England star lost both parents in four months before Rugby World Cup win

Ahead of the 2025 Women’s World Cup final at Twickenham, where Jones started for the Red Roses in their victory over Canada, the 28-year-old revealed the depth of her grief.

Cardiff-born and a fluent Welsh speaker, Jones lost her father Simon last August, only seven months after he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

Although her parents had separated when she was 17, the loss of her dad had a devastating impact on her mother, Paula, whose battle with alcoholism worsened. Just a few months later, in December, she too tragically passed away.

Despite the personal turmoil, Jones has been one of England’s standout players, driving their push for World Cup glory on home soil and earning a nomination for World Rugby Player of the Year.

When the nomination was announced, Jones was overcome with emotion. Footage shown by the BBC captured her breaking down in tears surrounded by her Red Roses teammates.

"My reaction said it all," she told the BBC. "It's nothing you really expect.

"I'd have loved to have shared it with my mum and dad. That's probably what set the tears off.

"In January 2024, my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. When he passed away at the end of August, my mum, who struggled with alcoholism, also struggled with him passing away.

"She just couldn't cope. She ended up drinking a lot more and ended up passing away in December as well.

"I lost two key figures in my life last year. If it's done anything, it's given me a sense of perspective and also to enjoy this life we have.

"I genuinely believe we die only once, but we live every day. I genuinely play without fear now. I think what will be as scary and sad as that so what's a game of rugby?

"The biggest thing I've always pushed is to be authentic and lead with my heart on my sleeve. It's almost like that glimmer of hope for me.

"I know how much that would mean to my mum and dad. Even my gramps, who is 95, watches every game and keeps on reminding me it's the pinnacle of his week.

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"Winning Saturday would just be huge."

Rugby has always been at the heart of Jones’ life. Her father Simon introduced her to the game, taking her to Glamorgan Wanderers when she was just six. By the age of 11, she was already making her mark, helping Cardiff Schools beat Bridgend in the DC Thomas Cup final at the Principality Stadium.

Through her mother Paula, Jones qualified to play for England – a journey that has now seen her become one of the central figures in the Red Roses’ latest triumph.

Meg and Celia Quansah met at Loughborough and, in their words, everything “just clicked.”

Celia admits she was wary of the risks of dating a teammate but says it quickly became clear it was right:

Together, they’ve navigated the challenges of elite sport, public scrutiny, and injuries. Meg came out as a teenager; Celia later, after a long-term relationship with a boyfriend. Both speak openly now about their journeys with pride and honesty.

But while the spotlight shines on the pitch, there’s another source of strength driving these athletes forward: the unwavering support of their partners. Behind every scrum, sprint, and soaring victory, there’s a network of love, encouragement, and sacrifice.

So, before the final whistle blows, let’s meet the squad behind the squad—the partners who stand firmly in the Roses’ corner.

Star fullback Ellie Kildunne has long been one of England’s most exciting rugby talents—and her personal life has drawn interest too. She has been in a relationship with Cameron Sommerville-Bailey, a director at Complete Renovations, with the pair previously attending the World Rugby Awards together in 2024.

Recently, fans have noticed fewer pictures of the couple on social media, sparking speculation about whether their relationship has shifted. While some whispers suggest a split, others believe they remain together but are simply keeping things more private as Ellie’s profile rises on the mainstream stage. Neither has commented publicly.

For now, Ellie seems fully focused on her rugby—lighting up the pitch with her trademark flair as she looks to play a starring role in England’s World Cup campaign.

There’s not much public detail about their relationship, but the headlines say it all: Jess Breach shares life with former Harlequins flanker Archie White, who created headlines by stepping away from the game last summer at just 27.

A bold pivot, and no doubt a steadying presence in Jess’s corner.

One of rugby’s ultimate power couples, Abbie Ward tied the knot with former Harlequins hooker Dave Ward back in 2020. The pair first crossed paths at the Quins’ training ground in Guildford when Abbie had just joined the women’s side, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

Rugby remains at the heart of their relationship. Dave, who previously coached Abbie at Bristol Bears Women, is now head coach at Ampthill & District. And the couple’s biggest victory to date? Welcoming daughter Hallie in July 2023.

Abbie’s comeback just 17 weeks later was nothing short of inspirational – a journey captured in the documentary Abbie Ward: A Bump in the Road.

As Abbie put it: “I think it is nice having someone who can relate to everything that is going on, the highs and the lows. I think it is quite unique to have your other half who completely gets all of that work life but all of the social parts of it as well.”

Dynamic, versatile, unstoppable. Whether it’s directing play at scrum-half or flying down the wing, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald has the skills to shine. At Exeter Chiefs Women, she’s proved herself a game-changer; on the international stage she’s just as fierce.

A Six Nations Grand Slam winner in 2019 and a World Cup veteran from 2021, Moloney-MacDonald is back to bring pace, precision, and passion to the Red Roses’ latest campaign. Off the field, she shares the game with her wife, Irish international hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald.

After a standout club career at Wasps and now Exeter, plus years of representing Ireland, Cliodhna brings her own power and leadership to the front row. Together, the Moloney-MacDonalds are making rugby history as one of the sport’s most exciting cross-border partnerships.

Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan are more than teammates—they're life teammates. The pair got engaged in June 2025 with Rosie sharing a dreamy lakeside proposal on Instagram: “The easiest yes in the world. Forever and always.”

Beyond the romance, their shared passion shines through. Rosie has spoken about the team’s rebirth under head coach John Mitchell: “We came off the back of a loss at the World Cup... since then we have had Mitch come in and we have had a regrowth as a Red Roses side... You look at a rose and how it has to die to come back alive again.”

In March 2025, Marlie and Rosie brought inspiration off the field too, visiting the Guernsey Girls’ Rugby Academy where they were “blown away” by the response and hoped to “inspire those girls to pick up a ball.”

Marlie, who is also mum to son Oliver from a previous relationship, often shares snapshots of their happy family life. Rosie and Oliver’s bond has quickly blossomed, making them one of rugby’s most loved-up couples.

England’s captain heading into the World Cup, Zoe Aldcroft, has captured hearts both for her leadership on the pitch and her charm off it. She and Luke Stratford—now a women’s rugby coach—first locked eyes in Gloucester, where Luke made a bold first move: approaching her dressed in women’s clothes at a nightclub.

Their wedding came in June 2024 at Hackness Grange in Scarborough, and it was anything but ordinary. As Zoe recounted: Luke insisted on wearing shorts “even in minus conditions”, and she warned, “as soon as the wedding was done the tie was off and the flip-flops were on.”

Beyond the wardrobe quirks, Zoe’s rise is nothing short of inspiring. Named England captain in 2025, she heads into the Rugby World Cup being touted to lead a reshaping of women’s rugby, believing this tournament “has the potential to change women’s rugby for ever.”

One’s a Canadian-born front-rower who’s already battled through three World Cups. The other’s an English powerhouse known for smashing defences. Together, Mackenzie Carson and Sarah Bern aren’t just teammates — they’re partners in every sense.

In 2025, Carson made the switch from Canada to England, joining Bern in the Red Roses’ pack. Now rugby’s fiercest duo will be side by side on the world stage, ready to deliver big hits, big carries, and a love story written in red and white.