Zoe Stratford, captain of the England rugby team that won the Rugby World Cup last year, has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.

Stratford (nee Aldcroft) led the Red Roses to triumph on home soil in front of a capacity crowd at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium in the autumn.

The Gloucester-Hartpury forward will take a break from the game, though, and miss the upcoming Women’s Six Nations after revealing that she is expecting with a September due date.

“We are so incredibly grateful and excited,” Stratford said in a joint Instagram post with husband Luke, a coach at Sale Sharks.

Stratford was appointed England skipper by John Mitchell at the start of 2025 and backed to lead the team into the World Cup having been one of the side’s most consistent performers for several years.

Comfortable in the second or back rows, she overcame injury to start each of the knockout rounds at blindside flanker, lifting the trophy after a 33-12 win over Canada in the final.

She is the third member of the squad to announce a pregnancy since the end of the World Cup: hooker Lark Atkin-Davies and lock Abbie Ward are also expecting.

Mitchell will name his squad for the Six Nations on Friday having agreed a new deal through to the next major tournament earlier this year.

Centre Emily Scarratt has joined the Red Roses coaching staff after retirement, while wing Abby Dow has also stepped away from the game in recent months.

Mitchell has a decision to make over the captaincy: veterans Marlie Packer and Alex Matthews captained England in Stratford’s absence during the World Cup, while Meg Jones has been a key leader as vice-captain over the last 18 months.