From York to Twickenham: Captain Zoe Aldcroft plotting World Cup glory for England's Red Roses

York’s LNER Community Stadium on Sunday, March 23, will witness Scarborough-born Aldcroft leading the Red Roses into Six Nations battle against Italy at the start of a year that could end with her lifting the World Cup trophy at Twickenham.

Not that the 28-year-old second-row forward is allowing dreams to get in the way of the process.

It is that level-headed nature and consistency of character on and off the field that led England coach John Mitchell to make the decision last week to swap captains, asking Marlie Packer to step down and Aldcroft to stand up in this most important of years in the evolution of women’s rugby union.

In the 58-cap Aldcroft he sees something of himself “not a huge talker and someone who leads by example”, one who learned the game playing against boys at Scarborough RUFC, at Malton and Norton, then further along the A64 at West Park Leeds before venturing to the south west to carve out a career in the game at Gloucester-Hartpury.

She has captained England on the odd occasion before, was even named world rugby’s women’s player of the year in 2021, but leading her team into World Cup year so close to home will be right up there.

“It’s only 50 minutes from where I started my rugby journey so to have it in Yorkshire as well - rugby up north is something we’re trying to grow - is really special,” Alcroft told The Yorkshire Post from England’s first training camp of the new year.

“We’re playing in so many different places this year (seven in total) that I think it’s massive to be able to go to all different parts of England.

“We predominantly played previously around the south of England and London, but for me as a northerner it’s great to be able to go up to the likes of Sunderland and York and grow the game up there. I know there’s some rugby mad girls up there and it’s great to be able to give them the chance to see us play.”

The Six Nations opener between England and Italy is one of seven international women’s rugby matches scheduled for York in 2025. Six will come across three weekends in late August early September, during the group stages of the World Cup.

England won’t return but the United States are headed to North Yorkshire, and they could have in their ranks Ilona Maher, women’s rugby’s superstar with eight million followers on social media and the ability to double a gate, as she did when the Bristol Bears team she is on loan with played Aldcroft’s Gloucester-Hartpury earlier this month.

Maher has called for more players to help her grow the game, and while Aldcroft points to members of her own team upping their social media profile, the Yorkshirewoman admits it is not in her nature.

“I’m definitely more of an introverted leader, I’m not as active on social media, certainly not compared to Ilona Maher,” she laughed.

“I think it’s great for the sport. Bristol-Gloucester was her first game over here and we got to experience it first hand, 9,000 people in the stadium was absolutely incredible.

“For one person to be able to come over here and do that is amazing. If the girls want to put themselves out there and engage in different audiences to bring people into women’s rugby then that’s absolutely amazing.

“We have so many different talents in the Red Roses, so many different people doing different hobbies and interests.

“In the Red Roses we’ve got a lot of girls that are bringing different elements of their own personalities into the rugby community. So those guys doing their thing off the field will bring a different audience to women’s rugby and hopefully we can build and grow the momentum that way.

“But we can also have an impact by how we perform. In going around to all these venues we’re trying to bring loads of different fans into the game.”

Aldcroft cites her first England captain Sarah Hunter as an inspiration and a blueprint for her to follow, and says Packer has been a real support even though she has taken her job.

“My way of captaining is leading by example,” says Aldcroft. “I think when I do speak I really mean what I’m saying and I like to think about what I am saying, but also bringing everyone else around me up.

“I want to make sure everyone feels they can be themselves, that they can thrive in whatever they are doing, it’s also great to be supported by a leadership team that has so many different strengths and we can really drive this team on to something special.”