World Cup winning heroine Maggie Alphonsi believes England’s women can learn a lot from Stuart Lancaster’s men as they ready themselves for a vital two years ahead.

Times have changed somewhat since Alphonsi was a mainstay for the Red Rose.

The 31-year-old flanker retired after 2014’s World Cup triumph, when England lifted the trophy for the first time in 20 years by defeating Canada 21-9 in the final.

But after she hung up her boots the side struggled for rhythm in this year’s Six Nations, finishing fourth overall with just two wins from their five matches, and have not tasted overall Championship success since that triumph in 2012.

And with an Olympic Games as well as another World Cup on the horizon, Alphonsi is adamant following the formula adopted by Lancaster in bringing younger players through the ranks early on will yield the right results.

“The next six months will be very important indeed for this England side,” she said. “The main priority at the moment is actually the Olympics in Rio.

“It’s the first time that sevens rugby will be included in there and I know the girls want to come back with a medal at the very least.

“But obviously there is another big focus for them as the Women’s Rugby World Cup returns again in 2017, and being the reigning world champions they will want to do well and hopefully retain that.

“So the big thing for them at the moment is to make sure they keep on developing players and as a result having that good depth in the squad.

“You’ve seen it with Stuart Lancaster and the men’s side in recent years; he has built up the side and made sure that he has a very experienced team going into this World Cup, and it needs to be exactly the same for the women’s team as well.”

In her time in an England shirt Alphonsi played in two Rugby World Cups, and in 2012 shared in a record-breaking seventh successive Six Nations title and a sixth Grand Slam in seven years, as well as scooping the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year prize in 2010.

But after retiring from the game, she admits her switch into life as a pundit and fan has been a tricky one to manage – while she also acts as a mentor to up-and-coming athletes as part of the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport alongside former men’s star Lewis Moody.

She added: “The transition’s been very, very hard for me actually. I was talking to Lewis about this earlier.

“Finishing playing at a high level is tough as you go from being really cared for and looked after, and having a lot of other opportunities, to then being almost on your own.

“So I have really found it hard, but I always relish those kinds of challenges instead of fearing them and I am now really enjoying life.

“I have had a number one single with Gareth Malone on his all-star Children in Need choir, which was really special, and I’m going to be working for ITV during the Rugby World Cup.

“I think I’ll be one of the only female pundits out there, so it’s an exciting time for me at the moment.”

Maggie Alphonsi was speaking on behalf of the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport workshop programme in partnership with SportsAid. For more information please visit SportsAid.org.uk