John Mitchell to remain Red Roses coach even if England fail to win home World Cup

The New Zealander is under contract until after next year’s Women’s Six Nations and will remain in post

John Mitchell led England to another Women's Six Nations grand slam (Getty)

John Mitchell is set to remain as head coach of the Red Roses through to June 2026 — even if England fail to win the Rugby World Cup on home soil later this year.

The hosts are favourites to secure a first World Cup crown since 2014 in August and September after securing a seventh successive Women’s Six Nations title with victory over France at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday.

England are yet to lose under Mitchell, who took charge of the side at the end of 2023 as the replacement for Simon Middleton after the previous head coach failed to win the 2022 World Cup.

Middleton remained under contract for the Six Nations following that tournament disappointment, and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have confirmed that Mitchell’s deal is similarly structured out of a desire to take any uncertainty over his future away ahead of a major tournament. The union had not previously outlined the exact details of the experienced coach’s contract.

The New Zealander is therefore set to continue in the lead coaching role regardless of the result at the World Cup, with a decision to be made on his future beyond the 2026 Women’s Six Nations to be made next year. His backroom coaching team are also contracted through that campaign.

“Results are important, but you don’t want people thinking about what their next job is by having a contract finishing at that time,” Conor O’Shea, the RFU’s executive director of performance rugby, explained. “There will be no thought for anything until we get through the World Cup and Six Nations.

“I think it is very unhealthy to be insecure going into the World Cup, and that’s the only focus we have. We review every competition we are in, we review management and players. [The coaching staff] are in this Thursday to review this Six Nations before they go off on their break, and they are all contracted to 30 June 2026. We didn’t want anyone speculating about anything because that’s the most unhealthy thing that can happen in any environment. That’s why there are no contract talks on anything for players and coaches.”

England are favourites to win the World Cup on home soil later this year (Getty)

Mitchell’s arrival as head coach was delayed as he completed his duties with Japan men as defence coach at the 2023 World Cup, with the former All Blacks boss joining up with England at WXV in New Zealand.

Having not previously worked within the women’s game, his appointment with the Red Roses raised eyebrows, though O’Shea believes the experience possessed by the coach makes him the perfect fit as England prepare to handle the pressure of being strong favourites for a home World Cup.

O’Shea said: “Some of the rationale behind someone like John Mitchell leading that programme is that at any World Cup there is pressure, any home World Cup there is additional pressure, and when you are favourites that are there to be shot at and always the person being hunted down, there is an additional pressure that comes with that.

John Mitchell is popular with the Red Roses squad (PA)

“The process that [ Mitchell] will bring the group through over the next four or five months will be to attempt to take that pressure away from them. But also deal with it and rationalise. Anyone who has coached the All Blacks, England, America and Japan to the levels he has will have the battle scars to understand how to block out noise, but also use that pressure in a really good way.”

It is understood that negotiations are underway over a World Cup bonus scheme for the Red Roses players if they win the tournament. Team England Rugby, the breakaway venture formed last year by England’s elite male players, took over responsibility for the team’s contracts with the RFU earlier in 2025 from the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA).

The RFU currently invests £15m per year in the women’s game, but hopes to be the first union to break even with There has been a 391% increase in ticket sales for England women games in the last four years compared to the four years prior, with all Red Roses games now breaking even or profitable.

Nearly 300,000 tickets have been sold for the upcoming World Cup, with organisers hopeful of a sellout for the final at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on 27 September.