Women’s Rugby in 60 secs – Oct 18-24

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for Oct 18-24. Japan has qualified for the 2021 Rugby World Cup after a revision to the Asia pathway. USA announced their interest in hosting the 2027, 2029 or 2031 Rugby World Cup while England also expressed interest in hosting in 2025.

This week we’re mourning the losses of USA’s Kathy Flores and Italy’s Adelina Corbanese. Both legends of the game that are gone too soon.

In more XVs news, France announced their squad ahead of Autumn Internationals and Ireland announced Greg McWilliams will take over for Adam Griggs after their fall matches. Speaking of the Irish, they also have given an update on their reviews into not qualifying for the 2021 Rugby World Cup and the changing room fiasco at the Interpros semi-finals a few weeks ago. 

In 7s news, Australia has vacated both of their head coaching positions after disappointing performances at the Olympics and Canada has announced that Jack Hanratty is taking the reins of their program through the end of the year.

We close out the week with 15 features and 14 media.

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tl;dr: Women’s Rugby in 60 secs – Oct 18-24 sees Japan qualify for the 2021 Rugby World Cup after World Rugby confirmed a revision to the Asia qualification pathway, USA announced their interest in hosting the 2027, 2029 or 2031 Rugby World Cup while England has also expressed interest in 2025.

60 Second Video Update

Featured Women’s Rugby Stories

Lots of huge news this week, World released their Mastercard Tournament Pass and it sold out in minutes! Japan has also qualified for the 2021 Rugby World Cup after the Asia qualification pathway received an adjustment.

As the highest ranked team in the region, Japan joins USA, Canada and recently qualified team Italy in Pool B. Kazakhstan and Hong Kong will compete in a play-off match to determine which team progresses to the Final Qualification Tournament.

In other big news, USA announced their interest in hosting the 2027, 2029 or 2031 Rugby World Cups. This is the first time a nation has bid on both the Men and Women’s World Cups. 28 cities have expressed interest in being involved.

Days later England also announced their interest in hosting the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Previously they hosted the very successful 2010 RWC and won it as recently as 2014.

Top Women’s Rugby Stories

XVs

International

• We released a list of all the known 2021 Women’s Rugby Internationals; we’ll keep adding matches as they come up!
• France revealed their squad ahead of matches against South Africa on November 6, New Zealand on November 13 and 20
• The IRFU provided an update on several reviews, the highlights are that they are just starting
  • They also announced Adam Griggs is departing after Autumn internationals and will be replaced by Greg McWilliams

Domestic

• Railway is still on top of Ireland’s AIL and continues to be pursued by Black Rock, Old Belvedere and UL Bohemian
  • Wicklow made history against Malone on Saturday evening with their first ever All-Ireland League win
• Valence continues to lead France’s Elite 1 but Massy, Stade Olympique and SC Albi are only a few points behind
• Societe Generale Valley remains number one in Hong Kong’s Premiership

7s

• Australia has concluded a review after a disappointing Olympics and has vacated both their men’s and women’s coaching roles
• Canada announced that Jack Hanratty is their interim coach through the end of 2021

Other News

• Italy’s Adelina Corbanese has passed; she was one of the pioneers of Italian women’s rugby who represented the national team between 1986 and 2003
• USA’s Kathy Flores has also passed and her rugby families at Brown University, Providence Women’s Rugby, Berkeley All Blues, Cal Berkeley Women’s Rugby Club, San Francisco Women’s Rugby, San Francisco Fog RFC, Pacific Coast All Star Rugby Team, USA Rugby, Florida State University and the U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation are mourning her passing

Women’s Rugby Features

• South Africa’s Aimee Barrett-Theron has been likened to Nigel Owens after making humorous remarks on her Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut
• Canada’s Kayla Moleschi shares her Olympic experience
• Rachael Burford writes for Rugby Pass that “if we are framing the men’s game as a career pinnacle, we are also by default framing the women’s game as a steppingstone, which could have negative implications for its sustainability in the future”
• Wales releases a new “green” kit and their women will wear it for the first time when they take on Japan on November 7
• Australia’s Atasi Lafai is featured by Buildcorp
• Women’s Rugby Data shares a reflection from England’s Sally Jones following their Rugby World Cup win in 1994
• Wales’ Josh Adams believes his hot-footed Welsh counterpart Jasmine Joyce is the best women’s rugby player in the world
• Queensland will create a historic women’s Academy squad as they look for their first Super W title
• Ireland’s Lindsey Peat reveals that her last matches will more than likely come this fall
• Black Fern’s Liana Mikaele-Tu’u is just beginning her career with New Zealand and is relishing the chance to play in their 100th test match
• Gordon D’Arcy: Ireland women’s rugby must forge its own identity rather than follow men’s model
• Australia’s Emily Chancellor reflects back to 2018 when she first learned she would be suiting up against New Zealand, she couldn’t believe it
• Super Rugby Aupiki has the power to change attitudes, by showcasing a diverse range of female athletes’ body shapes and sizes
• Quinnipiac’s Becky Carlson pens a touching and thoughtful ode to Kathy Flores

Women’s Rugby Media

• England’s Ellie Kildunne looks forward to their coming matches in the Stoop
• House of Rugby features Ireland’s Lindsey Peat as their special guest
• Scotland’s Sarah law shares her stand-out memories from her journey so far
• England has recovered the 1994 Rugby World Cup trophy, it had been lost after a few tours
• Back The Girls chatted with Ty Francis about New York Welsh to sponsoring and supporting grassroots sports in Wales
• England’s Jodie Ounsley shares her story of playing elite rugby with a deaf disability
• Women’s Rugby Coaching talks with South Africa’s Lynne Cantwell
• World Rugby Museum looks at the first women to play rugby with Dr. Lydia Furse
• The Ruck has Jess Hayden on to round up all the latest women’s rugby news
• England’s Alex Matthews shares her memories of Sixways ahead of their clash against USA
• The Black Ferns crunch all the numbers ahead of their historic 100th test match and head coach Glenn Moore shares how their preparation is going
• England’s Maggie Alphonsi and Bristol’s Simi Pam talk about being trailblazers
• Canada’s Alysha Corrigan is celebrated by DHL Rugby as she plays for the Saracens