Latin Cup Saved, Edinburgh Leads Celtic Challenge & Black Ferns Take Cape Town 7s | WRR 184

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• The Black Ferns won the Cape Town 7s, their 38th tournament victory, at the second stop of HSBC SVNS, with USA finishing second, France third, Australia fourth, Canada fifth, and Japan sixth [link]
  • New Zealand leads the standings with Australia in second, France in third, USA in fourth, Great Britain in fifth and Japan in sixth [link]
  • Cape Town’s new format featured four pools of three, with cup playoffs starting at the semifinals—ideal for a two-day event, giving teams more recovery and prep time after Dubai
  • Next up on the HSBC SVNS is Perth on January 24-26 [link]
• Schedule confirmed for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2025 [link]
  • World Rugby 7s cost-saving measures continue with the Challenger hosting two consecutive rounds at the same venue, and the Promotion/Relegation tournament now set for Los Angeles after Madrid’s withdrawal [link]
• Fiji Dev won Oceania 7s while Samoa have secured a spot in the World Rugby Challenger Series [link]
• Curtis Bradford has been appointed Germany’s first full-time women’s rugby sevens head coach, with new DOSB and BMI funding supporting his focus on sustainable player development, increased training, and boosting both 7s and 15s through shared pathways [link]

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• After Round 3 of the Celtic Challenge, Edinburgh leads unbeaten, with the Wolfhounds in second, Clovers in third, Gwalia Lightning in fourth, Brython in fifth and Glasglow in sixth [link]
• The Netherlands edged Brazil 17-15 with a converted try at the death, overcoming a strong second half from Brazil as Dutch fitness proved decisive in the final minutes [link]
• Women’s RWC 2025 a “once in a lifetime opportunity to inspire new fans” [link]
• Nigel Walker steps down as Wales Women prepared to file grievance [link]
• After discussions with World Rugby, the Latin Cup involving Spain and Italy has been saved and will now kick off in February instead of November [link]
• Gareth Gilbert, who led the Dutch 7s team a decade ago, returns to coach the Dutch XVs as they set their sights on the 2029 World Cup after narrowly missing 2025 qualification [link]
• France is in camp preparing for the upcoming Six Nations and the 2025 RWC [link]
• Fabio Roselli steps in as Italy’s women’s head coach in January 2025, replacing Giovanni Raineri, with his first test coming against England in the Six Nations [link]
  • Italy is also in camp preparing for W6N and 2025 RWC [link]
• Asia is set to revive the Asia Championship and Division 1 Tournament after delays, with Japan, Hong Kong, and Kazakhstan competing in the Asia Rugby Emirates Championship in Japan, while Division 1 will see the UAE, India, and Malaysia face off in India [link]
• Tanzania shared their historic first-every rugby kit for the women’s XVs team [link]

