Jamaica’s Win, IGR Events, Oceania Championships & Africa Cup, Stade Bordelais’ Third Title | WRR 203

Women’s Rugby 7s News

Domestic

• CORRECTION: Shogun claimed the first women’s elite title of the LIT Super Sevens Series at Oxford 7s, edging out the Hong Kong in the final, with the next leg set for Shelford 7s on June 7 [link]
• LIT 7s will hold its first USA tournament on November 29, 2025, in Florida featuring elite, open, social, and age-grade competitions for U23, U19, and U17 players [link]

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• In the second round of RAN XVs Inter-Regional matches, Jamaica’s 71-7 win over Trinidad & Tobago put them ahead of Mexico, but Mexico can still claim their second title, which they first won in 2019, if they beat Trinidad & Tobago in their final game on June 28 [link]
• The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is on track to be the biggest yet, with 350,000 tickets sold and this event will be a landmark moment for women’s rugby worldwide [link]
• IGR Events
  • At the 2025 IGR Union Cup in Oslo, Les Simones claimed victory over Bruiserkers in the inaugural Emily Valentine Cup final, marking a landmark moment that celebrates diversity and inclusion in rugby[link]
  • The “Ruck You Match,” a 7s game at the 2025 IGR Union Cup in Oslo, was a groundbreaking event where trans women faced off against a team of well-known cis women trailblazers; the final score was 34-7, with the trans team scoring a lone try after the sides were mixed [link]
  • The 2025 NORAM Women’s+ Cup featured teams including Baltimore Flamingos, San Jose Seahawks, Village Lions, and North Shore, with Baltimore Flamingos-Ferals winning the tournament [link]
• The 2025 Oceania Rugby Championship begins June 6 in Fiji with Fiji defending their title, Samoa aiming to reclaim it, and Tonga competing, as Fiji and Samoa have already qualified for the Rugby World Cup [link]
  • Fiji’s head coach Ioan Cunningham named a strong 32-player Vodafone Fijiana 15s squad for the 2025 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship from June 6-14, blending experienced veterans and promising newcomers as they prepare to defend their title and build momentum ahead of the Rugby World Cup [link]
• The 2025 Rugby Africa Cup kicks off June 7 in Madagascar with South Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, and Uganda competing, serving as a key tune-up for South Africa and a chance to build momentum ahead of future tournaments [link]
  • Kenya Lionesses have named their 28-player squad for the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar, blending returning sevens stars and new talent under captain Enid Ouma, aiming to improve on last year’s third-place finish against tough competition from Madagascar, South Africa, and Uganda [link]
• Japan’s Sakura will host Spain for two matches on July 19 and July 26 as part of the Taiyo Life Japan Rugby Challenger Series 2025, serving as their final home games before the 2025 RWC [link]
• Ireland has named a 37-player RWC preparation squad, blending experienced players with new talent, as they gear up for summer training and warm-up matches against Scotland and Canada ahead of the tournament in England [link]
• Scotland Head Coach Bryan Easson named a 38-player extended training squad for their RWC preparations, blending experienced players with exciting new talent and welcoming back key players recovering from injury [link]
• The BBC summed up Welsh rugby’s season as ending in turmoil with just 2 wins from 18 national games, off-field disputes, financial chaos, and a Cardiff administration crisis that deepened regional tensions, leaving the future uncertain [link]
• This weekend, the Africa Cup Championship heats up with South Africa taking on Uganda and Kenya facing Madagascar, while the 2025 LIT Elite Super 7s Series continues with Shelford 7s action in the UK [link]

