Introvert v extrovert: Different ways Zoe Aldcroft and Ilona Maher are having on rugby

She has been England’s Miss Consistency for the past few seasons but Zoe Aldcroft faces the biggest mission of her career later this year – to lead the Red Roses to World Cup glory on home soil.

There was a sense of inevitability when it was announced last week that head coach John Mitchell had entrusted Aldcroft with the Red Roses captaincy and dethroned Marlie Packer.

The Gloucester-Hartpury lock, a two-time Premiership Women’s Rugby winner, is a bona fide leader whose industriousness on the pitch is her main point of difference and often the first name on the teamsheet.

Curiously, Aldcroft is a massive introvert – a polar opposite to someone like Ilona Maher, rugby’s most followed player on social media whose superstar status and messages around body positivity continues to attract new fans to the sport.

Maher’s move to Bristol Bears caused quite a stir – the try the American scored against Exeter Chiefs last Sunday has garnered 1.3 million views and counting on TNT Rugby’s Instagram page, comfortably beating the channel’s plethora of highlights from last weekend’s action from the Gallagher Premiership.

While she is complimentary of Maher’s celebrity status, Aldcroft is happy to keep her feet firmly on the ground. The softly spoken Yorkshirewoman is unlikely to become a TikTok star any time soon, but just as rugby is a sport for all shapes and sizes, it is also a space for all personalities. “I’m definitely more of an introverted leader, I’m not too big on social media – especially not as big as Ilona Maher – but I like to let my actions do the talking,” said Aldcroft.

“What she’s doing is great for the sport. If the girls want to put themselves out there and try to engage different audiences and bring them into women’s rugby, then that’s absolutely amazing. We have so many different talents in this Red Roses team, so many people doing different things, harnessing their interests and hobbies and bringing them into the world of rugby. It’s amazing the girls have the ability to do that.”

Numerous studies have shown that introverts often make strong leaders. Even if Aldcroft, a 58-times capped international who was crowned World Player of the Year in 2021, is not someone who craves the limelight, she has time to grow into the forward-facing part of the role ahead of the World Cup, when the cameras will be whirring. Mitchell had called her last week and asked her to be captain, dropping the big question just as she was tucking into her breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast. “It was pretty chill, but my heart was going 100 miles per hour,” she said.

For Mitchell, it was a no-brainer, even if there were “a few cups of tea at night and a few late sleeps”.

“I love a person who is consistent with their actions,” he said, when expanding on his decision to promote Aldcroft and demote Packer to vice-captain. “Zoe’s an athlete and a person who takes great pride in being consistent in her actions and she’s the kind of leader we need in front of us. I’m not a huge talker, Zoe’s not a huge talker, but at the end of the day the best place is your actions. It allows you to communicate effectively.”

There is a happy quirk in two locks being installed as England men’s and women’s teams in the same week, with Steve Borthwick backing Maro Itoje to lead his side to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. “I wouldn’t categorise it as a coincidence, but I would categorise these two special individuals as very consistent performers,” said Mitchell of the captaincy synergy between both England camps. “That’s why they’re extraordinary at what they do and that’s why they can lead people.”

Aldcroft has already tapped up her team-mate Packer and former skipper Sarah Hunter for advice but, as with every captain, has vowed to be her authentic self in a team that is blessed with leaders, from fellow second row Abbie Ward, to experienced centre Meg Jones.

“It’s really great that I’m being supported by such an incredible leadership team that has so many different strengths and together we can really drive this team to something special,” she added, admitting she had dreamt about lifting the World Cup. On the pitch we want to be unstoppable.”

Just as Maher is unstoppable in taking rugby to new audiences. Two very different personalities but both making a big impact in the sport.