Meg Jones: From adversity to inspiring English rugby

Meg Jones’s figure resonates positively in the rugby world, both for her human qualities and her performance on the field.

Before the World Cup final against Canada, coach John Mitchell highlighted her incredible energy, a quality that infects her teammates. Captain Zoe Aldcroft described her as the best player in the world and an exceptional person.

Since the start of the World Cup against the United States, Jones has shown an outstanding level. His performance, both in this tournament and in the Six Nations, earned him a nomination for the World Rugby Player of the Year award.

It could be argued that the Red Roses team is built around her.

Jones is a weapon in the contact game and a force in attack. Much of England’s success in recent months is due to her work. She sets the pace, especially in difficult moments, motivating herself and her teammates.Her courage, her vision of life, and her energy, as Mitchell points out, are remarkable, especially considering the personal challenges she has faced recently.

• John Mitchell: The coach behind the success of the Red Roses
• Canada reached the World Cup final thanks to crowdfunding

Both her mother, Paula, and her father, Simon, passed away in a short period last year. When asked how difficult it has been for her, Jones’s response is revealing:

Yes, of course it’s difficult, but… I hate being the victim. I was never raised like that. My mother and father would have been disgusted, so I would never sit around asking for pity or sympathy, and sometimes it’s cost me to give sympathy, probably because of the way I think. I never want people to feel bad for me.

Meg Jones

The 28-year-old player is not a robotic person nor lacking in emotions, on the contrary. She has spoken openly about her parents to show the importance of being vulnerable and facing difficult times. Jones wants to demonstrate that even the strongest rugby players go through tough times. And if talking about it can lighten the load, it’s worth it.

I’m not saying there are never bad days, of course there are many bad days, but there is always something good within a bad day. I think perspective is something very beautiful and it’s all my mother and father taught me… Work hard and always know that you will never feel sad 24 hours a day.

Meg Jones

That mentality is reflected in the way Jones plays. If things aren’t going well, there’s no arguing with the referee or raising hands. He simply focuses on the next task and how to master it.That’s been the case since she picked up a rugby ball for the first time at the age of six, playing with boys, being the only girl on her team until adolescence. Jones was, in her own words, a tough girl who liked contact. She was called out for being too physical playing hockey, and reminded that it is not a contact sport.Jones and his brothers used to fight: “It wasn’t like WWE, but it was pretty intense,” Jones recalls.

It’s no surprise that Jones was drawn to rugby. Playing with boys allowed her to be herself and participate actively.

I used to play scrum-half with the boys and they loved how bossy I was. I remember the boys saying to me: ‘Yes, make sure you give us a pat on the butt when we’re in the maul’, and I would say to them: ‘Yes, yes, come on guys, get up, get up’. Again, that’s the energy I had.

Meg Jones

Jones embodies what it means to be a modern Red Rose and, in fact, a women’s rugby player in 2025.Authentic and uninhibited, the center didn’t have many players to admire when she was younger. Now, Jones feels part of a generation of players that boys and girls will idolize and emulate in their gardens.Remember the moment when a child was left speechless after seeing Ellie Kildunne after a training session.

He said nothing and she said to him: ‘¿Do you have a voice?’ And he said… [silence]. I think those moments are very, very special.

Meg Jones

Now there are boys and girls who say: ‘I want to be like Ellie, I want to be like Meg Jones, I want to be like Zoe Aldcroft. That’s really special and I think we’ll only raise the game even more.”