Premier & Club

• Stade Bordelais won their third straight Elite 1 title, edging Stade Toulousain 32-24 in an electric final at Marcel-Michelin stadium, capping a day that celebrated the strength and spirit of French women’s rugby across seven national finals [link]
• Round 11 shook up WER standings as Denver suffered their first loss, New York moved into second, Bay Area edged into third, and Boston slipped to fourth [link]
  • The final Legacy Cup spot will be decided in Week 13, with bonus points and head-to-head records playing a decisive role:
    • New York Exiles (28 points, 1 game left)
      • Win their final match vs. Chicago Tempest on June 14 to secure at least 32 points.
      • Even a loss could still keep them in contention if Bay Area doesn’t earn enough bonus points.
      • Hold tie-breaker advantages due to head-to-head and bonus points over Boston.
    • Bay Area Breakers (27 points, 2 games left)
      • The easiest path is to win both of their remaining games (June 7 vs. Chicago
      • Tempest and June 14 vs. Denver Onyx) or get 7 points.
      • Bonus points are critical; without them, unlikely to overtake New York.
    • Boston Banshees (27 points, 1 game left)
      • Can only reach a maximum of 32 points with a bonus-point win on June 13 vs. TC Gemini.
      • Boston is effectively out unless Bay Area and New York fail to secure bonus points in their matches.
      • Tie-breakers favor New York and Bay Area over Boston, limiting their chances.
• Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) has announced its end-of-season award nominees, featuring top players like Emma Sing and Zoe Aldcroft from Gloucester-Hartpury, alongside nominees from Bristol Bears and other leading clubs, with the Rugby Awards set for June 3 in London to celebrate the best of English women’s rugby ahead of the 2025 World Cup [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, one of the greatest women’s rugby players ever and a champion for gender equality in sport, has been honoured by the King with the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, adding to her many accolades including World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade and Māori Sportswoman of the Year [link]
• A European women’s rugby club competition remains unrealized due to funding, scheduling, and development challenges. Federations agree domestic leagues must stabilize and professionalize first, with talks ongoing about smaller England-France matches as a step toward a future European Cup [link]
• The 2025 Prusmack Award honors top collegiate sevens players Alyssa Cunningham and Manula Taula for their exceptional rugby achievements and promising futures, highlighting their journeys and contributions to American rugby [link]
• Patience Mokone has quickly risen in South African rugby, earning spots with both the Springbok Women’s Sevens and the fifteens squad, and is now poised for a possible Test debut at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar after standout performances with the Bulls Daisies and national sevens team [link]
• Rugby World got a rare look inside Adidas HQ to see iconic rugby relics including Jonah Lomu’s gear, Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup-winning boots, and memorabilia celebrating the women who have shaped the game’s history [link]
• Michella’e Stolz, a New Zealand-based teenager, has fulfilled her dream by being selected for the Vodafone Fijiana 15s squad for the upcoming Oceania Women’s Rugby Championship, joining Fiji and Samoa who have both qualified for the 2025 Rugby World Cup [link]
• Springbok Women’s assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt welcomes the return of former player Zenay Jordaan to the coaching staff ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, highlighting how empowering former players through coaching education strengthens the team and grows women’s rugby in South Africa [link]
• Japan’s captain Iroha Nagata has led her team through a strong evolution, aiming to challenge New Zealand at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup after growing as a leader and player under coach Lesley McKenzie’s guidance [link]
• Amber Reed, Bristol Bears Women’s long-time centre and England international, retires after 16 seasons and nearly 200 games to become assistant coach, also managing the club’s partnership with the University of Bristol’s women’s team as the Bears begin a new coaching chapter [link]
• Marisa Hall’s journey from high school athlete to fan-favorite for the Twin Cities Gemini highlights the growing passion for women’s rugby in Minnesota, where the sport’s toughness and community spirit are drawing bigger crowds and inspiring the next generation [link]
• Aoife Dalton took home the Women’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year after a standout season with Ireland, as the Irish women’s rugby scene celebrated key achievements, comebacks, and rising stars ahead of the Rugby World Cup [link]
• Camille Wilt has faced intense challenges and policy changes but remains determined to play and be included in women’s rugby, backed by a strong community and advocating for fair, compassionate eligibility rules that honor dignity and inclusion [link]
• South Africa Rugby’s recent Community Rugby Workshop set bold plans for growth and inclusion, unveiling new youth development camps for girls, a unified tackle age framework, and strategies to boost female participation by 30% by 2027, all while emphasizing grassroots rugby’s vital role in shaping the game’s future [link]
• Ella Cromack, a 20-year-old Harlequins Women and England U20 fly-half, is taking on a 24-hour kickathon aiming to kick 1,611 rugby balls to raise money and awareness for The Brain Tumour Charity’s Give Simon Time campaign inspired by her dad’s battle with glioblastoma, with all proceeds supporting treatment and research [link]
• Silvia Turani overcame doubts about starting rugby late to become Italy’s star loosehead prop, earning 42 caps and thriving with Harlequins in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby, all while pushing through family concerns and career challenges ahead of the 2025 World Cup [link]
• Zim’s Pazani is making history as she breaks new ground representing Zimbabwe at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup as a referee [link]
• Australia and USA ended the Pacific Four Series with heavy losses but remain focused on growth, with new investments and contracts fueling hopes for stronger futures as they prepare for the 2025 Rugby World Cup [link]
• South Africa’s women’s rugby team aims to make history with their best-ever World Cup result this August in England, facing Brazil, France, and Italy in their group while building on steady progress and strong preparations [link]
• The 2025 Pacific Four Series form XV highlights standout players led by New Zealand’s dominance in the backs and Canada’s strength in the forwards, setting the stage for key pre-World Cup matchups like France vs England to test strategies ahead of the tournament [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• Squidge Rugby: So what doubled the number of tries being scored across rugby?
• Mudder Rucker: Ruck You
• Full Credit: Our MVPs for Pacific Four