Women’s Rugby News in 60 secs – Sep 12-18

Welcome to the top women’s rugby news in under 60 seconds for Sep 12-18. England defeated Wales 73-7 and now has the longest international rugby winning streak in the world. Note we didn’t say women or men in that sentence because it is the longest regardless of gender. They are looking absolutely unstoppable ahead of the 2021 Rugby World Cup.

Scotland, USA, and the Black Ferns are some of the last teams to name their sides ahead of the 2021 Rugby World Cup. Scotland is returning to the Rugby World Cup after a 12 year absence. USA has selected nine players with previous RWC experience and 19 players that are playing in Allianz Premier. The Black Ferns have eight players with RWC experience but are bringing a relatively green side.

In domestic XVs news, Blackrock leads Ireland’s Energia AIL, Bristol Bears lead the Allianz Cup, Llandaff leads the Wales Admiral Women’s National League and Watsonian tops Scotland’s Tennent’s Premiership.

We close out the week with 13 features and 6 media.

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tl;dr: Your #wrugby News in under 60 seconds for Sep 12-18 saw England defeat Wales 73-7 and Scotland, USA and the Black Ferns released their 2021 Rugby World Cup squads.

60 Second Video Update

@yscrugby

Your #wrugby News in under 60 seconds for Sep 12-18 saw England defeat Wales 73-7 and Scotland, USA and the Black Ferns released their 2021 Rugby World Cup squads. 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

Scotland, USA and the Black Ferns are some of the last teams to release their 2021 Rugby World Cup squads. 

Scotland chose an equal split of 16 forwards and 16 backs and mark their return to the Rugby World Cup after 12 years.

Rachel Malcolm will continue captaincy duties throughout the tournament – a role which the flanker has carried since 2018. Malcolm will be supported in her leadership role by vice-captain and Loughborough Lightning teammate, Helen Nelson.

USA has selected nine players with previous Rugby World Cup experience and boasts Hope Rogers who is playing in her third straight tournament. Overall 19 players were selected from those playing in the Allianz Premier and 13 players playing domestically.

Captain Kate Zackary has been in the leading role with this squad since 2018 and returns for her second Rugby World Cup.

The Black Ferns have 8 players returning from their 2017 wining side and are bringing the youth this time around. Their youngest player is 18 and the oldest is 35. Veteran halfback Kendra Cocksedge and outside back Renee Wickliffe will be attending their fourth Rugby World Cup.

The Black Ferns will be co-captained by Auckland’s Ruahei Demant and Waikato’s Kennedy Simon.

Top Women’s Rugby Stories

XVs

International

• England extended their winning streak to 25 games after defeating Wales 73-7

Domestic

• Round 2 of Ireland’s Energia AIL saw Blackrock take the lead in the table with Old Belvedere, Galwegians and Railway also in the hunt
• In Round 1 of the Allianz Cup, Bristol Bears, Loughborough Lightning, Worcester Warriors and Exeter Chiefs all secured victories
• In the Wales Admiral Women’s National League Llandaff leads by points for now but is chased by Pontyclun, and Nelson
• Scotland’s Tennent’s Premiership only had one match which placed Watsonian on top by one point over Cartha Queens and a few points ahead of Corstorphine and Stirling County

Women’s Rugby Features

• Leicester Tigers’ ‘new era’ is ready for its latest installment…in the form of its brand new women’s team and Talking Rugby Union chats with head of Tigers women’s and girls’ rugby Vicky Macqueen
• Natasha Hunt the shock omission as England name Rugby World Cup squad
• Brown women’s rugby assistant coach Bridget Kahele will represent the United States at the 2021 Rugby World Cup next month in New Zealand
• Alice Soper “wrote too many words on [her] reckons on the Black Ferns RWC squad”
• New Zealand penalized $280,000 for not achieving 50% women on their Board
  • In 2019 they swapped a male member for another male; Dr. Farah Palmer remained the only female
  • In 2020 they reduced the size of the board so they only had to have 40% women but still failed
  • Of 65 sporting boards in the country, New Zealand Rugby was the only one that failed to meet the 40% gender balance requirement
• England captain Sarah Hunter has defended the Rugby Football Union’s decision to halve women’s match fees for World Cup warm-up fixtures
• Scrum Queens looks at the third Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1998
• Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm has revealed an “emotional” meeting with former national team players has her squad pumped up for the upcoming Rugby World Cup
• The Rugby Breakdown shares how an uncapped Sam Sullivan made it to the 2022 Rugby World Cup 7s for USA
• Worcester’s financial woes have especially impacted their women’s side
• New Zealand’s Black Fern Captain Sarah Hirini teams up with Tudor
• A year on from an open letter to World Rugby calling for drastic change to make the game safer, little has been done, writes Sir Ian McGeechan
• Struggling by Ben Alexander chatted with Carl Hayman about his dementia diagnosis, retirement, and how Rugby should go about protecting its players

Women’s Rugby Media

• Ireland Fiona Hayes was on Off the Ball Sports talking about ‘a dream debut season for Ireland, capped off with an emotional and memorable Grand Slam title’
• Head Coach Rob Cain and Captain Kate Zackary reflect on the journey to this point and a special squad heading to the 2021 Rugby World Cup
• Former Black Fern, Doris Taufateau shared  how she felt when she was given the call up, being the Tongan ambassador for the ‘Championing Oceania Legacy programme’ & much more
• Watch Amber McLachlan’s journey to refereeing on the grandest stage in the latest episode of #FinalWhistle
• The Sports Desk talks with former Wales flanker Alix Popham, who was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 40 and is among of group of former players suing the game’s authorities for negligence
• David Flatman chats with Jim Hamilton in a wide ranging chat and why Flatman is currently ’50/50 on his daughters playing rugby’