Women’s Rugby News in 60 secs – Aug 29-Sep 4

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for Aug 29-Sep 4. France and England recorded wins over the weekend defeating Italy and USA respectively. The RFU and IRFU transgender bans are under further scrutiny as England received a pre-action protocol letter from Julie Curtiss one of seven registered transgender players and leading lawyers and academics indicate that the exclusion of transgender women violates Irish Equality legislation.

In more XVs news, Canterbury and Auckland will contest the Farah Palmer Premiership final while Otago and Hawke’s Bay will fight for the Championship, Stirling County sits atop Scotland’s Tennent’s Premiership and Spain’s Super Cup between Sevilla and Majadahonda will be played on September 24.

In 7s news, the 2022 Rugby World Cup 7s is upon us with a winner-takes-all knockout format where winners move to the Championship bracket and losers go to the Challenge bracket.

We close out the week with 14 features and 5 media.

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tl;dr: Women’s Rugby in 60 secs for Aug 29-Sep 4 saw France and England with more wins while the RFU and IRFU transgender bans are under further scrutiny with legal actions and leading lawyers and academics speaking out.

60 Second Video Update

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Your #wrugby News in under 60 seconds for Aug 29-Sep 4 saw France and England with more wins while the RFU and IRFU transgender bans are under further scrutiny with legal actions and leading lawyers and academics speaking out. 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

The RFU and IRFU are seeing the repercussions of their choices to ban transgender women. First, the RFU has been hit by legal action from Julie Curtiss with a pre-action protocol letter. London-based law firm Russell Cooke issued the legal document on behalf of Curtiss who is one of seven registered trans women players impacted by the ban.

“The firm maintains that in order for the RFU’s new policy to be upheld, it must demonstrate that the blanket ban is deemed “necessary” under section 195(2) of the Equality Act 2010.

Curtiss and her legal team have called on English rugby to be more transparent about their decision to implement the ban by disclosing the number of Trans and cis players that were consulted ahead of the vote. In addition, they have called on the RFU to reveal accurate statistics on the number of injuries involving Trans women.”

Also in hot water is the IRFU as leading lawyers and academics have said “excluding transgender women from participating in contact rugby may breach Irish equality legislation.”

The legal experts said the decision, which was in effect a blanket ban on trans women, was “entirely disproportionate” and not in line with Irish law.”

Top Women’s Rugby Stories

XVs

International

• France defeated Italy 21-0 in a wet and windy affair; they face off again on Friday at Stadio del Rugby, Italy
• England made it 24 wins in a row after dismantling USA 52-14

Domestic

• For the eighth time since 1999, Canterbury and Auckland will contest the Farah Palmer Premiership final while Otago and Hawke’s Bay will fight for the Championship final on September 10
• Stirling County now sits atop Scotland’s Tennent’s Premiership after defeating Watsonian and Corstorphine lost to Heriot Blues
• Spain’s Super Cup will be played in Aranda De Duero between the Iberdrola League Champion Sevilla and runners-up Majadahonda on September 24
• The 6th Annual Mary Graham All Stars will be played in Grand Prairie, TX on December 3-4

7s

• The 2022 Rugby World Cup 7s are next weekend in Cape Town, South Africa in a winner-takes-all knockout format
  • Teams include: Australia, Madagascar, Ireland, Brazil, USA, Poland, England, Spain, Canada, China, New Zealand, Colombia, Fiji, Japan, France and South Africa

Women’s Rugby Features

• World Rugby Museum profiled Black Ferns flyhalf Anna Richards, the most decorated player in the history of international rugby
• Murray Kinsella takes a deeper look at the state of Irish rugby and how it’s still a mess
• The Red Roses have adopted a different approach from the usual pre-tournament boot
• The Rugby Breakdown talked with Tahlia Brody about her rugby nomad journey
• Ireland’s Erin King is set to play in the upcoming Rugby World Cup 7s tournament and shares her journey with The 42
• Worcester women’s players told to stop contact training because financially stricken club can no longer offer full cover for those who are not professional
• Japan’s Lesley McKenzie shares her post-tour comments and final preparations for the 2021 Rugby World Cup
• Ireland’s Gillian McDarby talks about future of female game in Ireland with contracts for 15s players on table
• WRCRA shares part 2 of “When Women Ran Their Own Game”
• Sarah Hunter says the prolonged pain of England’s 2017 World Cup final defeat is fueling her quest for a revenge mission in New Zealand this autumn
• OMBAC announced a new Naya Tapper Scholarship with a focus on youth rugby
• Oceania Rugby announced the world’s first women’s rugby Combine program
• Issue 16 of the Rugby Journal includes Bryony and Poppy Cleall, Bill Sweeney, Ayaz Bhuta, Merthyr RFC, Old Elthamians, Spanish rugby, Ivybridge RFC, and Zintle Mpupha
• BBC Factual announces Head On: Rugby, Dementia and Me with Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson, who lives with early-onset dementia at the age of 44

Women’s Rugby Media

• World Rugby shares the preparation and pathway for the match officials hoping to hold the whistle for the 2021 Rugby World Cup final
• Scotland’s Rhona Lloyd and Louise McMillan share what makes rugby special for them
• With You! Rugby Podcast talked with Maryanne (MA) Sorensen, three-time Rugby World Cup performer, 1991 Rugby World Cup champion, and 2022 U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame inductee
• Talking Sports Books reviews Ali Donnelly’s “Scrum Queens” and the upcoming release of Chris Evans “How to Win a World Cup”
• Michael Lipman is on The Project laying bare the brutal truth about concussions