Welcome to the Women’s Rugby Rundown for Feb 26-Mar 3. In this week’s highlights, New Zealand secured a consecutive victory at LA 7s, setting the stage for the seventh stop in Hong Kong on April 5-7. The Celtic Challenge wrapped up with the Wolfhounds crowned as Champions, while Germany made a notable return to international rugby. Italy’s contracted players await renewals, introducing uncertainty before the Six Nations and the 2024 WXV Tournament locations were revealed.
In 7s news, New Zealand secured back-to-back victories at LA 7s, with Australia placing second, the USA in third, and Canada in fourth. South Africa’s advancement to the quarter-final stage marked a significant achievement for the season, culminating in a sixth-place finish. In another notable development, Brazil achieved an eighth-place finish, marking their second-best result in Yaras’ history. Japan’s triumph in the 9/10th semifinal against Spain and subsequent victory over Great Britain secured a commendable ninth-place overall finish.
Sharni Smale of Australia, Chloe Pelle of France, and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand all reached the milestone of 50 tournament appearances each. Tyla King’s try stole headlines, propelling her beyond Canada’s Ghislaine Landry as the all-time leading point-scorer in HSBC SVNS history. The Dream Team features three Kiwis, two Aussies, one Canadian, and one American.
We’ve got some real twists in the standings after this stop. Australia is still on top, but New Zealand is just 4 points behind now. France is holding steady in third, the USA climbed to fourth, and Canada slipped to fifth. The real nail-biter, though, is in the relegation fight. Great Britain is just hanging on with a one-point lead over Brazil. South Africa and Japan picked up some crucial points, but they’ll need to pull off some spectacular performances in the last two stops to stay clear of relegation.
Looking ahead, the next 7s stop will be in Hong Kong on April 5-7, with pools announced as follows:
- Pool A – New Zealand, France, Brazil, Great Britain
- Pool B – Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Fiji
- Pool C – USA, Canada, Japan, Spain
In XVs news, the Wolfhounds emerged victorious in the Celtic Challenge, and the final rankings saw Edinburgh secure second, Gwalia third, Clovers fourth, Brython fifth, and Glasgow sixth. Irish teams claimed the top and fourth positions, while Scotland secured second and sixth places, and Welsh teams finished in third and fifth positions.
Germany delivered a standout performance in their return to International play against Belgium, securing a convincing 36-17 victory in Aachen. Led by new national coach Gareth Jackson, the team showcased impressive teamwork and attacking prowess. Despite Belgium narrowing the deficit before halftime, Germany maintained control throughout.
In January 2023, Italy introduced contracts for 22 players; however, recent reports suggest these contracts might not have been renewed, raising concerns with the Six Nations approaching.
USA are set for a historic return to home soil in Los Angeles, facing Canada at Dignity Health Sports Park on April 28. This marks their first home match since the 2021 Pacific Four Series. The event, organized with AEG Rugby and MLR club RFCLA, promises a top-notch weekend with fan interactions.
Scheduled for July 10-14, the 2024 Rugby Americas North Senior Women XVs Tournament will be hosted in Mexico City. While participating teams have not been officially confirmed, historically, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Guyana, Barbados, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been regular participants.
The locations for the 2024 WXV Tournament were revealed, with WXV 1 in Canada, WXV 2 in South Africa, and WXV 3 returning to Dubai. Concerns persist about transparency and fairness in the qualification process, especially with potential implications of the Netherlands winning the Rugby Europe Championship. In Dubai, hosting a rugby event for the second consecutive year raises concerns about limited support for LGBTQ+ individuals and minimal rugby presence beyond the Dubai 7s.
Sport on Search disclosed a graphic illustrating unprecedented global search interest in women’s sports in 2023, with the Barclays Women’s Super League leading at 258% growth, Euroleague Women at 76%, Women’s Champions League at 70%, and the TikTok Women’s Six Nations experiencing a 59% increase.
In Premier & Club news, Gloucester-Hartpury continues an undefeated run in Round 13 of Allianz PWR, leading the standings with Saracens in second, Exeter in third, and Bristol in fourth. The top four teams are closely contested, making it unlikely for any other team to break in before the semi-finals.
Wicklow and Galwegians secured their first Energia AIL victories since November and December, respectively. Meanwhile, UL Bohemian, the leaders, extended their winning streak to a dozen consecutive wins by triumphing at Cooke.
In France’s Elite 1, Bordeaux and Toulouse maintain their lead in their respective pools after nine rounds. Anticipation builds as we await information on the semifinals and finals.
Spain’s Iberdrola league, completing 9 rounds, sees Majadahonda secure the top spot in the standings and become the first team to enter the semifinals. Salvador’s unexpected victory over CRAT keeps the remaining spots open.
