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She captained England to a Rugby World Cup title in front of 81,000 fans at Twickenham. She’s a World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, an OBE, and arguably the most complete forward the Red Roses have ever produced. Yet if you search her name on Google right now, one of the first things that comes up is a suggestion that her parents are dead.

They are not. Not even close.

Here’s everything you actually need to know about Ros and David Aldcroft — the two people behind one of rugby’s greatest success stories.

Meet Ros and David Aldcroft: Zoe’s Biggest Rugby Inspiration

Zoe Aldcroft’s parents are Ros and David Aldcroft, both alive, both well, and both very much a part of her story. They are Scarborough locals through and through — the kind of family that defines a town rather than simply living in it.

David is the one who sparked it all. He played scrum-half for the second team at Scarborough RUFC — not exactly international-level rugby, but more than enough to plant a seed. One evening, he brought along a young Zoe and her brother Jonathan to a junior training session, and that, as they say, was that.

“My biggest influences were my dad and my brother,” Zoe has said publicly. “I went down to Scarborough RFC when I was nine years old and started training with the other juniors. I just thought I’d give it a go — I absolutely loved it.”

Ros Aldcroft is no stranger to the sport either. She too has a background in rugby, connected to the Scarborough scene that shaped her daughter. But her most visible contribution to Zoe’s life may be the one she built on the seafront.

Both Ros and David own cafés on Scarborough’s famous promenade. David runs the Promenade Café — burger, chips, outside seating, the full Yorkshire-coast experience. Ros owns the Bay View Coffee House, a proper coffee house with afternoon teas and a more refined atmosphere. Zoe herself worked in both as a teenager. She’s admitted she preferred her mum’s — “didn’t smell of chips all day.”

There’s something quietly poetic about that. One parent built a café. Then the other followed. Then their daughter grew up to captain England. Not bad for a family from a seaside town.

Her brother Jonathan also played rugby at Scarborough RUFC, and it was his training sessions that first lured a young Zoe through the door. She was the only girl on the pitch. Forty or fifty lads — and her. She stayed until she was twelve, when age regulations required her to move on. That resilience didn’t come from nowhere.

When Zoe won the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year award in 2021, her first words of thanks were for them. “Most importantly I’d like to thank my mum and dad,” she said. “They made all this happen by driving me all around the country to places, supporting me in every way they can.”

In 2023, Scarborough Borough Council awarded Zoe the Freedom of the Borough. She couldn’t attend — training schedule — but her parents were there to receive the honour on her behalf. Ros accepted it in person.

Did Zoe Aldcroft’s Parents Pass Away? Clearing Up the Meg Jones Confusion

Let’s be direct: no, Zoe Aldcroft’s parents have not died. Ros and David Aldcroft are alive.

The confusion circulating online — searches for “zoe aldcroft parents died” or “what happened to zoe aldcroft parents” — stems from a genuine mix-up between two England teammates who share a remarkable amount of search overlap: Zoe Aldcroft and Meg Jones.

Both are key players for the Red Roses. Both are from the same generation. Both are among the most searched names in women’s rugby. And in 2024, Meg Jones went through something truly devastating: she lost both of her parents within the space of four months.

Her father, Simon Jones, was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in January 2024. He passed away just months later. The loss hit her mother, Paula, catastrophically — and in December of that same year, Paula also died. Google’s search algorithms, and frankly many users too, have conflated the two players — pulling up Meg Jones’s tragic story when someone types Zoe Aldcroft’s name.

It’s an understandable algorithmic error. It is not, however, true.

Meg Jones has spoken about her losses with remarkable courage and openness, turning grief into fuel. Her story deserves to be told accurately — and separately. She is a different person from Zoe Aldcroft, with her own extraordinary journey.

If you arrived here asking about Zoe’s parents: they’re fine. They’re probably serving coffee and chips on the Scarborough seafront right now.

Zoe Aldcroft’s Personal Life: Marriage and Name Change to Zoe Stratford

Here’s something that confuses a lot of searches: Zoe Aldcroft and Zoe Stratford are the same person.

Since June 2024, she is legally known as Zoe Rosalind Stratford — having married her partner, Luke Stratford, at Hackness Grange in Scarborough. Luke is a former hooker who played for Jersey Reds and is now a forwards coach at Sale Sharks Women.

The story of how they met is exactly the kind of thing that makes rugby culture so wonderfully bizarre. They first crossed paths in Gloucester — where Luke made his opening move by approaching Zoe at a nightclub while dressed in women’s clothing. Apparently it worked.

Their wedding, back in her hometown, was not a conventional affair. As Zoe has recounted, Luke insisted on wearing shorts regardless of temperature, and the moment the ceremony ended the tie was off and flip-flops were on. It sounds like exactly the kind of wedding you’d expect from two people who’ve spent their careers getting muddy in fields.

She may still appear under both surnames — “Zoe Aldcroft” in historical records, media archives, and rugby databases, and “Zoe Stratford” in more recent official registrations. Both refer to the same World Cup-winning captain.

In late 2025, it was announced that Zoe is expecting her first child with Luke. Meg Jones has since taken over the England captaincy “for 2026” while Zoe is away.

Zoe Aldcroft (Stratford) Player Profile: Height, Position, and Achievements

For anyone wanting a quick reference — including the answer to the surprisingly popular search zoe aldcroft height — here’s the full picture:

Detail	Information
Full Name	Zoe Rosalind Stratford (née Aldcroft)
Date of Birth	19 November 1996
Place of Birth	Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position	Lock / Blindside Flanker
Current Club	Gloucester-Hartpury
International Team	England (Red Roses)
International Debut	2016 vs France (scored the winning try)
Key Honours	World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year (2021); 2025 Rugby World Cup winner and captain; OBE (2026 New Year Honours)

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At 1.82 m, she is imposing in the lineout and relentless at the breakdown — a combination that made her the best player in the world in 2021 and one of the most important figures in the history of Red Roses rugby.

It’s worth noting the OBE. In the 2026 New Year Honours List, Zoe was awarded an OBE for services to rugby union football. Her parents — who drove her around the country as a child so she could play the sport she loved — were presumably not short of pride.

Quick Facts About Zoe Aldcroft’s Family (FAQs)

Who is Zoe Aldcroft’s partner?

Zoe is married to Luke Stratford, a former rugby player turned coach. They wed in June 2024 in Scarborough, after which she took his surname. She is now widely known as Zoe Stratford in official and recent contexts.

What do Zoe Aldcroft’s parents do?

Ros and David Aldcroft are business owners in Scarborough. David runs the Promenade Café on the seafront, while Ros owns the Bay View Coffee House. Both are well-known local establishments. Zoe worked in them as a teenager.

Did Zoe Aldcroft lose her parents?

No. Zoe Aldcroft’s parents, Ros and David, are alive. The confusion online arises from searches mixing her up with her England teammate Meg Jones, who tragically lost both her parents — Simon and Paula Jones — within four months of each other in 2024.

Why is Zoe Aldcroft sometimes called Zoe Stratford?

Following her marriage to Luke Stratford in June 2024, she legally changed her surname. Both names refer to the same player. Historical records use Aldcroft; official registrations from mid-2024 onwards increasingly use Stratford.

What position does Zoe Aldcroft play?

She primarily plays lock (second row) but is also highly effective at blindside flanker. Her versatility across the forward pack has been a defining feature of her England career.

For further reading on the Red Roses squad and the 2026 Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign, the England Rugby official website provides verified profiles and match records for every player in the squad.

“For a full look into her relationship timeline, check out our profile on zoe aldcroft partner Luke Stratford.”