Women’s Rugby News in 60 secs – Aug 1-7

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for Aug 1-7. This week we look at three different organizations and individuals who are calling on their Unions and World Rugby to take action around brain injuries. This is what their focus should be on instead of eliminating transgender athletes.

In International XVs news, Gillian McDarby has been appointed as Ireland’s Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways and the IRFU confirmed that 43 centralized, paid contracts will be offered next season! 

In Domestic XVs news, Canterbury and Auckland are leading the Farah Palmer Cup with Waikato and Bay of Plenty chasing and the DMP Durham Sharks may have to withdraw from England’s Premier league over a lack of funding.

In 7s news, Singapore won Asia’s Trophy and will be promoted to the Series in 2023, the 2024 Olympic Rugby Games will be played July 24-30 in the Stade de France and the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series takes place this weekend in Santiago, Chile with 12 teams. 

We close out the week with 10 features and 3 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 Aug 1-7 saw organizations and individuals call on their Rugby Unions and World Rugby to take brain injuries seriously and the IRFU confirmed that 43 centralized, paid contracts will be offered next season.

60 Second Video Update

@yscrugby

Your #wrugby News in under 60 seconds for Aug 1-7 saw organizations and individuals call on their Rugby Unions and World Rugby to take brain injuries seriously and the IRFU confirmed that 43 centralized, paid contracts will be offered next season. Watch our video & read the entire update using the link in our bio! #womensrugby #wrugby #rugbyunion

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Featured Women’s Rugby Stories

Rugby has a safety problem and it isn’t transgender athletes. Brain injuries are rampant and our understanding of their danger is only beginning.

Ken Scobie, the former chairman of the executive board of the Scottish Rugby Union, has called for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Scotland back-row forward Siobhan Cattigan in November.

Progressive Rugby have called on World Rugby to fast-track a package of player welfare requirements into the elite game to urgently address the brain injury crisis blighting the game.

More than 180 players with rugby-related brain damage launch landmark legal challenge in biggest class action of its kind outside the US.

Top Women’s Rugby Stories

XVs

International

• Gillian McDarby has been appointed as Ireland’s Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways and the IRFU confirmed that 43 centralized, paid contracts to will be offered to elite Women’s players next season
  • This includes contracts already in operation for members of the Women’s Sevens program
• South Africa came very close to overcoming Japan in the WR Rankings but they remain at twelfth and thirteen respectively
• Chemist Warehouse announced as official partner of Rugby World Cup 2021

Domestic

• Canterbury and Waikato retained their unblemished records in the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership with tough victories over Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau respectively
• DMP Durham Sharks may withdraw from league over funding shortfall
  • Please support DMP and donate if you can – link

7s

• Singapore have won Gold in the Asia Trophy and earned promotion to the Asia Sevens Series in 2023
  • Mongolia made it’s international debut at the event as well
• We now know where the 2024 Olympics Rugby games will be played, July 24-30 at the Stade de France
• The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will be August 12-14 in Estadio Santa Laura in Santiago, Chile
  • 12 teams: Chile, China, Kenya, South Africa, Poland, Belgium, Argentina, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Colombia and Mexico
• USA’s Club National 7s Championship takes place August 13-14 in St. Louis, MO

Women’s Rugby Features

• Spain’s Clara Piquero shares her journey back from a broken fibula and the darkness surrounding an extreme injury
• Roxanne Butler has been dedicated to rugby in Canada for over 30 years now, serving in a variety of capacities – player, coach, manager, volunteer, director, and Board member, just to name a few
• University of Calgary receives significant World Rugby grant to better understand female rugby injuries
• Exeter’s Georgie Grimes shares how she plays for her home club and works as a part of the grounds team helping to maintain the club’s numerous playing surfaces
• Maccabi USA co-captain Ellie Fromstein shares their run-up to the inaugural event and how they achieved the Silver medal
• Red Roses ride Lionesses’ wave with ticket sales spike for next two matches
• In her new book, Scrum Queens – the story of women’s rugby, Ali Donnelly reflects on the establishment of the game across the world, her own involvement in the fledgling Irish game ands look ahead to seismic changes facing our sport, including professionalism and increased interest and profile
• Alice Soper spends the weekend in rural Bay of Plenty with Geri Paul, one of the original Black Ferns props, who’s returned to her hometown, Poroporo, and brought rugby back for the first time in 30 years
• Leicester Tigers and Ealing Trailfinders are among the clubs looking to join Premier 15s – here is how they intend to do so
• Australia’s golden girls of sevens have given rugby priceless momentum to enchant a new breed of athletic go-getters to keep nourishing the sport

Women’s Rugby Media

• Gary Street is helping to coach Chobham’s Chargers who alongside able-bodied players, he is also coaching players with learning and physical disabilities
• Jo Yapp shares her thoughts on pre-season, having
  
  Laura Keates back in the squad and 2021 Rugby World Cup prep
• Gillian McDarby spoke to Irish Rugby TV at the IRFU High Performance Centre this week about her new role and the next steps in defining player contracts