England’s World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford has announced she is pregnant with her first child.
Announcing the news on Instagram the 29-year-old said the baby is due in September.
“We are so incredibly grateful and excited,” added Stratford.
The news comes seven months after she led the Red Roses to a World Cup triumph on home soil.
Stratford’s news will rule her out of the Women’s Six Nations, where England will open their campaign against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April.
England are yet to confirm who will lead the side in the 2026 campaign, but Marlie Packer and Meg Jones were vice-captains during the World Cup, with Alex Matthews taking the skipper’s armband for their pool match against Australia.
Red Roses head coach John Mitchell will name his Six Nations squad on Friday.
Stratford was named World Player of the Year in 2021 and has also co-captained her club Gloucester-Hartpury to three back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby titles.
Since the World Cup success, she has also opened a coffee shop with England and Gloucester team-mate Natasha Hunt.
Stratford becomes the third England women’s player to announce they are expecting this year, following Bristol duo Lark Atkin-Davies and Abbie Ward.
