Women’s Rugby Rundown for Dec 18-Jan 7

Women’s Rugby Rundown News

XVs

International

• In the recently established Latin Challenge between Spain and Italy, Italy emerged victorious in both matches [link]
  • Iberians Valencia 13 Zebre Parma 19
  • Iberians Sitges 12 Benetton Treviso 19
• Gwalia Lightning leads the Celtic Challenge by a slight lead in points differential but is chased by the Wolfhounds, Clovers and Edinburgh after 2 Rounds [link]
  • There are rumors that the Celtic Challenge and the upcoming Six Nations has had adverse effects on the Energia AIL Cup as multiple players are missing from their Club fixtures [link]
• Spain’s CR Majadahonda will face off against Portugal in the Iberian Cup this weekend [link]
• Following their last-place finish in WXV 3, Colombia is set to engage in a playoff against the Netherlands on March 16 [link]
• Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, reflects on the progress being made in the women’s game and looks ahead to what promises to be a landmark Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025 [link]
• France is holding two training camps to prepare for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations [link]
• Brazil is also hosting training camps as they continue preparations for qualifying for the 2025 Rugby World Cup [link]
• The Belgian XVs team was “relaunched” this week, with two games against Germany planned for next year, a larger budget, and a target of promotion to the European Championship by 2026 [link]
• Scrum Queens highlighted 2023 as a record year for international XVs rugby, with 98 official test matches, significant growth in age-group fifteens internationals and non-test status games, totaling 150 matches and marking an unparalleled year for the format [link]

Premier & Club

• Llandaff North continues their unbroken streak in the Welsh Premiership but is chased by Seven Sisters, Pontyclun, and Caereinion Obra [link]
• Saracens maintain their lead in the Allianz PWR, securing victory over Sale Sharks in Round 7 while Gloucester-Hartpury also sustained their undefeated record, triumphing over Loughborough Lightning [link]
  • Big Game 15 between the Quins and Gloucester-Hartpury on December 30 broke the World Record for attendance at a Women’s Club match for the third year running with 16,237 attendees [link]
• Bordeaux continues to lead their pool in France’s Elite 1 with 18 points while Toulouse leads their pool with 19 points [link]
• HKFC Natixis ice continues to lead Nan Fung Group | Sewit Hong Kong Premiership after 8 Rounds [link]
• Spain’s Iberdrola is still on break until this weekend but CR Majadahonda leads after 4 rounds [link]
• Italy’s Serie A Elite also returns this weekend with Valsugana Padova ASD in the lead [link]
• Before officially starting on March 15, Australia’s Super W has arranged trial games as part of their preseason preparations [link]
• Scottish Rugby has announced the draw for the Women’s Cup competition which will commence in the New Year [link]

7s

International

• The pools have been announced for the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Dubai on January 12-14 [link]
• PR 7s is holding a Talent ID Trial in Kansas City, KS on January 28 [link]
• Scrum Queens dove into over 800 international sevens matches in 2023 [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Features

• Australia previewed 12 breakout stars to watch in 2024 [link]
• World Rugby interviewed Colombia’s new Director of High Performance Luis Pedro Archard about the challenges for the country and looking forward to a WXV playoff match against Netherlands [link]
• “Excited” Jo Yapp aiming to drive Wallaroos forward [link]
• Coverage, accessibility, competitiveness, and performance: just a handful of ways Claire Thomas
  wants to see the women’s game and the PWR push on in 2024 [link]
• Tavaita Rowati, Fiji’s aspiring female rugby coach is rewriting history and empowering the next generation for women in rugby [link]
• Queensland Reds appointed Grant Anderson as their new head coach ahead of the 2024 season [link]
• The Force are putting together an imposing squad for their Super W title run, backing up their Wallaroos signings with further additions of Black Ferns duo Pia Tapsell and Sheree Hume [link]
• LifeLoveRugby profiles Sydney Copeland, a potential new USA Eagle on the rise [link]
• USA’s Ilona Maher proudly shared her cellulite as an Olympian and Professional Athlete [link]
• Wales rugby stars Jasmine Joyce and Alisha Butchers have got married in a stunning ceremony in Pembrokeshire [link]
• As part of Saracen’s 35th anniversary celebrations, they looked back at the history of the women [link]
• We profiled USA’s Jessica Lu as part of our “Pioneers of the Pitch” series [link]
• Wales lock Natalia John says Welsh rugby has been over-dependent on English women’s clubs to develop its players and hopes to see the establishment of professional sides in her homeland [link]
• How did Lizzie Hanlon go from diving to playing for the Exeter Chiefs? [link]
• US Women’s Rugby Foundation Presents the Kathy Flores Award – Class of 2024 [link]
• Vikki Wall’s Olympic challenge of starting from scratch at the top tier of a third sport [link]
• “People know who we are” – Bok flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg says the game is on the rise [link]
• Canada will induct Sherry Trumbull, Andra Burk, Jen Kish, Julianna Zussman among other honorees [link]
• World Rugby spoke with Croatia women’s head coach Petra Druskovic about their new beginning as a team and her hopes for the future of rugby in the region [link]
• Why is Mummy so Muddy – written and illustrated by Dundee Rugby Club Valkyries player Sally Myles [link]
• Daisy Hibbert-Jones, Emily Tuttosi, and Emily Chancellor share some powerful personal stories in ‘WXV: Deep Meaningful Conversations’ [link]
• We highlighted USA and Rugby World Cup Legend Krista McFarren in our “Pioneers of the Pitch” series [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Media

• Squidge has released a few of their ‘Team of the Year’ videos with more to come! [link]
• Ahead of Round 7, Trailfinder’s Director of Rugby Giselle Mather spoke about establishing the club [link]
• WRP 168 discusses the Celtic Challenge, PWR, and more [link]
• After her sister, Sam, was diagnosed with breast cancer, Vickii Cornborough is planning the Brave the Shave and raise funds for three charities [link]
• We previewed 2024 and all the various “big” events that are highly anticipated [link]
• WOMENZSPORTS and Alice Soper started a pordcast focused on women’s sports across Aotearoa New Zealand [link]
• PWR Chief Executive Belinda Moore speaks on the growth of the league at an exciting time for the sport [link]
• Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua women’s player Siteri Rasolea believes her confidence and passion led her to make the significant decision to come home and be part of Fijiana Drua [link]
• Scott Bemand wants to awaken ‘sleeping giant’ of Ireland’s women’s rugby [link]
• Aseza Hele reveals how a fateful trip into the South African outback changed her life forever on The Good, The Scaz And the Rugby [link]
• Learn more about Zoe Harrison’s rugby journey [link]
• Girls Locker Room is a new content series from World Rugby, co-hosted by Maud Muir and Sadia Kabeya aimed specifically for girls talking all things wellbeing, health & more [link]

Rugby Jobs

• Pittsburgh Forge is searching for General Directors of Rugby who will advance the club through administration, accounting, finance, fundraising and civic leadership [link]
• Canada is hiring a Marketing & Promotions Coordinator and Vancouver Sevens Hospitality & Sponsorship Coordinator [link and link]
• World Rugby is hiring for various positions ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup [link]
• The Berkeley All Blues are looking to hire a WPL Assistant Forwards Coach [link]
• The Twin Cities Amazons are searching for a WPL Head Coach and Assistants [link]