Welcome to the top women’s rugby news for June 14-20. France and Russia swept the last Olympic Qualifying event and have booked their tickets to the Olympics in Tokyo.
In more 7s news, Czechia won the first leg of the Europe 7s Trophy Series, Fiji has entered their training bubble ahead of the inaugural PacificAus Oceania 7s, and USA announces an invitational only National Championship Club 7s tournament.
In XVs news, Romagnat took home the France Elite 1 Championship, DHL Western continues to lead South Africa’s Premier Division, all matches of the Dr Farah Palmer Cup will be broadcast live for the first time, and USA Rugby announced another Daily Training Environment (DTE) ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
In “Other News”, World Rugby announced the appointment of Nicky Ponsford as Women’s High Performance Manager along with approving an additional $836,000 to their initial $2.8 million investment.
We wrap up the week with 20 features and 8 media.
If you’ve enjoyed this week’s women’s rugby news, become a supporter at https://www.patreon.com/yscrugby.
tl;dr: Under the Posts – Women’s Rugby News for June 14-20 sees France and Russia grab the last two spots at the Olympics, Romagnat took home the France Elite 1 Championship and World Rugby announced the appointment of Nicky Ponsford as Women’s High Performance Manager along with approving an additional $836,000 to their initial $2.8 million investment.
Video Summary
Featured Women’s Rugby News
The big news this week is that France and Russia have booked their tickets to Tokyo! France went undefeated and they held all opponents scoreless in the Olympic Repechage tournament while Russia went undefeated and allowed a single converted try.
The field is set for the Olympics and it’s a mere 28 days until the Opening Ceremonies of the games.
Weekly Women’s Rugby News
XVs
- Romagnat took home the France Elite 1 title over Blagnac
- DHL Western seems unstoppable in South Africa’s Premier Division
- All matches of New Zealand’s Dr Farah Palmer Cup will be live broadcast!
- USA names 43 players to their Summer Daily Training Environment, June 17 to July 11
- NE Free Jacks held a NE Independents weekend where a women’s Red verse Blue match took place
7s
- Czechia took home the first leg of Rugby Europe’s Trophy Series
- Fiji enters their training bubble ahead of the inaugural PacificAus Oceania 7s
- China is also in camp preparing for the Olympics
- Iraq has announced a squad of 20 players for the first ever Iraq women’s rugby 7s team
- USA 7s Club National Championships will be in Seattle, WA on August 13-15
Other News
- World Rugby announced the appointment of Nicky Ponsford as Women’s High-Performance Manager along with approving an increase of $836,000 to the initial $2.8 million Rugby World Cup High Performance Preparation Fund
Women’s Rugby Features
- Ireland’s Dorothy Wall plans to juggle 7s and XVs
- New Cook Islands Rugby Union president Ashleigh Wihongi-Willis is embarking on a bold path to level the playing field for men and women in the sport
- Japan’s Airi Murakami has come out as gay a rarity in her country
- Ireland’s Joy Neville says being judged on performance as opposed to gender is crucial if more female officials are to take charge of men’s matches in future
- Stuff features New Zealand’s Stacey Fluhler and her gig hosting a tv show
- England’s Simon Middleton talks with In the Cheap Seats about their preparations for the 2021 Rugby World Cup
- Canada’s newly appointed Chair Sally Dennis talks about being first
- Nakuru’s Noreen Liyosi is the first woman to become a World Rugby certified rugby referee
- Biggar Rugby Club’s Emma Orr starred for Scotland 7s Ladies at this month’s Rugby Europe Championship in Lisbon
- Jilly Collins, Rugby Australia’s general manager of women’s rugby speaks with ESPN about how important the Super W competition is this year
- Australia’s Annabelle Codey opens up about how her dad will make sure the women aren’t lost in a Rugby World Cup bid to host in 2027
- Winona’s Diana Tapia Alvarado says her mother is to thank for her success
- Leinster’s Jennie Bagnall, Women’s Development Officer tells Irish Rugby about her time with Leinster and the changes she has seen
- Former Wallaroos star Chloe Butler is enjoying giving back to the game in her role as regional rugby manager for girls and women in Central Queensland
- Alexandria Olton ready to tackle Trinidad and Tobago women’s rugby assistant coach role
- Rugby Africa’s Unstoppable Donatienne Rasoampamonjy is a Force to be Reckoned with in Madagascar
- South Africa’s Ruth Mahlako opens up about what playing rugby means for her
- Zimbabwe’s Ropafadzo Madyah continues to break new ground after she signed her first professional contract with South Africa women’s rugby Premier Division side Boland
Women’s Rugby Media
- The Women’s Rugby Show dropped three episode’s this week!
