2026-07-25 09:34:07
Meg Jones says her partner Celia Quansah is a good “sounding board” because of their shared rugby connections.
The Red Roses star is set to marry her former sevens team-mate next year and explained how Quansah is able to understand the often selfish nature of competing in sport at the highest level.
Jones told Rugby World magazine: “It helps a lot. When you’re away in camp you can’t always message all the time. If you’re feeling tired – she knows it’s not personal – she knows you’ve just had a tough week.
“Playing with her was good as well because she was able to point out my blind spots if I was being a bit of a d*** or maybe not doing the right thing.”
Jones continued: “She could say, ‘Hold on a minute, that doesn’t make sense.’ Sometimes I’d have to simplify my own thinking because maybe my brain works differently to everyone else’s. She was always a really good sounding board.
“She’s so empathetic and kind as well, so it definitely helps having that.”
Jones was named captain of England earlier this year after her predecessor Zoe Stratford stepped away from rugby following the announcement of her pregnancy but she doesn’t “relish” leading the World Cup-winning Red Roses.
Asked if the captaincy changed her, the Ealing Trailfinders star said: “I stayed the same, really. I relish the opportunity to play for my country, but I don’t think I relish being captain. It’s not something you ask for. I’d never introduce myself by saying, ‘I’m the captain’. There are always leaders behind the leader. The captain isn’t the only person leading.
“We’ve got an amazing group of girls who are really independent, self-driven and resilient. That’s the easy part. The bit you have to navigate is making sure everybody is heard because we’ve got so many world-class players. You want everyone contributing.
“At the end of the day, your coach is the biggest leader.”
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