Chiefs Manawa leads the Super Rugby Aupiki after the initial round, securing their position by defeating Hurricanes Poua, while the Blues also claimed victory against Matatū. In an exciting development, the Super Rugby Aupiki final will be shown in a vertical format and streamed live and free on TikTok.
In Italy’s Series A Elite, Valsugana leads the Playoff Group, while Capitolina leads the Playout Group.
The Black Pearls extended their undefeated streak, maintaining the top spot in the Nile Special Rugby Premiership League after completing five rounds.
We refreshed our USA’s Club D1 and D2 standings and it was confirmed this week that Nationals will be in Austin, TX on May 17-19.
Nan Fung Group | Sewit Hong Kong’s season is approaching the semifinals and the Final, but their site seems to be having trouble displaying results or fixtures.
The Welsh Premiership encountered a fresh setback with the postponement of this weeks matches, intensifying ongoing concerns. Additionally, Nelson Belle’s withdrawal after playing only one match this season further adds to the challenges faced by the league.
The schedule for the USA’s WPL has been released, with matches kicking off on April 27, followed by semifinals on September 7 and the Finals on September 14.
We close out the week with 13 features and 5 media.
tl;dr: In the Women’s Rugby Rundown for Feb 26-Mar 3, New Zealand clinched back-to-back victories at LA 7s, paving the way for the upcoming Hong Kong stop in April. The Celtic Challenge concluded with the Wolfhounds as champions. Germany returned to international rugby. Uncertainty surrounds Italy’s contracted players ahead of the Six Nations, and the locations for the 2024 WXV Tournament were disclosed.
Women’s Rugby Rundown Video Update
Never miss one of our episodes! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube or Patreon and be sure to follow us on all your favorite social media platforms.
@yscrugby In the Women’s Rugby Rundown for Feb 26-Mar 3, New Zealand clinched back-to-back victories at LA 7s, paving the way for the upcoming Hong Kong stop in April. The Celtic Challenge concluded with the Wolfhounds as champions, marking Germany’s impactful return to international rugby. Uncertainty surrounds Italy’s contracted players ahead of the Six Nations, and the locations for the 2024 WXV Tournament were disclosed. Watch our video & read all the news using the link in our bio! Never miss one of our episodes! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube or Patreon and be sure to follow us on all your favorite social media platforms. #womensrugbyrundown #WRR #rugby #womensrugby #wrugby ♬ original sound – YSCRugby
Can’t watch on TikTok? Watch on Youtube or any of our other social media channels.
Women’s Rugby Rundown News
7s
International
- New Zealand won LA 7s making it back-to-back victories for the side, Australia placed second, USA third and Canada fourth [link]
- South Africa advanced to the quarter-final stage for the first time this season with an unexpected 19-7 triumph over Fiji in Pool A, ultimately securing a sixth-place finish
- Brazil placed eighth marking the second-best result in the history of Yaras in a stage and the best result in their history [link]
- Japan won their 9/10th semifinal against Spain and subsequently triumphed over Great Britain, securing a ninth-place finish overall
- Sharni Smale of Australia, Chloe Pelle of France, and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand all reached the milestone of 50 tournament appearances each
- Tyla King’s try stole the headlines as she moved beyond Canada’s Ghislaine Landry as the all-time leading point-scorer on the women’s series in HSBC SVNS history [link]
- The Dream Team includes three Kiwis, two Aussies, one Canadian, and one American
- The next stop will be in Hong Kong on April 5-7 and the pools have been announced:
- Pool A: New Zealand, France, Brazil, Great Britain
- Pool B: Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Fiji
- Pool C: USA, Canada, Japan, Spain
- Great Britain is in a precarious position in the overall standings as they lead Brazil by one point; the bottom four teams will play in the promotion and relegation tournament in Madrid [link]
XVs
International
- The Wolfhounds triumphed in the Celtic Challenge, and the final rankings were determined over the weekend, with Edinburgh securing second, Gwalia third, Clovers fourth, Brython fifth, and Glasgow sixth [link]
- Irish teams finished first and fourth
- Scotland teams finished second and sixth
- Welsh teams finished third and fifth
- Germany returned to International rugby this weekend and they beat Belgium 36-17 [link]
- In January 2023, Italy unveiled contracts for 22 players; however, recent reports suggest that these contracts have not been renewed, raising concerns with the Six Nations on the horizon [link]
- The USA has confirmed that their upcoming Pacific Four Series match against Canada will be held at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles on April 28 [link]
- The 2024 Rugby Americas Senior Women XVs Tournament is scheduled to take place in Mexico City from July 10-14 [link]
- We learned the locations for the 2024 WXV Tournament with WXV 1 in Canada, WXV 2 in South Africa and WXV 3 returns to Dubai [link]
