Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for Nov 1-7. We begin with all the scores from the Autumn International matches over the weekend and Wales in a surprise announcement is investing more than $2.5 million dollars in contracting up to 25 players. 10 players will become “professional” and the rest will be on “retained” contracts. This is an incredibly exciting step forward for the Welsh women’s rugby program but “professional” will have to be defined as we know it can mean many things.
In 7s news, Ireland announced a new Head Coach, Asia released the schedule for the 2021 Dialog 7s on November 19 which also serves as a 2022 Rugby World Cup Qualifier and Dubai announced all the teams attending their HSBC 7s Series leg on Dec 4-5.
In domestic XVs news, we have all the action from Hong Kong’s Premiership, the Allianz Premier 15s Cup, and Ireland’s AIL.
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tl;dr: Women’s Rugby in 60 secs – Nov 1-7 has all the scores from the weekend’s Autumn Internationals, Wales is investing more than $2.5 million in 25 player contracts and Dubai announced the attending teams for the first stop of the 2022 HSBC 7s Series.
60 Second Video Update
Top Women’s Rugby Stories
XVs
International
- USA and Canada played in the first Pacific Four Series, Canada won both matches, 15-9 and 26-13
- In the European Trophy, Czechia won easily over Finland 39-12; 3 matches remain
- Netherlands defeated Belgium 44-0
- France blasted South Africa 46-3
- England moved into the #1 spot in the World Rugby ranking as they beat New Zealand 56-15
- Wales breezed past Japan 23-5
- Wales also announced they are investing $2.5 million into contracting up to 25 players!
Domestic
- Societe Generale Valley continues to lead Hong Kong’s Premiership
- Round 2 of the Allianz Premier 15s Cup saw winners Saracens, Exeter, Bristol and Harlequins
- Old Belvedere and UL Bohemian are tied at the top of Ireland’s AIL and they are followed closely by Railway and Blackrock
- Valence Romans Drome is now leading France’s Elite 1 but is chased by Massy Essonne and Stade
7s
- Asia’s Dialog 7s is also a 2022 Rugby World Cup Qualifier and Pool A will include Japan, Kazakhstan, Thailand and the Philippines while Pool B features China, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Malaysia
- The first 2022 HSBC 7s Series stop in Dubai on Dec 4-5 will see Great Britain, Spain, USA, Fiji, France, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Russia and Ireland
- Ireland announced Aiden McNulty as their head coach ahead of the 2022 HSBC 7s Series
Women’s Rugby Features
- Bristol’s Dave Ward shares how he has shifted his side from under achievers to winners
- World Rugby caught up with Katie Sadleir on her final day as World Rugby’s General Manager of Women’s Rugby
- Anna Caplice writes for Balls IE that fans should take down their blinders and embrace women’s sports
- Elin is a World Rugby Youth Unstoppable and she shares how she fell in love with rugby
- Scrum Queens put out a great interview with England’s Abby Dow
- New Zealand’s Alice Soper urges us all to become activists for our sport
- Canada and Rugby Americas North profile Quebec’s Claudie Noël and her journey
- World Rugby spoke with USA’s Jamie Burke and current Women’s Eagles coach Rob Cain about the Kathy Flores the trailblazer and her impact
- South Africa’s Zintle Mpupha has been playing in England and she’s ready to share that experience with her national team
- Italy’s Fracesca Gallina is the new Chairperson of Rugby Europe’s Women’s Sub-Committee and she is determined that the knowledge and expertise of former female players is retained within the game
- For two years, Adam Julian tried to track down wily Black Fern No.2, Miriama Baker, for the Black Ferns A-Z encyclopedia and now we have her story
- Samoa’s Maria Kalapu is highlighted by WRCRA as the November 2021 Coach of the Month
Women’s Rugby Media
- Ireland’s Aoife Doyle shares What Makes [her] Tick with Stephan Bradshaw
- Wales’ Liliana Podpadec is hoping to make her whole family proud this autumn
- Barbarian’s Team Co-ordinator Fiona Stockley talks with Anything but Footy about breaking through in a male dominated sport
- Wales releases vintage footage of “Cup Tonight” including Non Evans and mates
- Wales’ Nigel Walker shares their “commitment to making [Wales] the best professional women’s program in the world”
- Captain Siwan Lillicrap credits the players “for being brave and saying what we want for the future and look where we are today”
- England features Poppy Cleal is on O2 Inside Line
- Ireland reveals fresh kit and it will be debuted against USA and Japan
XVs
International
https://twitter.com/RugbyCanada/status/1455371594742779911
https://twitter.com/RugbyCanada/status/1456824274644242434
https://twitter.com/rugby_europe/status/1456948950011949063
— Rugby femenino (@Rugby_femenino) November 6, 2021
https://twitter.com/FranceRugby/status/1457012955476893698
https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/1457386990769516545
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1457418250367733765
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1455882641295740932
Domestic
On Women’s side, @kowloon_rfc held off @USRCtigersrugby 31-18, collecting two-from-two in today’s Dettol Hong Kong Premiership Rugby. Congrats, Loon!
