Gray Wolves’ Legacy Cup Triumph and Scotland’s Historic Ranking | WRR 171

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• Great Britain Rugby Sevens (GB7s) has appointed Giselle Mather as the new head coach for the women’s team, with an exciting season ahead as she leads them on the international stage [link]
• In the upcoming Fixtures & Results, the second stop of the Asia 7s Series heads to China, with the hosts leading the standings [link]
  • Only two changes in the pools with Singapore and UAE swapping:
    • Pool C: China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Singapore
    • Pool D: Hong Kong, Japan, UAE, Malaysia
  • With China and Japan already on the HSBC SVNS Series, the race for third place in the Challenger Series heats up, with Hong Kong sitting in second after the first tournament and well in the mix

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• Results from last week
  • Scotland hit a record 5th place, Australia dropped to 6th, and Ireland moved up to 7th in the latest Women’s Rugby Rankings, while the USA and Italy both slipped, with WXV just a week away [link]
  • Head coach Scott Bemand praised Ireland’s debutants and Sevens stars after their 36-10 victory over Australia, highlighting their strong impact in a game that showcased Ireland’s growing attack and readiness for their upcoming WXV1 campaign [link]
  • Wallaroos head coach Jo Yapp expressed frustration with discipline and game control after a 36-10 loss to Ireland, as the Wallaroos struggled to find momentum despite new combinations and debutants, and now look to bounce back against Wales next week [link]
    • Australia A fell 20-17 to Manusina in a thrilling match in Samoa, despite standout performances from teenage duo Waiaria Ellis and Ruby Anderson, as a last-minute 43m penalty goal by Cassie Siataga sealed the victory for the hosts [link]
  • Scotland wrapped up their WXV2 warm-up in style with a dominant 59-15 win over Fiji, notching nine tries in their first-ever meeting and showcasing impressive form ahead of the tournament [link]
  • Italy secured a solid 24-8 victory over Japan in Piacenza, overcoming a tough first half before taking control with four tries, including a double from Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, as they wrapped up their WXV preparations [link]
  • The Red Roses claimed a commanding 24-12 win over the Black Ferns at Allianz Stadium, scoring four tries in front of 41,523 fans, as they wrapped up their final Test before heading to WXV1 in Canada [link]
  • Aimee Barret-Theron became the first female to referee 40 tests when she took charge of Red Roses versus Black Ferns [link]
• In the upcoming Fixtures & Results, South Africa takes on Spain, Netherlands faces Fiji, Kenya meets Madagascar, and Wales clashes with Australia, as teams make their final WXV preparations [link]
• USA Head Coach Sione Fukofuka announced a 30-player squad, captained by Kate Zackary, heading to WXV 1 in Vancouver, featuring the return of legends Hope Rogers and Alev Kelter, along with several USA Women’s Sevens stars [link]
• The 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations will kick off a landmark year for women’s rugby, leading into the Rugby World Cup, with back-to-back tournaments showcasing the sport on a global stage, starting with Ireland vs. France on March 22 [link]
• Nicky Ponsford appointed World Rugby Director of High Performance [link]

Premier & Club

• The Colorado Gray Wolves secured a dramatic 31-27 win over All Blues in the 2024 Legacy Cup Finals, hosted by Women’s Elite Rugby at MacPherson Stadium, with the Gray Wolves scoring a walk-off try after the All Blues took a late 27-24 lead [link]
  • The WER will kick-off in early 2025 and bring in a new era of professional women’s rugby in the United States
• Majadahonda claimed their third consecutive Iberdrola Super Cup with a dominant 41-12 win over CRAT Residencia Rialta, kicking off the 2024-2025 season the same way they ended the last—with a title [link]
• Waikato’s commanding 57-29 win over Counties Manukau to claim the JJ Stewart Memorial Trophy highlighted the weekend’s Dr. Farah Palmer Cup action, positioning them as Premiership favorites while Canterbury’s back-to-back victories kept their semifinal hopes alive [link]
  • Counties, Waikato, and Auckland Storm have secured their spots in the semifinals, with the final berth to be decided between Canterbury and Bay of Plenty next Saturday
• Corstorphine remains unbeaten in the Arnold Clark Premiership with a perfect 20 points, followed by Hillhead Jordanhill and Watsonian tied at 15, Stirling County with 11, and Heriot’s in 5th with 9 points [link]
• Saracens dominated Harlequins 45-19, Sale Sharks secured their first win of the season over Leicester Tigers 34-14, and Exeter Chiefs maintained their perfect record with a 29-17 victory over Bristol Bears in a thrilling weekend of PWR Up Series action [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• Sarah Bern: How England prop’s autistic nephew inspired Twickenham rethink [link]
• Red Roses must tap into Ilona Maher effect ahead of Rugby World Cup [link]
• We’re highlighting the stars of the WER Legacy Cup  Finals on September 14 [link]:
  • Jess Dombrowski: Tackling Every Challenge on and off the Field [link]
  • Roseline Okpara: A Journey from Brooklyn to Pan African Games with Nigeria [link]
  • Hope Cooper: From Volleyball Courts to Rugby Glory [link]
  • A Champion’s Mindset: How Nic Carroll Brought Martial Arts Discipline to Rugby [link]
  • Phoebe Caudill: Building Community Through Rugby Across Continents [link]
  • Katrina Anderson: From ACL Recovery to WPL Captain [link]
  • Lina Lomu: Building a Rugby Legacy Beyond the Lomu Name [link]
  • Olivia Benzan-Daniel: Pushing Boundaries On and Off the Rugby Field [link]
• ‘You just have to play the game in front of you and not the name or person’ – England ready for New Zealand test [link]
• Wallaroos injury heartbreak opens the door for remarkable debutants [link]
• Five talking points from Scotland team to play Fiji [link]
• The beginning of an important year for Ireland – column [link]
• McLachlan seeks ‘different brand of rugby’ on the continent [link]
• ‘An era you don’t want to miss’: Renee Holmes eyes history at RWC 2025 [link]
• How Scotland will ‘squash’ world rugby rankings gaps  [link]
• Sarah Hunter, former England captain and current Red Roses coach, reflects on her journey in rugby and the evolution of the women’s game, as she continues to shape its future while balancing coaching and motherhood, with major milestones ahead in WXV1, the Six Nations, and a home Rugby World Cup in 2025 [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• Highlights from Red Roses win over the Black Ferns [link]
• Highlights from Scotland’s win over Fiji [link]
• Highlights from CO Gray Wolves win over All Blues in the WER Legacy Cup Championships [link]
• Rugby Union Daily: Red Roses special with Marlie and Mo [link]
• Roar Rugby Podcast: Christy Doran sat down for a special interview with Wallaroos Head Coach Jo Yapp prior to their departure, discussing settling into Australian life, how the growth of the women’s game compares to the UK, the growth of the squad and program in 2024, and their goals for WXV2 [link]
• King Charles gets hugs from the New Zealand women’s team! [link]
• LTW Fancast: Jess and Jacob are back after the summer break, diving into all things Leicester Tigers Women, discussing Meg Jones’ injury, inadequate club social media, new signings, WXV, and the team’s first game against Sale Sharks in the PWR Up Series—plus exciting news from Jess on a new initiative [link]
• Wales’“Missing Caps” campaign is working to find and celebrate the amazing female players who have represented Wales but never received their deserved cap [link]
• Sarah Bern highlights her long return from injury on O2 Inside Line [link]

Women’s Rugby Rundown Jobs

• Now Hiring: WER Head Coaches [link]
• Interim Head of Athletic Performance, Irish Rugby Women’s Sevens (Full Time) [link]