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Marlie Packer on Red Roses' reset and motherhood
England's rugby captain reflects on ending a 39-game winning streak, preparing for New Zealand, and welcoming her second child.
In brief
England's rugby captain reflects on ending a 39-game winning streak, preparing for New Zealand, and welcoming her second child. Even dominant teams face setbacks, but what matters is how they respond. Packer shows that elite athletes balance high-pressure competition with personal milestones. Originally reported by…
39-game streak ends in draw
England's Red Roses lost their 39-Test winning run dating back to 2022 in a 26-26 draw against Canada in Exeter last week.
A gripping eight-try thriller
The match featured eight tries and went down to the final play with the clock in the red at a sold-out Sandy Park.
Not a loss, a learning curve
Packer said the draw wasn't what England wanted but it's made them sharpen their focus and put more work into preparing for New Zealand.
“It's not what we wanted, but it wasn't a loss. It's a learning curve.”
Canada avenging World Cup loss
Last year England beat Canada 33-13 in the World Cup final at Twickenham. This draw is Canada's first step toward revenge in a three-Test series.
New Zealand backlash coming
Packer promised the Black Ferns will face a strong Red Roses team at Twickenham on Saturday, with a new pitch and players buzzing to respond.
“New Zealand can expect a very strong Red Roses team coming at them.”
Playing at rugby's home
Every player wants to play at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, the home of English rugby, and Packer said the girls are excited to get back out there.
A dynamic matchup ahead
Both England and New Zealand are strong, dynamic teams that will put on a great game of rugby for fans and neutrals alike.
Baby girl arriving soon
Packer's fiancée and Red Roses teammate Rosie Galligan is due to give birth to their second child at the end of next month.
“It's five weeks until Rosie has our little girl.”
Stepping back from rugby
Packer confirmed she will step away from rugby for a period once the baby arrives and won't travel to Canada for the away leg.
“I'll be supporting and cheering on the girls and I'm sure I'll be back on the phone to Mitch a couple of times.”
Elite coach joins women's rugby
Former Wales, Lions and France defence coach Shaun Edwards joined England's coaching team as a consultant until the end of the WXV Global Series.
Women's rugby gaining respect
Packer believes Edwards' appointment shows the progress women's rugby has made, with elite coaches now wanting to be part of the Red Roses.
“It just really shows where the game is going, but also where the women's game for Red Roses is.”
The one thing
Even dominant teams face setbacks, but what matters is how they respond. Packer shows that elite athletes balance high-pressure competition with personal milestones.