- Russia POV video of the moment they qualified for the Olympics
- South Africa’s Babalwa Latsha shares her fascinating story
- Women’s Rugby Pod has their final episode on tap
- Greaux Rugby Show talks with World Rugby and USA Rugby Hall of Famer Phaidra Knight
- NBC 7 News profiles the women of USA Rugby 7s
- Czechia captured the Europe Trophy and we got a peek at their celebrations
https://twitter.com/WorldRugby7s/status/1406657462195961856
https://twitter.com/FranceRugby/status/1406657317538603010
QUALIFIED ✅ pic.twitter.com/nV5ZFqi3d7
— Russian Rugby / Федерация Регби России (@RugbyRussia) June 20, 2021
XVs
https://twitter.com/Elite1Feminine/status/1406679457281216523
♨️ It was a weekend of high drama in the Women's Premier Division, with DHL WP building on their lead!
— Springbok Women (@WomenBoks) June 14, 2021
➡️ Fixtures, results and more here: https://t.co/UHgJTWt8sT pic.twitter.com/NhUqyVhVcE
https://twitter.com/BlackFerns/status/1404533583499300869
43 players named for #USWNTXVs Summer Daily Training Environment.
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) June 15, 2021
Residency runs from June 17 to July 11 at @RugbyTownNTC.
MORE » https://t.co/ifAkGlAZGt pic.twitter.com/pXFCmanwAJ
https://twitter.com/NEFreeJacks/status/1404840696973041664
7s
Czechia took the spoils in both the men and women's Rugby Europe Trophy first-leg win over the weekend in Zagreb! https://t.co/5r1h5MELOU
— Rugby Europe (@rugby_europe) June 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1404514070833905665
https://twitter.com/asiarugby/status/1404634699906027520
Head Coach of @IraqRugby Hussein Ammar has Selected a Squad of 20 players for the First ever Iraq women's rugby 7s team in preparation for upcoming Asia Rugby #ReturnToPlay CrossBorder tournaments. #Returntoplay #AsiaRugby # #teampowered #worldrugby pic.twitter.com/a6g8bicIsW
— Asia Rugby (@asiarugby) June 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/usaclubrugby/status/1404537203586383874
Other News
https://twitter.com/WorldRugby/status/1404721226589868034
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1404559353559109642
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1404846387687264264
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405163359469768710
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405284070163058690
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405601185608998916
With the Premier 15s over and the Six Nations a distant memory I was lucky enough to sit down with @EnglandRugby #RedRoses head coach Simon Middleton to discuss his thoughts a year out from a World Cup!
— Matt Merritt (@MattMerritt) June 17, 2021
Read it here: https://t.co/npgavRt3ts pic.twitter.com/yQjtnU5eZu
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405963555233468420
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405933530690076680
https://twitter.com/Thomas_Wheelock/status/1401885485002276864
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1404876443247599623
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405208606463627272
#GiveItATry
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 17, 2021
“We want as many opportunities for the girls to play as much high quality rugby as we can." - Jennie Bagnall on developing pathways for girls. #WomenInRugby @LeinsterBranch @leinsterrugby https://t.co/lWfhxv6y31
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405888054884196361
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1406371256149200907
https://twitter.com/rugbycomau/status/1405457767192748032
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1404801140412321797
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https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1405238896083062785
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https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1406325967866507281
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1406658204575178755
https://twitter.com/WomensRugbyShow/status/1404430953360105473
https://twitter.com/WomensRugbyShow/status/1404748060471795717
https://twitter.com/WomensRugbyShow/status/1405540840198447107
https://twitter.com/podwomensrugby/status/1404853726830018566
"This is exactly what I've been fighting my way out of"
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 17, 2021
The first time we tried to tell @BabalwaLatsha's fascinating story, Babalwa and our crew were victims of an armed robbery.
As she strives to remove herself from that way of life, now we can.@Elmakapelma | #TheOpenSide pic.twitter.com/ml3NVCPFop
https://twitter.com/WorldRugby7s/status/1406655074605096969
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1406009001855365124
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1406250458507792391
https://twitter.com/rugby_europe/status/1406657386115473412