Women’s Rugby in 60 secs – May 23-Jun 5

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for May 23-Jun 5. We were out on vacation last week so we’re doubling up your news! Canada and New Zealand recorded wins in the Pacific Four Series, Finland defeated Switzerland in the Europe Trophy while Saracens won Allianz Premier and Stade Toulousain won France’s Elite 1.

In more XVs news, DHL Western secured the top spot in the South Africa’s Premier Division and will host Border Ladies next weekend in the final. New Zealand’s Farah Palmer Cup announced matches will kick off August 5, and Scotland revealed an updated women’s player pathway and that their Tennent League will return.

In 7s news, the 2023 HSBC Sevens Series was announced and we will see stops in Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, France and London.

We close out the week with 25 features and 16 media.

We need you! Become a supporter of our site at https://www.patreon.com/yscrugby.

tl;dr: Women’s Rugby in 60 secs for May 23-Jun 5 saw Canada and New Zealand win in the opening weekend of Pacific Four Series, Finland defeated Switzerland in the Europe Trophy while the Saracens won Allianz Premier and Stade Toulousain won France’s Elite 1.

60 Second Video Update

@yscrugby

Your #wrugby News in under 60 seconds for Women's Rugby in 60 secs for May 23-Jun 5 saw Canada and New Zealand win in the opening weekend of Pacific Four Series, Finland defeated Switzerland in the Europe Trophy while the Saracens won Allianz Premier and Stade Toulousain won France's Elite 1. Watch our video & read the entire update using the link in our bio! #womensrugby #wrugby #rugbyunion

♬ original sound - YSCRugby

Top Women’s Rugby Stories

XVs

International

• Canada and New Zealand recorded wins in the Pacific Four Series
  • Canada 36 USA 5
  • New Zealand 23 Australia 10
• Finland defeated Switzerland 80-0 in the Europe Trophy
• World Rugby has selected an all female match official team for Rugby World Cup 2021 and the Pacific Four Series
• USA announced pathways to host U23 All Star Competition this summer in tandem with the 2022 Women’s Premier League National Championship
• France announced that Thomas Darracq is the new head coach while Gaelle Mignot & David Ortiz were already named as assistants after the exit of Sam Cherouk & Stephane Eymard after the Six Nations

Domestic

• Saracens defeated Exeter 31-21 to win the Allianz Premier title
• Stade Toulousain defeated Montpellier 24-12 to win France’s Elite 1
• DHL Western secured the top spot in the South Africa’s Premier Division and will host Border Ladies next weekend in the final
• New Zealand’s Farah Palmer Cup announced matches will kick off August 5
• Scotland revealed an updated women’s player pathway and that their Tennent League will return

7s

• The 2023 HSBC Sevens Series was announced and we will see stops in Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, France and London
• Lindenwood repeated as CRC Champion while Penn State took 3rd
• Premier Rugby has attracted North America’s top coaches
• Austria & Bulgaria promoted to Euro Trophy

Women’s Rugby Features

• Alice Soper works to discover who the 1926 Black Ferns are?
• Gloucester Rugby has extended its commitment to Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC with a significant increase in funding to the women’s team from the 2022/23 season
• Saracens’ Lotte Clapp talks about the “promising” growth of the Allianz Premier 
• A new taonga recognizes the three stalwart women’s clubs in Auckland rugby. And it’s been gifted by a wahine who’s also a treasure of the game
• Joy Neville chats about the all-female team of referees for Rugby World Cup
• Fiona Tomas explains how Exeter reached the Allianz Premier Finals in three years
• Wayne Barnes shares how he’s ready to test the Black Ferns style
• Kendra Cocksedge to become most capped Black Fern
• Ireland’s Stacey Flood has been appointed Opel Brand Ambassador and presented with a new electric Opel Corsa-e
• We learn more about the shakeup with France’s coaching staff in response to their Six Nations performance
• Black Ferns halfback Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu has been around the women’s rugby season for nearly a decade, but is relishing being involved at Test level again
• Learn about the four coaches join the Rugby World Cup 2021 Coaching Internship Programme (CIP)
• USA lays out a blueprint for the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups
• How Kévin Rouet is preparing Canada for next era of women’s rugby
• She played rugby with the boys, but now Milly Mackey is bringing the game to the girls
• Natalie Delamere (Te Whānau-a-Apanui) was one of seven debutants named in the Black Ferns squad for the upcoming Pacific Four Series, and a chance to wear the black jersey is an exciting prospect for the 25 year-old
• Women in Leadership Directive Profile: Kat Aversano, USA
• Cherry Blyde becomes first female president of Taranaki Rugby in its 136-year history
• Alice Soper writes about allyship and how it’s not just a title
• Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will create history on 25 June when she leads an all-female match official team for the Portugal v Italy men’s international at the Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon
• Director of Rugby for Sporting CP, João Telhada shares how club rugby works in Portugal
• Spain’s Patricia Garcia hopes to go out smiling
• Scrum Queens’ interviewed Black Ferns’ Whitney Hansen

Women’s Rugby Media

• Our video stating that we were closing shop was quite the hit…thanks again James Haskell
• England’s Rosie Galligan shares how she recovered from meningitis to play in the Six Nations
• Go behind the scenes with statistician Kate Lorimer, who plays a pivotal role in a #HSBC7s tournament
• Marlie Packer reflects on unbelievable season with Saracens
• South Africa’s Zintle Mpupha is featured on World Rugby’s #TheOpenSide
• England’s Emily Scarratt and Ireland’s Hannah O’Connor meet in the latest #UltimateRugbyChallenge
• Ahead of the Allianz Premier final, Exeter and USA wing Jennine Detiveaux spoke to The Rugby Network about her excitement for the game this Friday
• Hear from Hollie Davidson as she shares her journey from player to referee, having today been confirmed as the first female match official to referee a match involving a team from the men’s Six Nations
• Rocky Clark gives her perspective on this week’s GS&R
• Women’s Rugby Pod releases episode 116
• Eimear Considine told us about her start in rugby and the importance of raising awareness about the game
• England’s Ellie Boatman opened up about  body image struggles to signing for England Sevens
• Try Hards talks James Haskell, Premier 15s final and more
• A special #RugbyUnionWeekly pod see’s ⁦Ugo Monye and ⁦Chris Jones ask chief exec Simon Massie-Taylor the if the Premiership will take over Allianz Premier
• Goff caught up with US Women’s Rugby Foundation traveling museum commemorating 50 years of Women’s Rugby