— HKRU (@HongKongRugby) November 6, 2021
在今日的滴露女子超級聯賽中,九龍技高一籌,終以31:18戰勝猛虎,恭喜晒!#hkrugby #ProtectTheBestMoments #AGameForAll pic.twitter.com/hWqzypLxh3
https://twitter.com/Premier15s/status/1457028673417224200
#PositiveEnergy
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 7, 2021
There were some seriously tight match ups in the #EnergiaAIL Women's Division this weekend. @OldBelvoWomen v @CookeRFCWomen was one of them. #NothingLikeIt pic.twitter.com/3w3TYLLWIR
7s
Finally unveiled! The long-waited fixtures for Dialog Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2021 in Dubai acting as the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 Asian Qualifiers #Rugby7s #Rugby #RWC7s #AR7s@WorldRugby7s pic.twitter.com/vqBRz9bgue
— Asia Rugby (@asiarugby) November 3, 2021
Now It's time to meet Women's teams! The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series returns to the desert for a new season & we cannot wait to welcome these teams to @thesevensstadium !
— Emirates Dubai 7s (@Dubai7s) November 2, 2021
First up today we have @GBRugbySevens, @Spain7s & @USARugby! #Dubai7s #7swillreturn #Rugby7s pic.twitter.com/OwJ6qWMq1f
Next up, the women's teams that will join us in the Dubai desert in December are:@fijirugby, @FranceRugby & @RugbyCanada!#Dubai7s #7swillreturn #Rugby7s pic.twitter.com/FVhCfbbCYk
— Emirates Dubai 7s (@Dubai7s) November 2, 2021
The final announcements of the Women's teams returning to Dubai in December for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series!@brasilrugby, @Aussie7s, @russiarugby & @IrishRugby!
— Emirates Dubai 7s (@Dubai7s) November 2, 2021
Not long now, until the teams are in Dubai!#Dubai7s #7swillreturn #Rugby7s pic.twitter.com/zkxnQULZqS
https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1455848616564871175
https://twitter.com/RugbyCanada/status/1453123844902899718
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1455878211318030345
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1456622502352928772
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1456984746047705090
https://twitter.com/RugbyAmericasN/status/1455222100881510404
Women's rugby must become unashamedly ambitious if it's to flourish, and all wāhine can band together and play their part without having to pull on a jersey, writes Alice Soper, in her first column for #LockerRoom. @alicesoapbox #WIRA @NZRugby #womensrugbyhttps://t.co/WdCj98LT1t
— Suzanne McFadden (@suzemcfadden) November 1, 2021
"I find it empowering to be able to be able to answer the question – what's your career?, with 'rugby player.'
— Scrumqueens - Women’s Rugby (@ScrumQueens) November 4, 2021
Ahead of England's second test v NZ this Sunday, we caught up with winger @abbydowberg on the benefits being a fulltime pro brings & more. https://t.co/c0ssq5utF8 pic.twitter.com/qbxiqHiqvN
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1456667842393382922
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1455248484303507457
https://twitter.com/WomenBoks/status/1455548358613995522
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1456305248725831683
After Adam Julian tried for 2 years to track down Black Fern No.2, Miriama Baker, for the @BlackFerns A-Z, a LockerRoom story finally uncovered her whereabouts. Now Baker reveals where she's been, how her club shunned her and why she went AWOL in Wales. https://t.co/FJV9D2Qddq
— Suzanne McFadden (@suzemcfadden) November 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1457105558293594114
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1455461208182726658
https://twitter.com/AnythingbutF/status/1455803305599377410
https://twitter.com/HenoS4C/status/1455980998966095875
https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/1455456747175489542
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1455886107858644997
Aoife Doyle tells @StevieBrads how rugby helped her realise the person she is today and what her future has in store. https://t.co/h3sXPEuwIJ
— RugbyPlayersIreland (@RugbyPlayersIRE) November 1, 2021
https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1455482922694283265
https://twitter.com/BBCSportWales/status/1455962220337278982