Women’s Six Nations: England coach Simon Middleton wants more support for women’s game

England head coach Simon Middleton urged other unions to support the women’s game so it will one day see a ‘super Saturday’ like the men’s after his side won back-to-back Grand Slams.

But Middleton hopes one day the women’s competition can emulate the men’s, with multiple teams going for the title on the final day.

“It is challenging for us,” he said.

“It would be absolutely fantastic if every union could do what we’re doing. We have made a real statement about where we see the women’s game.

“It is a priority for us as an organisation. We would love to be able to have a Saturday when you have got three teams going for the title and you are staying up late. It was brilliant.”

England dominated throughout the tournament, winning with a points difference of 199.

The Red Roses were supposed to spend the autumn in New Zealand and Australia, preparing for the 2021 World Cup with challenging games against southern hemisphere sides.

Instead they have had to settle for two Tests against France, who are currently second in the Six Nations table with a game still to play after their final fixture was postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak.

“We had a fantastic programme line-up,” Middleton added. “That would have built us nicely through to the World Cup.

“But that’s not possible so we’ve had to find other ways. We have changed a lot in what we train and that will hopefully give us the point of difference we are looking for.

“We would love to be able to play some of the southern hemisphere sides but we can’t do that at this moment in time.”

‘We want to fulfil sevens players’ Olympic dream’ – Middleton

England’s bench in their final Six Nations game against Italy showed their strength in depth, partially helped by the return of several sevens players.

After funding was cut for England’s men’s and women’s sevens sides, many have put their hopes for the postponed Olympics on hold to return to XVs.

Full-back Ellie Kildunne shone from the outset in Parma and Alex Matthews and Helena Rowland also made an impact from the bench.

Middleton – who coached the women’s side at Rio 2016 – said he does not want XV-a-side World Cup ambitions to get in the way of players’ Olympic plans.

“It is sad what is happening with the sevens programme,” he said. “I suppose what the sevens have lost the XVs have gained but at the end of the day there are players on that field who have worked unbelievably hard to get to the Olympics and I want them to fulfil that dream.

“I have been lucky enough to go and I know what it is like. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I hope it all gets sorted and we can get them playing and we’ll have them back with six weeks left [between the Olympics and World Cup] and if they’re good enough to make the squad, they’ll make the squad.”

‘An emotional day’ for returning Ward

Player of the match Abbie Ward had expected to miss the entirety of this year’s Six Nations, having spent 11 months sidelined with a hip injury until earlier this month.

But with the championship suspended for seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the lock had time to recover and claim a Grand Slam.

Scoring a try in the first half and taking over captaincy duties when Emily Scarratt went off in the second, Ward described her day as “surreal”.

“It was amazing to be back out there on the pitch,” she said. “I definitely didn’t think I was going to get a chance to play in the Six Nations but that is how everything has worked out.

“To actually finish the Six Nations – we weren’t sure whether that was going to happen or not. To even have the game is fantastic.

“To be part of it, for me it has been an emotional day. It is not often that I will be able to get across the whitewash so it has been a good day all round.”