Under the Posts – Women’s Rugby News for Oct 4-10

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news for Oct 4-10. New Zealand, Wales and England released their squads for the Autumn Internationals and World Rugby announced the 2020 HSBC 7s Series.

In more XVs news, Senegal defeated Ivory Coast in the Rugby Africa Cup, Europe’s second level XVs Trophy tournament is back with six teams, Waikato & Manawatu won the Dr Farah Palmer Cup Premiership & Championship, Bristol and Saracens are still on top in Allianz Premier 15s but the league moves into a break until late November and New Zealand has announced the formation of a Super Rugby competition which serves as a steppingstone between Farah Palmer Cup and the Black Ferns.

In 7s news, there will be six stops for the women on the 2022 HSBC 7s Series starting with a combined event in Dubai on November 26-27, the Loonies took home the inaugural Premier Rugby 7s and the United Arab Emirates swept the Asia Rugby 7s Trophy.

We close out the week with one piece of “Other News”, 18 features and 23 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 Oct 4-10. New Zealand, Wales and England released their squads for the Autumn Internationals and World Rugby announced the 2022 HSBC 7s Series.

Top Women’s Rugby News

XVs

International

• Senegal defeated Ivory Coast 45-5 in the Rugby Africa Cup
• New Zealand, Wales and England released their squads for the Autumn Internationals
• Scrum Queens gives the low down on the return of the European Trophy – Europe’s second level XVs tournament

Domestic

• Waikato and Manawatu won the Dr Farah Palmer Cup Premiership and Championship
• Bristol and Saracens are still on top of Allianz Premier 15s and the league is going on a break until after the Autumn Internationals
• UL Bohemian is at the top of the table in Ireland’s AIL but are chased by Railway Union and Blackrock
• Stade leads France’s Elite 1 followed by Valence and Massy Essone
• Societe Generale Valley rules Hong Kong’s Premiership but is chased by Natixis HKFC and Kroll

7s

• World Rugby announced a robust HSBC 7s Series with new stops in Malaga, Seville & Toulouse
• Loonies took home the inaugural Premier Rugby 7s over the Headliners 28-14
• United Arab Emirates swept the Asia Rugby 7s Trophy

Other News

• Royal Mail released a collection of stamps commemorating legendary clashes and unforgettable moments

Women’s Rugby Features

• Sara Cox’s moment in history is covered by World Rugby
• Louise Lawless argues that women’s rugby expenses should be covered so players don’t have to pay to play
• BBC looks at Wales one year out of the 2021 Rugby World Cup
• ChildFund Rugby works to tackle gender inequality in Oceania
• Women in Sport is sharing #TimeTogether stories where daughter and mums spend time together; Elli and Ali share their rugby story
• Mark Reason of Stuff NZ warns women are in far more danger from concussions than men
• Sprinbok’s Zintle Mpupha has signed with Exeter and is the first from South Africa
• Former Wales captain Ieuan Evans will chair a new steering group to discuss the feasibility of establishing a Women’s Lions team
• England releases their Umbro kit specifically for the women, the kit has been made in collaboration with the team, taking inspiration from the players’ pride in the jersey, their collective aspirations, and the personalities within the squad
• New WRU performance director Nigel Walker has vowed to right the wrongs of Wales Women’s program as they gear up for their upcoming Autumn internationals
• World Rugby poke to Lanna Assaigo-Kami, World Rugby Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship recipient about her hopes for the program, the game in Papua New Guinea and honoring late husband, Steven
• WRCRA October 2021 Coach of the Month: Alexis Morrison
• Sarah Hunter: Rugby World Cup in New Zealand will be ‘a different level’
• Olympic rugby couple Charlotte Caslick and Lewis Holland tackle life on Granite Belt cattle property
• The 42 looks at Ireland’s AIL and inter-pros and how will play a key role in rebuilding their national team
• Robert Kiston of The Guardian recognizes that great strides have been made in the women’s game but the financial side is still lagging way behind the men’s game and solutions are needed
• Zintle Mpupha: Exeter Chiefs’ South Africa women’s international aims to blaze trail for more Springbok players

Women’s Rugby Media

• Cardiff-born and raised Meg Jones explains her tough decision to play for mum’s England rather than dad’s Wales
• Wallaroos video: “We play for every woman who was told she couldn’t” 
• Bristol’s Simi Pam shares how she was racially abused and physically attacked whilst on a night out
• Sales’ Hannah Field discusses injury, her diagnoses, and the methods she uses to cope
• BBC Scrum V talks with former Wales captain Philippa Tuttiett says she would have been “scared senseless” playing international rugby had it not been for the pathways in place
  • They also spoke with Nigel Walker about how the Welsh Rugby Union has not “covered itself in glory” when it comes to the women’s game He says righting the wrongs is one of his main priorities
  • Rounding our the interviews they also spoke with Rachel Taylor about how “incredibly difficult” it was to leave her dream role
• “Injuries are tough”, but Bristol’s Saran Bern is back and better than ever and this is what it means to her…
• South Africa’s Piwokuhle Nyanda is a World Rugby Youth Unstoppable
• Black Fern’s Chelsea Alley talks with teammate Portia Woodman about being camp ahead of their Northern Tour
• England’s Shaunagh Brown shares her journey to wearing the Red Rose
• South Africa’s Babalwa Latsha is featured by Laureus Sport and Danielle Waterman
• The Girls Rugby Club Advisory Board shares what they would say to their younger selves
• Women’s Rugby Pod has England’s Sarah Hunter and South Africa’s Lynn Cantwell on Episode 5
• Try Hards releases Season 4, Episode 1
• Allianz Premier 15s has the highlights from Round 4
• Stella Mills talked with BBC Radio Solent about the challenges women’s rugby is facing
• Back the Girls has a packed Episode 7
• Women’s Rugby Show was at Hartpurty’s windy and cold clash with Harlequins