Zoe Stratford Excitedly Announces First Pregnancy After World Cup Glory
Zoe Stratford, the captain of England's World Cup-winning team, has shared the joyous news of her pregnancy on Instagram. The 29-year-old revealed that her first child is due in September, expressing, "We are so incredibly grateful and excited." This announcement follows just seven months after Stratford led the Red Roses to victory on home soil, marking a significant achievement in her career. With this development, Stratford will miss the upcoming Women's Six Nations, where England is set to kick off their campaign against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April. As the team prepares for the tournament, England has not yet confirmed who will take over leadership. However, Marlie Packer and Meg Jones served as vice-captains during the World Cup, while Alex Matthews captained in their pool match against Australia. John Mitchell, head coach of the Red Roses, is expected to announce his Six Nations squad on Friday. In addition to her rugby accolades, which include being named World Player of the Year in 2021 and co-captaining Gloucester-Hartpury to three consecutive Premiership Women's Rugby titles, Stratford has also ventured into entrepreneurship, recently opening a coffee shop with teammate Natasha Hunt.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-03-18