Chasing greatness through grief: England's warrior queen heads to World Cup final

England centre Meg Jones has emerged as one of the standout players at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, and her form has become a story in its own right as England prepare for the final against Canada at Twickenham. The match is set for Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday with a 16:00 BST kick-off, and coverage is available on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app.

Jones’s speed, power and game awareness have defined England’s run in the tournament. Observers have argued she is the best player at this World Cup, with the young forward’s ability to arrive at the right moments in attack and defense repeatedly shaping England’s results. Her impact extends beyond the pitch into a remarkable off-field story of resilience and perseverance.

During the early days of the Covid lockdown, when Jones’s Sevens contract was paused, she found a temporary frame of financial stability delivering packages for Amazon. In a later reflection she described the job with characteristic candor, noting the long hours and the surprising realities of frontline work: “I was really good, so good.” She added that toilet breaks were a rarity in those days: “toilet breaks are not really a thing. You’re in at 5am and then you probably leave about 4pm without having to wee.” The experience underscored a broader point about the price of sport and the volatility of a life dedicated to rugby, a theme that has resonated through her career.

Jones’s rugby journey began in Wales. Born in Cardiff, she was taken to Glamorgan Wanderers by her father, Simon, when she was six. By 11 she was part of a Cardiff Schoolboys side that won the DC Thomas Cup at the Principality Stadium, and her talent quickly drew attention. A year later she played for Cardiff Blues at under-15 level, where observers remarked that her ball-playing ability was almost matched only by her kicking. England World Cup winner Danielle Waterman watched one of her matches and was impressed enough to note that Jones was among the country’s most talented under-18 players.

Her strategic path took shape through Hartpury College and then Loughborough University, institutions that provided routes to the top of women’s club rugby. Jones’s ascent toward England began with an early senior breakthrough: she made her England debut at 18, starting at fly-half in a 26-7 defeat by New Zealand in July 2015. The rise, however, occurred against a backdrop of private hardship that would come to define another, deeper part of her story.

Jones’s mother, Paula, battled alcoholism for years and was described by Jones as a “functioning addict” who balanced work as a senior nurse with a heavy burden in her private life. The loss of her father, Simon, in August 2024—just seven months after a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer—drove Jones’s family’s grief into a darker period. The upheaval intensified Paula’s struggles; a relapse followed after the family had briefly found some stability as Jones moved back toward Leicester.

“I think my mum was just grieving, grieving the heart loss really,” Jones said of her mother’s decline. “She went into a massive downward spiral. I tried to get her involved in many different support networks, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, other avenues, but they didn't really work.” The pain intensified when Paula suffered another relapse, and she died in December, leaving Jones to confront two funerals in four months.

The weight of loss has informed Jones’s relationship with rugby. She says the sport, for her, has been a kind of sanctuary—an arena where grief can be processed and focus regained. “It's never easy and it never really finishes either,” she told reporters earlier this year, describing how her parents’ deaths shaped her outlook. “Whenever I step on to that pitch or whatever I’m training, I generally don’t think about anything else. It’s almost like it’s my safe haven.” Jones has carried that sense of purpose into her performances this season, a factor that has helped England advance to the World Cup final.

Her resilience has extended beyond the field. She’s become a public ally for The Living Room, a charity that supports people dealing with addiction in Cardiff and Carmarthen, reflecting a commitment to helping others grappling with the same challenges her family faced. In the squad’s dressing room, her teammates have responded with empathy and warmth as she navigates the emotional terrain of this tournament and this life.

On the international stage, Jones’s achievements have been recognized in the form of a World Player of the Year nomination announced during the current campaign. Teammates and coaches alike celebrated the nomination as a testament to her skill, consistency and leadership amid personal adversity. “Nothing can make me sadder, or diminish my value more than losing my dad, one of my best mates and the rock of our family,” she once said, underscoring the personal stake she has in every performance and the gravity of her responsibilities as a national-team captain in all but name.

As England prepare to face Canada in the final, there is a sense that Jones’s story—rooted in Welsh roots, nurtured by elite English rugby, and tempered by grief—embodies the broader narrative of this England side: fearless, relentlessly driven and capable of turning sorrow into strength. The final will not just be about skill and tactics; it will be about a player’s determination to honor those she has lost while pushing her team toward a potential first World Cup title.

Meg Jones’s journey is one of stark contrasts: the glimmer of sport’s highest stage against the somber quiet of personal loss; the glamor of international rugby against the grit of a life lived with hardship. As the World Cup final looms, her teammates and coaches emphasize that the day’s result will be measured not only on the scoreboard but by the courage she has shown in carrying grief into a stadium full of supporters.

Canada will present a stern test, and Jones’s edge in both attack and defense will be central to England’s hopes. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:00 BST, with live coverage on BBC One, as well as updates and analysis across BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app. If she can channel the personal costs that have sharpened her game into a performance on the world’s biggest stage, Meg Jones could deliver a defining moment for England and for women’s rugby as a whole. Whatever the scoreboard shows, the moment already belongs to a player whose resolve has been forged in grief and tempered by a relentless pursuit of greatness.

The match could also mark a turning point for women’s rugby in England, demonstrating how sport can coexist with trauma and healing. For Jones, the victory would be sweet not only as a championship but as a testament to the resilience that has carried her beyond the heartbreak of losing both parents in rapid succession—and toward a pinnacle she has long pursued since her earliest days at Cardiff schools and in Leicestershire clubs. If the final ends in England’s favour, some of the celebration will be for the team; a substantial part will be for one player who embodies the courage and compassion that define modern sport.