Women’s Rugby Rundown for Nov 27-Dec 3

Women’s Rugby Rundown News

XVs

International

• Croatia and Bulgaria both played their first ever test match, with Croatia taking the spoils 37-5 [link]
• World Rugby has acknowledged concerns over the insufficient research on issues like concussion in women’s rugby, amidst growing fears and legal action by players against the Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football Union, and World Rugby, which includes women [link]
• Fiji’s Simon Raiwalui joins World Rugby as High Performance Pathways and Player Development Manager [link]

Premier & Club

• Following 14 thrilling rounds in the regular season, the anticipation builds as Watsonian and Stirling County gear up for an epic clash in the Women’s Premiership Final on Saturday, December 16 [link]
• Round 8 of Ireland’s Energia AIL saw UL Bohemian maintain an undefeated streak, yet Railway Union’s decisive triumph over Wicklow propelled them back into the second position, with Old Belvedere and Blackrock following closely behind [link]
• In Round 3 of the Allianz Premier, Saracens, Exeter, and Gloucester-Hartpury maintain their flawless records, securing the top three positions in the standings [link]
• After 3 rounds in Italy’s Serie A Elite, the Italian champions, Valsugana Rugby Padova, maintain an undefeated record with a dominant victory over Cus Milano [link]
• The second edition of the Iberdrola Super Cup title match between Silicius Rugby Majadahonda and Ghenova Cocos Rugby is scheduled for December 9, coinciding with the third round of Spain’s Iberdrola [link]
• The 2023/24 Women’s Kenya Cup, starting on December 2, 2023, features eight teams, including newcomers Maseno University, Shamberere, and Rongo University, adopting a one-off round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals [link]
• The squads for Sky Super Rugby Aupiki 2024 are now locked in, and the draw will be announced shortly [link]
• The Royal Spanish Rugby Federation (RFER) expands its women’s rugby project by creating two new franchises, aligned with the men’s Castilla y León Iberians, as part of a joint competition with World Rugby and the Italian Rugby Federation, aiming to enhance the exposure and development of young players on the path to joining Las Leonas [link]
• The Japan Women’s Rugby Championship will occur on Sunday, January 21, at Mie Kotsu Suzuka Sports Garden Soccer Rugby Stadium and on Saturday, February 3, at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo [link]
• All matches in the Welsh Premiership were postponed due to freezing temperatures [link]
• The Midwest showcased a spectacular display of dominance as they swept the 2023 Mary Graham All Stars [link]

7s

International

• Australia successfully retained their Dubai title, securing their fourth consecutive victory by winning the initial leg of the 2023-24 HSBC SVNS [link]
• After the completion of Dubai, the pools for next week’s event in Cape Town are set:
  • Pool A: Australia, Fiji, Japan, Spain
  • Pool B: New Zealand, Ireland, Brazil, Great Britain
  • Pool C: France, Canada, USA, South Africa
• The HSBC Sevens Challenger will take place in 2024 with four locations [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Features

• From diverse sports to rugby triumphs, Sophie Ragg’s journey embodies resilience. Infusing curiosity into training and balancing life intentionally, her story mirrors life’s unpredictability—transformative, resilient, and inspiring [link]
• Carys Phillips: Wales hooker joins Harlequins after Worcester collapse [link]
• Shaunagh Brown shares how coaching in the Cayman Islands taught her how rugby could be [link]
• Vikki Wall ‘ahead of schedule’ in adapting to demands of sevens rugby as she eyes Olympic spot [link]
• Japan Rugby referee Ano Kuwai was chosen to officiate at the HSBC SVNZ 2024 in Dubai this past weekend, marking a significant milestone for the first Japanese rugby player to score a try at the Olympics, who has been steadfastly pursuing her dreams [link]
• Regina Sheck, a Black Ferns rugby legend, who played 25 Tests between 1994 and 2004 and won the World Cup in 1998 and 2002, continues to contribute to the sport by coaching grassroots players [link]
• New Zealand Rugby launches a groundbreaking Pasifika Strategy 2024-2029, aimed at equity, representation, and cultural integration in rugby, co-designed with extensive community input, and accompanied by an action plan for implementation starting in 2024 [link]
• Atlanta 2.0 Selects, a ‘Social Serious Rugby Club’ [link]
• An inspirational story about Amber Stamp & her refereeing journey [link]
• Inspired by her strong sibling bond with Henry, Daisy Hibbert-Jones is dedicated to making rugby inclusive for all. [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Media

• Tiger’s Vicky Macqueen BEM shares how they put together such a phenomenal team [link]
• Alastair Telfer chats with Niamh Swailes about her rise up the ranks of rugby [link]
• WRP 165 covers PWR, Niamh Swailes, Sales Sharks, Global Game, World Rugby News and more… [link]
• Lotte Clapp and Sydney Gregson discuss what elements on one another’s lives have been trending upwards and downwards on and off the pitch on What’s Trending [link]