How England's off-field bonds pushed team to new Six Nations heights
England prop Ellis Genge says a greater emphasis on personal connection in camp has allowed the senior men’s side to make huge progress during the 2025 Six Nations.
Speaking before Saturday’s Wales game on the latest episode of O2 Inside Line: This Rose, Genge describes a weekly meeting implemented by himself and captain Maro Itoje that allows players and staff to understand what makes each other tick.
Named ‘My Rose’, the meeting sees two members of the squad give a presentation about their driving forces and aspirations to encourage stronger bonds between them.
“The bonds that you build off the pitch tend to let you relish being on it,” said Genge.
“We’ve found out a lot more about each other. Ultimately, knowing your mate’s dog’s name isn’t going to make you run harder or faster, but I believe the emotional investment that comes from having longer meetings like this and knowing about each other’s families will let you dig a bit deeper down the line.”
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The squad headed into Six Nations camp in Girona a week earlier than usual and took a focused approach, opting to skip the traditional team-bonding nights out in favour of training and preparation.
Despite them having to spend more time away from family, Genge was encouraged by the buy-in from his teammates.
“In years gone by, we’d come in and have a big tear-up, but a lot of the feedback this year was that we wanted to crack on with the rugby.
“We’ve had opportunities to bond socially, but this campaign we started off more on a rugby foot. Coming in a week earlier has made it feel quite long, but we’re in good spirits.”
Having won 71 caps for his country, Genge has no shortage of experience when it comes to big games. However, Saturday’s match against Wales had an added layer of emotion for the 30-year-old.
“We’re playing Wales on Saturday, and my partner is due on the same day, so I’m a bit nervous. The irony is that she’s Welsh!”
An integral part of the England team that last lifted the Six Nations trophy in 2020, Genge has seen a lot of players come and go.
The Bristol Bears man is excited by the current crop of fresh faces and believes they have the potential to do great things in future.
“This group is special. Fin Smith has really stepped up this campaign, and Ben Curry has given his brother Tom a hard time. Will Stuart is in fine form, and Tom Willis has been fantastic.”
After a tight 27-22 loss to Ireland in the first round, England bounced back to win their next three games against France, Scotland and Italy, finishing second overall.
Before England’s record Six Nations win over Wales, the loosehead prop knew things needed to fall in the team’s favour to win the tournament, but delivering a strong performance was at the forefront of his mind.
“We’ve been speaking about building a lot, and I think it’s about time we pull our finger our and give it a good go.
“I’m really proud of what the boys have put together.”
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