sarah Bern is currently injured and is wrapping up work in Bordeaux, but will be back during the World Cup. So does the sharp-tongued Claudia MacDonald. The fitness level is improving all the time, but there are still some areas that need to be improved defensively.

But in some ways, all of this is relative. Judging from the packed stands at Chabandel Mas Stadium, interest in women’s rugby is growing everywhere. It will be interesting to see the TV ratings as the terrestrial refreshment audience is watching a game that always grabs attention in some form. Brian Moore’s apology to spectators at the France-England match for on-field swearing is sure to elicit wry smiles on both sides of the Channel.

However, a sport’s popularity ultimately depends on how important the results truly are to the audience. The next big challenge in rugby is: how to ensure that risk factors are present in a higher proportion of matches? There are too many lopsided scorelines for comfort and there is clearly still debate about how best to extend Six Nations competitiveness rather than just reflect how people operate.

But that’s for another day. This is another great memory to cherish for England and the future will be even brighter. At this rate, by late next year’s World Cup, there will be teenage girls bursting into local hairdressers demanding an “Ellie Kildunne” or a “Holly Aitchison”. Twickenham will be packed with a completely different type of supporter. These high-flying red roses produce special blooms.