Welcome to the top women’s rugby news for Sep 20-26. Italy defeated Spain on the last day of competition at the European Qualifiers and punched their ticket for the 2021 Rugby World Cup. They will be in Pool B with Canada, USA and Asia 1. Scotland upset Ireland in the final moments of their match and moved on to the Final Qualification Tournament (repechage).
A lot of focus has been on Ireland and how they won’t be at the World Cup, their first miss since 1994. Scotland’s stunning performance wasn’t only unexpected, most pundits were counting them out before the match even started (ourselves included). We’re still awaiting details of the repechage, but we know the Scots will face runners-up in Asia, Samoa (Oceania), and Kenya (Africa). They should have a good chance of getting through and if so, would join New Zealand, Australia, and Wales in Pool A.
In 7s news, Great Britain won Edmonton 7s after beating USA 22-5 and we’ve learned the Premier Rugby Sevens schedule for October 9.
We close out the week with 3 articles in our “Other News”, 11 features and 11 media.
We need you! Become a supporter of our site at https://www.patreon.com/yscrugby.
tl;dr: Under the Posts – Women’s Rugby News for Sep 20-26 sees Italy through to the Rugby World Cup 2021, Scotland moves on to the Repechage & Great Britain won Edmonton 7s.
Video Summary
Featured Women’s Rugby News
In the Rugby World Cup 2021 European Qualifiers it all came down to the last day of competition. It was expected that Italy would go through as the overall winner but Ireland had a chance for an upset. The first match went mostly as anticipated, Italy defeated Spain 34-10. Then the pressure was on Ireland, a bonus point win and they were the overall winner. Their match against Scotland started well where they had most of the possession. But the Scots took their points where they could and kept the scoreline close. In the end, a last minute try by Chloe Rollie and the conversion put them ahead by two points. As we’ve stated, they now move on to the Final Qualification Tournament (Repechage).
Top Women’s Rugby News
XVs
International
- New Zealand confirm their Autumn Internationals against England and France in November
- Wales Rugby Union Chair promises a reform in the women’s game
Domestic
- Ireland’s Energia AIL sees a 4 way tie at the top of the table between Old Belvedere, UL Bohemian, Railway Union and Malone
- The semi-finals are set in the Dr Farah Palmer Cup
- Northland Kauri v Hawke’s Bay Tui (Championship semi-final)
- Waikato v Wellington Pride (Premiership semi-final)
- Bristol and Saracens are tied in Allianz Premier 15s
- Stade Toulousain leads France’s Elite 1
- Corstorphine sits on top of Scotland’s Tennent’s Premiership
- Hong Kong’s Dettol Premiership sees Kroll USRC Tigers sitting pretty
7s
- Great Britain captured the 2021 HSBC 7s Series title after they defeated the USA 22-5 at Edmonton 7s
- The Premier Rugby Sevens schedule for October 9 has been released
- The Rugby Breakdown shares what USA’s Chris Brown next steps are
Other News
- England’s Sara Cox became the first woman to referee a Gallagher Premier match
- Australia has appointed Ms Sonja Stewartas Chair of Rugby Australia’s First Nations Rugby Committee as it reaffirms its commitment to Australia’s First Nation peoples
- Scottish Rugby has agreed a season-long partnership with HITIQ Technology in a data study to support an improved understanding of concussion and contact in rugby
Women’s Rugby Features
- Ireland’s Edel McMahon has returned to the cloverleaf after recovering form injury
- WRCRA features Vicky Bowlin, a Florida State University fullback in the 1980s
- Joanne O’Riordan pens an important opinion piece around men admitting that they didn’t see women before fatherhood
- Australia’s Grace Kemp shares how her opportunities with First Nations led to her pathway to gold
- Guyana’s Sabola Gray is a club founder, player, referee, and a coach
- Jasmine Joyce: Why Wales’ most exciting rugby player will soon have to back to the day job
- The42 features Ireland’s Eve Higgins
- Nick Heath writes for Rugby Pass that Allianz Premier 15s should put quality over quantity
- Canada’s Julianne Zussman shares her journey to refereeing at the Olympics
Women’s Rugby Media
- England’s Bryony Cleall is on Women’s Rugby Pod to talk about her move to Wasps
- Black Ferns’ Les Elder and Renee wickliffe talk about their upcoming matches against France and England
- Ireland’s Sene Naoupu spoke to hundreds of players around the issue of contact in training and worked with World Rugby to bring together new guidelines
- Watch all the tries from the last day of the Rugby World Cup 2021 European Qualifiers
- Mexico was grateful for playing in Vancouver and Edmonton
- Scotland’s Jenny Maxwell talks through her key moments that have impacted her as a player
- Stella Mills chats with Sam Fraser of BBC Radio Solent about all things women’s rugby
- Watch Rugby Afrique Exco member and President of the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee, Paula Lanco, applaud the work done by Zimbabwe’s unstoppable Abigail Kawonza, in an interview with ZTN News
- What is the Utrecht Shield?
