Trinidad Stuns Mexico, Ilona Earns ESPYS Nod, Denver Onyx Wins Inaugural WER Legacy Cup | WRR 207

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• Poland took the final stop of the European 7s Championship, but Great Britain secured the overall title with their earlier win, while Poland finished second and France took third [link]
• South Africa’s most capped women’s sevens player, Mathrin Simmers, has officially retired after a remarkable 13-year career that included three World Cups, two Commonwealth Games, and the Paris Olympics, with tributes highlighting her leadership, longevity, and impact on the growth of the women’s game [link]
• The final stop of the LIT Super 7s Series Elite is coming up this weekend at Bury St Edmunds 7s, with Shogun leading the standings but closely chased by HK Dragons, Vaquita Hammerheads, and Lilian Amazons, who won the most recent stop [link]

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• Trinidad and Tobago edged Mexico 18-16 for their first ever win over the side, but Mexico still claimed their first RAN XVs title since 2019 by a single point, showing just how tight the region has become [link]
• After upsetting Mexico in the RAN XVs Tournament, Trinidad and Tobago jumped four spots to 30 in the World Rugby Rankings, while Mexico dropped two to 27 [link]
• Manu’a Moleka led the way with a first-half double as Australia A ran in eight tries to defeat Samoa 50-22, with standout performances from Piper Duck, Arabella McKenzie, Tia Hinds, and teenage spark Waiaria Ellis boosting their World Cup hopes [link]
• Ilona Maher earned her first ESPYS nomination alongside standout women like Coco Gauff, Simone Biles, A’ja Wilson, and Caitlin Clark, as fan voting opens ahead of the July 16 ceremony [link]
• Vicky Dombroski, the first and only woman to head coach the Black Ferns, reflects on a lifetime of dedication to women’s rugby and calls for more women to step into top roles as her story features in the new documentary No Tears on the Field [link]
• The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has postponed the proposed revamp of top-tier women’s rugby in Wales that was due to be in place for 2025-26 [link]
  • Cymru Women’s Sport expressed disappointment, calling the move another example of women’s rugby being deprioritized in favor of the men’s game and warning that this slows growth and commercial viability.
• Rugby World Cup prep rolls on over the next few weekends with matches featuring South Africa, Canada, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, Spain, USA, and Fiji [link]

Premier & Club

• Denver Onyx closed out the inaugural season of professional women’s rugby in the U.S. with a commanding 53-13 win over the New York Exiles, claiming the first-ever WER Legacy Cup title and cementing their place in history as the league’s first champions [link]
• The IRFU has confirmed the 2025/26 Women’s Energia All-Ireland League season plan, with 18 rounds, two no-rugby weekends, and a final set for April 26 at Aviva Stadium, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the women’s domestic game in Ireland [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• There’s been exciting news for Ballina RFC’s Ailish Quinn with confirmation that she has been added to the Ireland Women’s World Cup preparation squad [link]
• Scotland flanker Alex Stewart has opened up about a transformative start to 2025 – one marked by two major health diagnoses that have reshaped her daily life and outlook on rugby and identity [link]
• England’s Natasha Hunt says she’s excited for the first-ever Lions Women’s Tour in 2027, taking place in New Zealand, and admits it’s the ‘pinnacle’ of the sport [link]
• England will approach this summer’s home World Cup with “no regrets” says Red Roses head coach John Mitchell [link]
• ‘We created this for ourselves’: Inside the inaugural season of Women’s Elite Rugby [link]
• National women’s rugby coach Richard Staglon is facing a tough contest on Saturday when his team faces Mexico in the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Regional Tournament [link]
• While France’s Top 14 continues to thrive, the women’s Élite 1 league faces neglect, underfunding, and ongoing mistreatment, as players like Pauline Bourdon-Sansus and clubs like Les Amazones push back against a system still failing to support its female athletes [link]
• Meg Jones: ‘There’s so much the community accepts and sexuality is one of those’ [link]
• Former Wallaroos skipper makes timely return ahead of World Cup [link]
• There’s plenty more to No Tears On The Field than women’s rugby [link]
• Springbok Women name squad for tough Canada Tests ahead of World Cup [link]
• Grace McKenzie joins Advisory Council of Athletes Network for Safer Sports [link]
• As excitement builds for the Women’s Rugby World Cup, residents are being invited to reach for their knitting needles and crochet hooks and join an exciting city dressing initiative [link]
• France Women’s XV: Suspended, Pauline Bourdon Sansus will miss the start of the World Cup [link]
• Fiji Rugby Women’s High Performance manager Alana Thomas surpassed a major milestone in her career yesterday after being inducted into the NSW Waratahs Hall of Fame [link]
• Ella Beltran looks to ‘eat, sleep, breathe rugby’ with Queen’s University Gaels [link]
• ‘I don’t really recognise myself’: Emma Orr on growing into the Scotland 13 shirt [link]
• Xledger are returning to power Bristol Bears Women as Principal Partner and Front of Shirt sponsor [link]
• With a sporting career inspired by Cathy Freeman, fellow Olympic gold medallist and multi-sports star Chloe Dalton has been forced to retire due a back injury [link]
• Following their emphatic, first-ever victory over the USA in April and strong wins against Kazakhstan and Hong Kong China in the 2025 Asia Women’s Championship, the Sakura Fifteen are now in camp preparing for their two-test home series against Spain ahead of the World Cup 2025 in England [link]
• McMahon: We’re Driving Defence On In Search Of Further Improvements [link]
• Sporty Spice and England scrum-half Natasha Hunt have launched the ‘Force of Nature Fund’ to support grassroots girls’ rugby ahead of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• Squidge Rugby: So can Rugby ever break the America?
• US Rugby Happy Hour: WER Legacy Cup & MLR Championship Previews
• The Women’s Rugby Show: The Sacrifices of a Rugby Player
• MLR Weekly: Championship Special, Houston Star Johan Momsen, Wendy Young on WER Legacy Cup
• Back the Girls: Pride Month Special