Marlie Packer reveals how John Mitchell’s granddaughter inspired England to ‘let the handbrake off’
England captain Marlie Packer has revealed that a video of coach John Mitchell’s granddaughter helped inspire the side to Women’s Six Nations grand slam triumph.
The Red Roses secured a sixth successive championship crown with victory over France in Bordeaux, again sweeping aside the rest of the competition.
Under the guidance of Mitchell, overseeing his first full campaign since being appointed head coach last year, England have embraced a more expansive style, with the team crossing 40 points in all five wins across the tournament.
And flanker Packer, who described this side as the best she has been a part of, revealed that a video of Mitchell’s granddaughter helped drive the side to develop their attacking game.
“Seven weeks ago, we got a video of his granddaughter on a go-kart skidding around the garden and it showed what he wants from us,” Packer told The Guardian. “Let that handbrake off and go for it. That’s his big motto.
“For many years we’ve been very set-piece dominant. We still dominate that area but we’ve been given licence to play rugby.
“Our backs have come alive. The back three have been phenomenal but so has our front five. The way the whole team is playing is exceptional and that’s led to all the tries.”
A 42-21 victory at the Stade Chaban-Delmas on Saturday was England’s 29th consecutive Women’s Six Nations win.
They will be favourites for victory at next year’s World Cup on home soil, with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) hoping to fill Twickenham for the final.
England are set to take on the world champion Black Ferns in September at the home of English rugby as one of two warm-up fixtures for WXV.
While tickets are not yet on sale with New Zealand yet to fully sign off on the fixture, Packer believes a capacity crowd could be in attendance for a clash between the two best teams in the world.
“We’ve got two massive autumn internationals against France and New Zealand,” Packer said. “I bet we’ll sell out Twickenham against New Zealand. I genuinely think the fanbase is there for the kind of rugby we’re playing.”