- Greaux Rugby Show: Developing Rugby (part 1) featuring Naya Tapper, Phil Thiel, Charity Williams, Ada Milby, and Rashad Lipford
https://twitter.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1441777886881480705
https://twitter.com/Federugby/status/1441836605698822150
https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1441824162151022593
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1442610179112046593
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441824920833568769
The IRFU confirm review will be done after Ireland failed to qualify for next year's World Cup.
— Sinéad Kissane (@sineadkissane) September 27, 2021
2013 Grand Slam winner Grace Davitt believes review should be published. She fears the issues facing women's game could be swept under carpet.
More on @VirginMediaNews pic.twitter.com/yHH9ZRNdR2
XVs
International
https://twitter.com/BlackFerns/status/1440511169136107520
https://twitter.com/waleswomenrugby/status/1440994704129155079
Domestic
What a game! @SGValleyRFC secured a 18 – 7 win over Gai Wu RFC from their first clash in Dettol Hong Kong Women’s Premiership. Great job on Societe Generale Valley for taking home another victory today!
— HKRU (@HongKongRugby) September 25, 2021
#hkrugby #ProtectTheBestMoments #AGameForAll pic.twitter.com/QYA7nx6SSL
WRAP + HIGHLIGHTS | Miss anything from the final regular season round of the Farah Palmer Cup? We've got you covered with all the match highlights below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
— Bunnings NPC (@BunningsNPC) September 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1442407637048602624
7s
https://twitter.com/WorldRugby7s/status/1442274373704904710
Isadora Cerullo – the first international Olympian to join Premier Rugby 7s https://t.co/7JSOpzbh0J
— Americas Rugby News (@americasrugby) September 22, 2021
https://twitter.com/prsevens/status/1440777173900480521
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441809895171440643
Other News
https://twitter.com/premrugby/status/1440002184335200259
https://twitter.com/RugbyAU/status/1440526269423173632
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441039658738192395
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1440028005666021388
Joanne O’Riordan: Why do some men only champion women after having a daughter? https://t.co/KXpC3MT2uA via @IrishTimesSport
— Irish Times Sport (@IrishTimesSport) September 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441402159027916801
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441764594335293441
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1440752959013326849
Eve Higgins of @RFCRailwayUnion has been impressive at outside centre for Ireland.https://t.co/COeUfrSOJs
— The42.ie (@The42_ie) September 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441447503304400898
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441840081367568385
https://twitter.com/TheXV/status/1440698894057279497
https://twitter.com/RugbyAmericasN/status/1441022033253449732
https://twitter.com/podwomensrugby/status/1440654334446866434
https://twitter.com/BlackFerns/status/1440468390498340866
https://twitter.com/IntRugbyPlayers/status/1441134310103207940
https://twitter.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1441857072522534914
"She's a lot more than a physio..."@irishrugby physio Orla Armstrong takes us behind the #HSBC7s scenes and the highs and lows of looking after elite players#HSBCWorldOfOpportunity pic.twitter.com/C26m7d5y7J
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) September 22, 2021
https://twitter.com/stella_mills_/status/1440738439238807557
https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1441319634326601736
https://twitter.com/RugbyAmericasN/status/1442247326328778755
Watch Rugby Afrique Exco member and President of the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee, Paula Lanco, applaud the work done by Zimbabwe’s unstoppable Abigail Kawonza, in an interview with ZTN News. #RugbyAfrica #WhyWePlay #RiseOfWomensRugby #Unstoppables @PaulinaLanco @ZTNnews pic.twitter.com/a5XKNjMbvi
— Rugby Afrique (@RugbyAfrique) September 23, 2021
What is the @utrechtshield ?
— Utrecht Shield (@utrechtshield) September 23, 2021
A #Womensrugby International Shield which traces a line of winners since the first international match in 1982.
It needs your help by sharing this video so more people can enjoy it too!
Thank you in advance.
We will spread the word! pic.twitter.com/QGtGlfQeb4
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1441522912083812356