Lions tour provides spark for Jones after World Cup peak

In the months after England finally achieved their World Cup dream, centre Meg Jones wondered what challenges remained in her rugby career.

Jones, who was the team’s vice-captain, was nominated for the player of the tournament award after a series of standout displays in the Red Roses’ march to an unforgettable triumph.

“After the World Cup, I thought that was it, like I’ve won it now, I’ve won rugby. What more is there to do?” Jones told BBC Sport.

“The comedown was surreal. Obviously there was good stuff, but you also get massively overwhelmed. It’s crazy the adrenaline and all the highs you’re on.

“So I was a bit like, what’s going to make me drive, and what’s going to create the spark again?”

In January, at the Red Roses’ first get-together since lifting the World Cup in September, head coach John Mitchell provided that spark.

The New Zealander challenged his World Cup winners to take their games to new levels to give themselves the best possible chance of making the squad for the historic British and Irish Lions women’s tour in 2027.

“Mitch is unbelievable the way he thinks,” added Jones, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list. “The passion and drive just radiates off him.

“I’m feeling more motivated now, that there’s something that we can keep pushing on for.

“I’m only 29 and it’s given a bit of spring to my step.

“Playing for the Lions is not something I’ve ever dreamed of really. I’ve played for Great Britain at the Olympics so I understand that whole camaraderie, bringing all the nations together, and I love that side of things. It’s exciting, for sure.”

England have dominated the Women’s Six Nations, winning 21 of the 30 editions, and will start their bid for a fifth successive Grand Slam in April.

But the Red Roses have only won three World Cups to New Zealand’s six and have never won two in a row, something Mitchell wants his players to rectify.

“We had a lot of young girls in that squad who were probably going ‘wow, I’m feeling fresh’ but the rest of the girls were like ‘we’ve just won a World Cup, we’ve never done back to back, so what’s going to really drive us to do that?’ said Jones.

“Even just looking at the trophy, the amount of times New Zealand’s name is on there, you’re like, ‘I want to override that a little bit’. I want to be part of that legacy.”

Away from the pitch, Jones has settled in London having moved from Leicester to Ealing Trailfinders last year and became engaged to her former GB sevens team-mate Celia Quansah earlier in January.

Quansah helped Jones cope with the death of both her parents in 2024.

“Life is full of ups and downs, good and bad, all the ugly, all the exciting bits,” said Jones.

“I wanted to start 2026 with a high and there’s no better way then to ask my best friend to marry me.

“Celia’s my rock. She’s been there through it all. She’s my number one fan, my soul-mate, my partner, and now soon to be wife. So, very exciting.”

Jones is now gearing up for the resumption of the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) season after the league’s winter break, although her participation is in doubt because of a shoulder problem.

She has been working on her kicking in a bid to develop her game – and create more problems for defenders.

“I’ve already seen a difference in my place kicking but I want to see if I can keep improving my out of hand stuff,” Jones said.

“Kicking in those outside centre channels opens up the game. It makes it so much easier for you to attack because defences don’t know what you’re doing.

“If I can ping the ball down the pitch and have a good kick sprint, then that might add something to my game.”

Trailfinders, who are sixth in the table with three wins and three defeats, host Ellie Kildunne’s fifth-placed Harlequins on Friday, in a London derby match you can watch live on the BBC.

“Harlequins is a perfect time for us to get stuck in with the Friday Night Lights,” said Jones. “I think it’s going to be one of the most spectacular games.

“We’re going to try and put on a big show, hopefully off the field, but also on the field, and get that fast running rugby that we love at Trailfinders.

“We have fantastic players but we probably had a bit too many ingredients to begin the season, but we feel like we’ve finally found our groove.

“We’ve been in the PWR for a couple of seasons, but it’s a new team in the sense of there’s a lot of new players.”