'The hunger is there': Amy Cokayne targeting World Cup glory with the Red Roses
Royal Air Force rugby union star Amy Cokayne is preparing to appear in her third Women's Rugby World Cup for the Red Roses, and the home side are going in as the world number ones and the overwhelming favourites.
England last won the Women's World Cup in 2014, but, since then, the last two tournaments in 2017 and 2022 saw the Red Roses fall short in the final against New Zealand, also known as the Black Ferns.
Cokayne was an integral part of the England squad in 2017 and in 2022, the latter of which was where she scored a hat-trick of tries in an incredibly close final against New Zealand.
That heartbreaking final in Auckland in 2022 was the last game the Red Roses have lost, and they go into this World Cup 27 games undefeated.
In an exclusive interview with BFBS Sport's Jon Knighton before England's warm-up games against Spain and France, Cokayne says that the team "don't need any extra motivation" going into their home World Cup.
"I think we are [motivated], but I also think we don't need any extra motivation, you know," she explained.
"Everyone knows how important World Cups are and how special they are, but I think no matter what had gone on in those previous two [World Cups], I think that the hunger to go and win this one, especially being a home World Cup, will be there."
England begin their tournament in a tough group in the pool stages, where they'll first face the United States before facing Samoa and Australia.
Cokayne sees this as an opportunity for the team to build right at the early stages of the tournament.
"I think that's what you want," she said. "I think you want to play the best teams and beat the best teams when you play in a World Cup.
"So to kind of get that quite early on as well, hopefully we should have some good fixtures and it'll help us build throughout the tournament."
Carrying on the momentum
The Women's Rugby World Cup comes off the back of an exciting time for women's sports, especially after the Lionesses' stunning victory at the 2025 Women's Euros in Switzerland.
The Lionesses' success, as well as the recent success of the British and Irish Lions, is something Cokayne and the Red Roses hope they can replicate in their World Cup campaign.
She said: "I think what the Lionesses did was great, we had a great time in camp watching it, we all got right behind it, and I think they kind of gave us all, like a few people said, proud to be English, which I think sometimes not many people say out loud.
"So I think they've really kind of stepped that up a little bit, and hopefully we can have some good crowds and give everyone a reason to be proud to be English again.
"That's what we love, and I think the growth we have had over the past three years from the last World Cup, the attendance we have had at games and stuff has been huge.
"So we really love it and we welcome it."
Amy Cokayne also had a very important message for her UK Armed Forces teammates ahead of their own campaign in the International Defence Rugby Competition, which takes place alongside the Women's Rugby World Cup, which you can watch here.
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