England Wins Inaugural WXV1 Tournament; Captain Marlie Packer Named World Rugby Women's Player of the Year

England's remarkable victory against reigning world champions New Zealand seals perfect record of 10 wins from 10 games in their transitional year; upcoming Head Coach John Mitchell to build on this strong foundation for 2025 Rugby World Cup.

England won the inaugural WXV1 Tournament, beating New Zealand 33-12 in the final, cementing their status as the world's top-ranked team with a perfect 10-0 record this year.
England's victory included tries from Alex Matthews, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Morwenna Talling, and Zoe Aldcroft; New Zealand's points came from tries by Kennedy Simon and Katelyn Vahaakolo.
England's win came on the back of a fast start, scoring three tries in the first 23 minutes. New Zealand made a comeback before halftime, but England solidified their victory with key plays in the second half.
Captain Marlie Packer, who notched 11 tries this year and was a key player in England's Six Nations Grand Slam victory, was awarded World Rugby Women's Player of the Year.
Next on England's agenda is defending their Six Nations title starting in March; the long-term focus is on building momentum towards the 2025 Rugby World Cup, which they will host.