HSBC SVNS Grand Final Lineup Confirmed, WXV Qualifiers Set and Sevens Challenger in Krakow | WRR 152

Women’s Rugby Rundown News

7s

International

• Several teams have announced their rosters ahead of the last HSBC Sevens Challenger in Krakow, Poland this weekend
  • Uganda
  • Kenya
  • Argentina
• The Championship pool stages for the Grand Final in Madrid May 31-Jun 2 are now confirmed [link]:
  • Pool A: New Zealand, USA, Canada, Great Britain
  • Pool B: Australia, France, Fiji, Ireland
• The SVNS 2025 play-off pools have also been confirmed at the same event [link]:
  • Pool A: Japan, Spain, Challenger 1, Challenger 4
  • Pool B: Brazil, South Africa, Challenger 2, Challenger 3
• Rugby sevens match officials unveiled for Olympic Games Paris 2024 [link]
• Twelve U SPORTS women’s rugby players, supported by Rugby Canada’s Maple Leaf Academy, will represent Canada at the 2024 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens in Aix-en-Provence, France over June 10 to 12 [link]

XVs

International

• South Africa, Madagascar and Canada all qualified for the WXV this weekend [link]
• South Africa won the Kenya Cup, Madagascar is the runner up and they have both qualified for WXV
  • South Africa 46 Madagascar 17
  • Kenya 39 Cameroon 17
    • The Kenya Lionesses haven’t received expected payments for National team duties for nine months and threatened to protest their last match against Cameroon [link]
  • South Africa 63 Kenya 5
  • Madagascar 12 Cameroon 5
• Canada and New Zealand recorded wins in the second round of the Pacific Four Series; with Canada’s win over Australia they became the Utrecht Shield winners [link], moved up to third in the World Rugby Women’s Rankings [link], and qualified for WXV
  • New Zealand 57 USA 5
  • Australia 14 Canada 33
• Wales will play Spain in a WXV playoff on Jun 29 at Arms Park where the winner will be placed in WXV 2 and the runner up in WXV 3 [link]
• France joins Canada and a few of the European teams where XVs and 7s players share duties across the two formats of the game [link]
• Six Nations Rugby will start with a new series of Under-20 international matches in women’s rugby starting in July in Parma, Italy [link]
• USA Women’s Pathways Manager, Martha Daines today confirmed a busy summer for the USA Junior National Teams, with two international tours scheduled for the U18s and U20s in July and the return of the U23s All Star Competition in June, in partnership with the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby [link]
• World Rugby released rugby “fan-focused” law changes that will go into effect in July of this year [link]
  • Law Amendments
    • Onside from Kicks: Players must actively retreat to be put onside after kicks, reducing kick tennis
    • Free-kicks: Cannot choose a scrum from a free-kick; must tap or kick to promote fluid play
    • Banning the Crocodile Roll: This maneuver is now outlawed in the tackle/ruck area to enhance player safety
  • Closed Law Trials
    • Red Card Sanctions: Automatic off-field sanctions and the ability to replace a red-carded player after 20 minutes
    • Set Piece Timers: Introduction of a 30-second shot clock for scrum and lineout setups, and a 60-second limit for conversions
    • Protection of the Scrum-Half: The non-putting in scrum-half’s offside line is the middle of the tunnel, enhancing protection
• Get ready for the 2024 Rugby World Cup in England! [link]

Premier & Club

• The USA Club Rugby National Champions are this weekend in Austin, TX with matches taking place May 17-19 and available to watch on The Rugby Network [link]
• The Black Pearls have effectively won the Nile Special Rugby Championship with one match remaining against the Ewes this weekend [link]
• Suva made history today by becoming the first team to life the inaugural first ANZ Bosco Trophy Challenge after defeating Namosi 31-15 [link]
• CL Blue Babes and RC DIOK will face off in the Netherlands Honor Class on May 25 [link]
• In the Iberdrola semifinals, CRAT and Majadahonda were victorious and move on the Championship on May 19 [link]
• Italy’s Series A Elite Final will be May 25 between Villorba and Valsugana [link]
• Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears confirmed their Allianz PWR play-off semi-final spots along with Gloucester-Hartpury and Saracens as the league thrilled in a sizzling Round 15 return [link]
• France’s Elite 1 competition has completed with Bordeaux and Toulouse sitting atop their respective conferences, we await details on the Championship [link]
• Round 3 of the WPL saw wins for New York, Life West and Berkeley [link]
• Round 5 of South Africa’s Premier Division sees Bulls Daisies still on top and undefeated [link]
• Sandy Bay Typhoons Storm have been promoted to the 2024/25 Nan Fung Group | SEWIT Women’s Premiership after clinching the 2023/24 Women’s Championship League 1 title—they’re joining the expanded 7-team league this October [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Features

• Brigitte Jugla outlines a long-term strategic framework for women’s rugby in France from 2023 to 2033, focusing on high performance, regional development, and increased feminization at all levels [link]
• It’s time Australia’s rugby public throws its weight behind the Wallaroos – because it will transform our game if we do [link]
• Sally Fuesaina dusted off her boots to beat depression and just suited up for the Wallaroos [link]
• Freda Tafuna of Lindenwood University has been named the 2024 MA Sorensen Award winner, as the top female collegiate rugby player in the United States [link]
• Saracens’ rising star Sharifa Kasolo scouted at county level – by opposition coach [link]
• Unstoppable: The Story of Molly Shamieh [link]
• Lleucu George on Her Entry into Rugby and Family Dairy Farm [link]
• The Black Ferns identity ahead of the 2024 Pacific Four Series [link]
• Wang Shao Ing, Chairperson of Asia Rugby’s Women’s Rugby Committee spoke about the development of women’s rugby in Singapore [link]
• Wallaroos’ Bella McKenzie’s work with World Cup winner adds kicking edge [link]
• History will be made when the Springboks face Portugal for the first time in a Test in Bloemfontein this July, with Hollie Davidson becoming the first woman to referee a Test involving the Springboks [link]
• In the most in-depth look ever as to what it’s like to play rugby while being a Mum and the reality of returning to rugby after giving birth, Alice Soper speaks to a range of leading players who have been there and done it [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Media

• This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Wallaroos first Test match [link]
• Rugby referees Hollie Davidson and Chelsea Gillespie join Caroline Blair and Chris Paterson for a chat on this week’s Official Scottish Rugby Podcast [link]
• Elisa Facchini was a trailblazer for women’s rugby in Italy [link]
• Learn about the Utrecht Shield [link]
• WRP 187 discussed the W6N and the return of Allianz PWR [link]
• In the latest episode of Our Game Makers, Black Fern Amy Rule sits down with fellow Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Regina Sheck [link]
• Hollie Davidson reflects on her latest appointments for the year, including officiating the World Champions South Africa [link]
• Squidge takes a long look at what happens in the scrum [link]

Rugby Jobs

• Dorking RFC are looking for a Senior Coach [link]
• Loughborough Lightning seeks an Assistant Coach [link]
• England Rugby has several positions open in Girls Rugby [link]
• Wales is looking for a Women and Girls Officer for the Dragons Region [link]