Black Ferns Top SVNS, NCR Policy Reversal Draws Criticism & 2035 Rugby World Cup Bid Raises Concerns | WRR 195

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens were crowned SVNS League Winners after dominating the 2025 regular season, capped by a 31-7 win over Australia in Singapore [link]
  • The Championship pools—based on rankings—were confirmed in Singapore, with two pools of four and the top two from each advancing to the semis [link]
    • Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Great Britain
    • Pool B: Australia, France, USA, Fiji
• We’ll find out the final four Qualifier teams after the last Sevens Challenger stop in Krakow (April 11–12), with Kenya, Argentina, and South Africa leading the race—but with 7s being 7s, don’t count out Thailand, Poland, Czechia or Uganda shaking things up [link]

Domestic

• LIT7s “The Olympic Experience” is nearly sold out for April 11–13 in Chula Vista, offering athletes ages 13 and up the chance to train with Perry Baker, Naya Tapper, Carlin Isles and more at the Olympic Training Center [link]

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• The 2035 Rugby World Cup bid from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE raises serious concerns over human rights violations, criminalization of same-sex relationships, and threats to free speech and women’s rights—prompting urgent questions about the future and values of the sport [link]
• After two weeks of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, Ireland jumped to 5th after beating Italy handily, bumping Australia down, while the USA moved up to 7th as Italy dropped to 8th with two losses—and there’s likely more movement to come this month [link]
• Round three of the Six Nations is coming up with France vs Wales, Scotland vs Italy, and Ireland facing England for the Utrecht Shield—England and France look to stay unbeaten, while Wales and Italy are still chasing their first wins and the Irish would love to know off the Red Roses [link]
• Spain improved to 2-0 with a dominant 69-0 win over Sweden, while the Netherlands defeated Portugal 40-5 in Round 2 of the European Championship—setting up a top-of-the-table clash between the two front-runners in the next round [link]
• April is packed with international and regional action—from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger and Guinness Women’s Six Nations to the European Championship and club and premier competitions across Europe and the Pacific [link]

Premier & Club

• National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) quietly changed its transgender inclusion policy last month—barring trans women from championship play and sparking widespread backlash, even as other rugby governing bodies continue to uphold inclusive guidelines [link]
  • After significant community pushback, NCR has reversed course and will now follow the 2015 IOC transgender policy used by USA Rugby for eligibility in qualifying matches, while keeping its more inclusive approach for all other play, with waivers already approved and a broader stakeholder review planned for the offseason.
    – Statement received from NCR Board Chair Rafael Zahralddin on Monday, April 7
• WER Round 3 saw Boston stay unbeaten, Denver move into 2nd, and Bay grab their first win—only two matches on deck for Week 4 where Denver will take on Chicago and New York will host the Bay Breakers as Boston and Twin Cities rest [link]
• We’re almost there—most USA Club Super Regional seeds for D1 and D2 will be locked in after this weekend or next [link]
• Only one match went ahead in the Welsh Premiership as Pontyclun took the win over Seven Sisters, with Whitland vs Bonymaen postponed—Llandaff North still holds the top spot [link]
• Round 9 of the BC Premier saw Westshore take the win over Burnaby Lake, locking in semifinal spots for Vancouver, Westshore, Castaway, and Seattle with playoffs kicking off Saturday, April 26 [link]
• The Energia AIL semifinals are set for Sunday, April 13, with Railway Union hosting Old Belvedere and UL Bohemian taking on Blackrock College—both streamed live on IrishRugby+ as teams battle for a spot in the April 27 final at Aviva Stadium [link]
• The Serie A Elite regular season has wrapped, and the Scudetto Final is set—Valsugana and Villorba will face off for the title on May 10, live on Rai [link]
• We tracked down Kenya Cup updates through team socials—Impala beat Kenya Harlequins 28-8 in one semifinal, but details on the other matchup and the Final are still unclear [link]
  • Update Apr 8: Mwamba will host the Kenya Cup Finals on April 26 and face Impala in the women’s final [link]
• The 2025 Super W Grand Final is set for Saturday, April 12 at North Sydney Oval, with the Waratahs and Reds meeting for the fifth time after NSW beat the Force 54-17 and Queensland held off the Drua 54-40 in high-scoring semifinals [link]
• The Blues locked in hosting rights for the Aupiki Grand Final with a 49-26 win over Poua, while Chiefs Manawa ended their season on a high with a 28-22 victory over Matatū—who now face the Blues for the title next Saturday [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• With less than six months to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, all four Home Unions – Scottish Rugby, RFU, WRU, and IRFU – are continuing to work together to grow the women and girls’ game, thanks to the Impact ’25 programme and UK Sport [link]
• Ealing Trailfinders Women announced the appointment of Fraser Brown as Scrum Coach [link]
• Millie from Marr Girls is the national team superfan [link]
• Jodie Ounsley: ‘Time for us to smash perceptions’ [link]
• The return of Romane Ménager [link]
• Women’s Elite Rugby, the first professional rugby 15s women’s league in the United States, kicked off this month, offering a new opportunity for athletes hoping to compete in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles [link]
• A Rosslyn Park parent was banned for 18 weeks after verbally abusing a 12-year-old Cobham player he believed was transgender, with a panel later confirming the claims were baseless and calling his conduct “disgraceful” [link]
• The Lenaïg Corson Column: ‘Red Roses are terrifying’ [link]
• Red Roses Meg Jones commends revolutionary female-specific rugby boots [link]
• Jasmine Joyce: ‘We don’t want to be the men’ [link]
• Shaunagh Brown: I’m glad players danced at Principality [link]
• Bok Women to host Canada in two Tests in July [link]
• Leicester Tigers have named Fraser Goatcher as Director of Women’s Rugby and Ross Bundy as Head Coach, signaling a new era for the women’s program as they build toward the 2025/26 PWR season [link]
• Christine Belisle decides to sit out remainder of Six Nations [link]
• Michaela Brake: ‘I love putting pressure on myself’ [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• The Women’s Rugby Show: Guinness x IDA – Never Settle
• MudderRucker: Instant Parma
• Full Credit: Glass Half Full
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Meg Jones Presents GSR: Six Nations Fallow Week
• Banana and Bear’s Rugby Pod: Quantaum Creme Eggs

Women’s Rugby Rundown Jobs