England clinched their fifth successive Grand Slam with a hard-fought 43-28 victory over France in Bordeaux, surviving a stern Test in front of a record crowd. The win extends their remarkable unbeaten run to 38 matches, maintaining a stranglehold on the women's game that has seen them win 99 of their last 103 matches.

Head coach John Mitchell was left emotional after the game, praising his players' bravery and drive despite overwhelming injuries. Over half of England's Rugby World Cup winning squad were unavailable during the campaign, yet they still triumphed under pressure. Captain Meg Jones lifted the Six Nations trophy, celebrating a triumph of both team spirit and the Premiership Women's Rugby system that produced talent like teenager Demelza Short.

France remain the most dangerous rivals, but their domestic competition Elite 1 lacks the depth of England's top flight. While France's age-grade sides thrashed their English counterparts (U21s 71-17, U18s 75-7), those players lack a professional "finishing school." France captain Manae Feleu acknowledged the need for accelerated investment to close the gap.

The Six Nations attracted record attendance across five nations, with 279,760 spectators surpassing 2024's total by nearly 100,000. For now, the most impressive numbers belong to England.