- Concerns linger about transparency and fairness in the qualification process, especially with the possibility of the Netherlands winning the Rugby Europe Championship, raising uncertainties about excluding other South American teams
- In the second consecutive year of Dubai hosting this rugby event, concerns arise due to the city’s limited support for LGBTQ+ individuals and a minimal rugby presence beyond the Dubai 7s
- Sport on Search unveiled a graphic illustrating the global search interest in women’s sports reaching unprecedented levels in 2023, with the Barclays Women’s Super League leading at 258% growth, followed by Euroleague Women at 76%, Women’s Champions League at 70%, and the TikTok Women’s Six Nations experiencing a 59% increase [link]
Premier & Club
- Maintaining an unbeaten streak in Round 13 of Allianz PWR, Gloucester-Hartpury leads the standings, with Saracens in second, Exeter in third, and Bristol in fourth, forming a closely contested top four, making it seem improbable for any other team to break in before the semi-finals [link]
- Wicklow and Galwegians secured their initial Energia AIL victories since November and December, respectively, with UL Bohemian, the leaders, notching up a dozen consecutive wins by triumphing at Cooke [link]
- Bordeaux and Toulouse maintain their lead in their respective pools in France’s Elite 1 after nine rounds, and we are eagerly awaiting information on the semifinals and finals [link]
- As Spain’s Iberdrola league completes 9 rounds, the semi-finals are taking form, with Majadahonda securing the top spot in the standings and becoming the first team to enter the semifinals, while Salvador’s unexpected victory over CRAT keeps the remaining spots open [link]
- Leading the Super Rugby Aupiki after the initial round, Chiefs Manawa secured their position by defeating Hurricanes Poua, while the Blues also claimed victory in their match against Matatū [link]
- The Super Rugby Aupiki final will be shown in a vertical format and streamed live and free on TikTok [link]
- Valsugana continues to lead Italy’s Series A Elite in the Playoff Group while Capitolina leads the Playout Group [link]
- The Black Pearls extend their undefeated streak, securing the top spot in the Nile Special Rugby Premiership League after completing five rounds [link]
- We refreshed our USA’s Club D1 and D2 standings, and concurrently, the schedule for Nationals in Austin, TX, from May 17-19 has been revealed [WD1 link] [WD2 link]
- We know that the Nan Fung Group | Sewit Hong Kong’s season is coming close to semifinals and the Final but their site seems to be having a problem displaying any results or fixtures, we’ve reached out on social media [link]
- Set to recommence this weekend, the Welsh Premiership encountered a fresh setback as all matches were postponed, heightening ongoing concerns [link]
- Nelson Belle’s withdrew after only having played one match this season [link]
- The schedule for the USA’s WPL has been released, featuring matches kicking off on April 27, followed by semifinals on September 7 and the Finals on September 14 [link]
Women’s Rugby Rundown Features
- Hurricanes Poua lash out at government in revamped haka calling out “karetao o te Kāwana kakiwhero” or “puppets of this redneck government” [link]
- Zoe Harrison nears England return on long road back from ACL injury [link]
- Enter the silent auction for a chance to win some brilliant prizes and help raise funds for Gary Street’s rehabilitation [link]
- Los Angeles RC has made history in their inaugural season with a 5-0 streak in SoCal [link]
- LA 7s is just the start with rugby expected to continue growing ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics & the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups [link]
- Elle Perry: I hope other women see me and know it is possible to be a rugby-playing mum [link]
- South Africa’s Impi Visser and Bianca Augustyn spoke to about their shared passion – engineering [link]
- A deeper look into Scotland’s Six Nations squad [link]
- Notre Dame College to shut tis doors this spring [link]
- Italy gathers ahead of the Six Nations [link]
- ‘I’d say I’m a triple threat’: Versatile young back Millie Hyett on her career so far [link]
- Meet football-playing, beat-walking, Edinburgh centre Briar McNamara [link]
- In anticipation of the 2025 Rugby World Cup, World Rugby and Capgemini are eager to identify 25 leaders to maximize opportunities for future trailblazers [link]
- Emily Scarratt: England centre would ‘love’ Red Roses return but is ‘taking nothing for granted’ [link]
- Women’s 6N build up: An insight into Corstorphine “superstars” Alex Stewart and Merryn Gunderson [link]
- Evelyne Kalemera: Pioneering a New Era for Kenya Harlequins Women’s Rugby [link]
Women’s Rugby Rundown Media
- England’s Sadia Kabeya speaks about the importance of community initiatives like Black Girls Ruck [link]
- Life of Chance talked with Wallaroo Layne “Laynos” Morgan about Super W and the National Team [link]
- Wales’ Sioned Harries reflects on the growth of the women’s game [link]
- USA’s Ilona Maher was a special guest on The Good, The Scaz And The Rugby [link]
- WRP 176 discussed PWR, Bristol Bears, Ireland, Scotland and more [link]
Share this:
Discover more from YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.