Premier & Club

• Harlequins held on to the top spot in Round 12 of the PWR with wins also coming from Leicester, Gloucester-Hartpury, and Loughborough; the top four is coming into shape nicely with an outside shot by Bristol to still make it [link]
  • A record-breaking crowd of 9,240 watched Ilona Maher make her Bristol Bears debut in the 23 jersey as they faced Gloucester-Hartpury, setting a new club and PWR mark for a standalone game
  • Loughborough started 2025 by making history with a first-ever victory over Saracens in front of a record crowd at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
• After Round 9 of the Energia AIL, Railway Union stays unbeaten at the top, UL Bohemian sits second with their only loss to the leaders, Blackrock holds third, and Belvedere rounds out the top four [link]
• After Round 9 of Elite 1, Bordeaux remains unbeaten at the top, with Romagnat in second, Toulouse in third, and Blagnac sitting fourth [link]
• After Round 7 of the Germany’s Bundesliga A, Heidelberger leads unbeaten, with Neuenheim in second, Lionesses in third, and Bayern in fourth [link]
• Boitsfort continues to lead Belgium’s D1 after Round 9 Gent sits second with an unbeaten record, followed by Dendermonde in third and Royal Kituro Schaerbeek in fourth [link]
• After Round 8, Société Générale leads the Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Premiership unbeaten, with Natixis Ice in second, Kroll in third, and Gai Wu Falcons in fourth [link]
• The Welsh Premiership is seeing more postponements than games, but Burry Port leads with three wins and two losses [link]
• After Round 4 of the BC Premier, the Vancouver Thunderbirds lead, with Westshore in second, Burnaby Lake in third, and Castaway in fourth [link]
• El Salvador tops the Iberdrola League unbeaten, with Majadahonda in second, Sevilla in third, and Cisneros in fourth [link]
• After Round 6 of Serie A Elite, Colorno leads unbeaten, with Valsugna in second, Villorba in third, and Milano in fourth [link]
• After 7 rounds of the Netherlands Premier League, AAC leads, with RUS in second, Waterland in third, and RC Ladies in fourth [link]
• Uganda’s league kicks off January 11 with the same 7 teams from last season in a home-and-away round-robin format, one team on bye each week, and the league winner decided by points—relegation is still up in the air [link]
• We updated the USA Club rankings for D1, D2 and D3 for the new year [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• Call for danger warnings to rugby parents over dementia fears [link]
• Ilona Maher’s Bristol bow expected to double record crowd for women’s side [link]
• Bristol ready for ‘exciting occasion’ with Ilona Maher set to make Bears bow [link]
• Millie David relishing learning from Ilona Maher [link]
• The worrying biological changes found in rugby players who suffered several concussions [link]
• Lightning have ‘belief in each other’ ahead of run-in – says Ives Campion [link]
• Henwood’s Hooper inspiration as Olympic debutant pushes World Cup case [link]
• How Erin King Became Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year in Rugby [link]
• USA’s McKenzie Hawkins: ‘We have belief that we can win games’ [link]
• Juana Stella, Spain’s rugby 7s player of the year [link]
• Corstorphine’s remarkable journey to the top of women’s rugby [link]
• Ilona Maher is changing rugby forever – here’s why you should pay attention to her [link]
• Claudia Pena: From Barcelona to Twickenham… meet Harlequins’ new star [link]
• MacDonald bidding for England spot after returning following ten months out injured [link]
• Interview: Trailfinders Women Carys Cox [link]
• England legend Emily Scarratt excited for Ilona Maher’s PWR arrival and lays out goals for Women’s Rugby World Cup [link]
• Carpenter Emily Robinson enjoying building next chapter with Chiefs [link]
• “There will be a new and improved Emma in 2025,” says Wassell as she gives positive health update [link]
• Beast Beauty Brains Bear: The Ilona Maher effect in action at Bristol [link]
• Maddi Levi: ‘I’m not the only one who suffers with self-doubt’ [link]
• How Ilona Maher became the biggest name in rugby [link]
• Abi Burton dreaming big after finding her feet again [link]
• Rachel Philipps is “feeling in a good place” ahead of an exciting 2025 [link]
• England’s Ellie Kildunne: ‘Losing the World Cup final fuelled a fire in me’ [link]
• Golden glow: North American stars aim to follow Blyde to NRLW [link]
• Celtic Challenge: Scotland hopeful Aila Ronald vows to ‘keep improving’ [link]
• Vintage Red Bronwyn Laidlaw Honoured In Queensland Rugby Union Hall of Fame [link]
• Green’s ‘confidence is growing’ among Loughborough Lightning’s star-studded backs division [link]
• Fractured Framework: What Justin Hale’s Lawsuit Reveals About U.S. Rugby’s Governance Challenges [link]
• The birth of a star: Santo Taumata – from Te Puke to the Black Ferns [link]
• Krissy Scurfield’s bittersweet Olympics: ‘The most challenging time of my career’ [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• LTW Fancast: Low Ponies, Vegan Haggis and Rats? [link]
• LTW Fancast: Recovering from the Sarries Storm [link]
• The Women’s Rugby Show: Episode 40 [link]
• The Women’s Rugby Show: Episode 39 [link]
• The Women’s Rugby Show: Episode 38 [link]
• The Women’s Rugby Show: Episode 37 [link]
• The Power Pod: Power Up – Sara Cox, Lilli Ives Campion, Dave Ward [link]
• The Power Pod: Liking George and advantage explained [link]
• The Power Pod: Musical chairs and big games [link]
• The Power Pod: Power Up – Ellie Kildunne and Canterbury [link]
• 2024 had a spectacular finish with Nia Toliver breaking back onto the sevens scene [link]
• Squidge Rugby:Predicting the World of Rugby in 2025 [link]
• Poppy Leitch 100 Appearances | Exeter Chiefs Legend [link]
• The Counter Ruck: Irish women’s rugby: ‘there are loads of structural issues that are really difficult to address’ [link]
• US Rugby Happy Hour: 7s superstar Maddison Levi has met her match…her name is Nia Toliver [link]
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Sibling rivalry, Ilona Maher & food for the journey with Sarah & Charlie Beckett [link]
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Captain America Kate Zackary [link]
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: The GSR Christmas Party with KDM & Meg [link]
• Sport Daily: Cross-code phenom Maddi Levi can choose her own adventure [link]
• Scrum Queens reflect on whether 2024, with nearly 800 internationals across 100 nations, marked the peak year for Sevens – or is it SVNS now? [link]
• Scrum Queens highlight 45 nations, 101 tests, 13 non-test internationals, and 36 age-grade matches – making 2024 an unmatched year for women’s international XVs [link]
• Sevens stars link up with Super Rugby Women’s clubs for Wallaroos World Cup push [link]