Black Ferns’ Vancouver Dominance and the Inclusive Stand in the USA | WRR 236

As we continue to celebrate 20 years of covering women’s rugby news, the YSC Rugby 10K March is gaining significant momentum. With Instagram hitting 6,901 followers, we are just 99 away from our next 1,000-follower milestone. While we have reached 69% of our overall goal, much of this growth is driven by a surge of new allies mobilizing in response to the USA Rugby transgender ban. Our collective voice is only growing stronger during this period of advocacy, which proves that the community is standing together. Help us cross the finish line by following @YSCRugby and @BooshiePromo on Instagram or TikTok and tagging their rugby club in the comments of the pinned anniversary post.

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• The Black Ferns continued their reign of terror at BC Place, securing their fourth title in five tournaments with a gritty 24–17 victory over Australia in the Vancouver final. Player of the Final Jorja Miller proved the difference-maker, setting up the winning try for Alena Saili to break a late deadlock and extend New Zealand’s lead at the top of the HSBC SVNS standings to eight points. Behind the two heavyweights, the USA ended a nine-tournament podium drought by defeating France 35–21 to claim third place, while host nation Canada thrilled the home crowd by clinching fifth with a 26–19 win over Fiji. Further down the bracket, Japan secured seventh place after a high-scoring 34–19 exhibition against Great Britain, as the series now shifts to the final regular-season stop in New York before the World Championships begin. [link]
• The New York leg of the HSBC SVNS Series serves as the final regular-season stop, and the standings suggest a league of two halves as the teams prepare for the postseason. New Zealand currently holds a six-point cushion over Australia at the summit, with the two powerhouses safely distanced from a mid-table battle between the USA, France, and Canada. However, the real pressure is mounting at the bottom of the table, where Fiji and Great Britain remain mired in the basement with 50 and 30 points respectively. With Great Britain struggling to find their first win of the series, these lower-ranked sides are running out of runway to find form before the World Championships begin. [link]

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• The Celtic Challenge semi-final bracket is officially locked in following a high-stakes Round 10 that saw the Wolfhounds cement their status as the team to beat. A dominant 43–20 victory over the Clovers secured top spot for the Irish outfit, setting up a final-four clash against Brython Thunder, who snuck into the fourth seed after a narrow 7–0 win over Gwalia Lightning. The Lightning’s hard-fought victory earned them the third-place slot, meaning they will travel to take on the second-place Clovers in a massive rematch for a spot in the final. Meanwhile, in the Scottish derby, Edinburgh edged out the Glasgow Warriors 22–17 to end their campaign on a high, though both sides missed out on the knockout stages. All eyes now turn to the semi-finals as the top four cross-border powerhouses prepare for a winner-takes-all sprint to the trophy. [link]
• The American rugby community has mobilized in force to challenge a new USA Rugby eligibility mandate that threatens the sport’s long-standing culture of inclusivity. Following a massive emergency meeting on March 2, hundreds of club leaders and players have committed to a strategy of total sport solidarity to protect teammates facing exclusion under the new policy. This movement is now transitioning into direct action by forming specialized groups to safeguard the integrity of the game and pressure the national governing body to reinstate its inclusive standards. Their message to the community is a firm ultimatum that the sport must remain open to every body or they will refuse to play at all. [link]
• The 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations is set to be a landmark tournament as it returns to the spotlight following a historic 2025 World Cup. England enters as the dominant favorite with a staggering thirteen consecutive wins and eleven Grand Slam titles, but the rising level of competition is reflected in record-shattering ticket sales and the use of massive national venues like the Aviva Stadium and Murrayfield. This year also introduces the U21 Series to bridge the gap for emerging talent, creating a packed schedule that concludes with a high-stakes “Super Sunday” in May. With five of the world’s top ten teams competing, every match carries significant weight for the global rankings and the prestige of the championship. [link]
• The next few months are shaping up to be a blistering window for the global game, with almost every side in the top 20 set to hit the pitch. Between the highly anticipated Guinness Women’s Six Nations, the intercontinental sprint of the PAC4 Series, and a relentless schedule of European championships and spring internationals, the calendar is absolutely packed. It is an exciting time to be following women’s rugby as these elite powerhouses look to assert their dominance and refine their form on the world stage. [link]
• Las Leonas are officially launching a new era under French coach Régis Sonnes as they chase an incredible ninth consecutive European title this spring. The campaign kicks off on home soil in Las Rozas against Belgium before shifting to a massive international test in Villajoyosa against the world champion England U21 side. This high-performance window is designed to gauge the squad’s growth against elite standards while solidifying their continental dominance through away fixtures in Portugal and the Netherlands. By testing their veterans against England’s rising stars, Spain aims to modernize their tactical approach and maintain their status as the premier force in European rugby. [link]
• New research from the WXV competitions shows that as elite women’s rugby professionalizes, the athletes are becoming significantly more powerful and the game more intense. While overall injury rates are currently lower than in the men’s game, the data reveals that forwards bear the heaviest burden, with knee ligament injuries accounting for the majority of their time away from the pitch. Fatigue is a major factor since two-thirds of injuries happen in the second half, though there is positive news regarding head health as concussion identification has improved drastically since 2010. These insights provide a vital roadmap for coaching and player welfare to ensure the sport grows sustainably heading into the next World Cup cycle. [link]
• Spain is making a serious play to host the 2035 and 2037 World Cups as part of a massive push to professionalize and grow the sport within the country. While the federation has officially entered the race for the 2035 men’s tournament, the current trend suggests that securing one often leads to hosting the women’s event two years later. This mirrors the dual-hosting models already set for Australia and the USA, and it would represent a total transformation for Spanish rugby from a niche interest to a global centerpiece. [link]

Domestic

• Europe
  • The AXA Elite 1 final is set for a historic showdown at the iconic Stade Aguilera in Biarritz on the weekend of June 27, and French Rugby has already confirmed the match is officially sold out. While Stade Toulousain and ASM Romagnat currently lead the pack, they first have to navigate a high-stakes semifinal round against the rest of the top four to earn their place in the title match. Defending champions Stade Bordelais and a resilient Blagnac side are currently in position to fill those playoff spots, meaning any of these four powerhouses could potentially be the ones walking out to that capacity crowd. [link]
  • Round 13 of the Liga Iberdrola has locked in the top three playoff spots for El Salvador, Getxo, and Majadahonda, but the race for the final semifinal ticket has turned into an absolute sprint. El Salvador remains the undisputed title favorite after a crushing 33–0 bonus-point win over second-place Getxo, while Majadahonda officially secured their postseason berth by defeating Olímpico Pozuelo. Behind the leaders, only three points separate fourth-place Sant Cugat from seventh-place Cisneros, leaving the final playoff spot and the relegation promotion battle wide open heading into the last weekend. With Sant Cugat currently holding the narrowest of leads for that fourth seed, the upcoming clashes between CRAT and Cisneros will be a high-stakes decider for who stays in title contention and who faces the threat of the drop. [link]
  • PWR
    • Round 13 of the PWR saw Saracens reclaim the top spot after a dominant 43–26 London derby win over Harlequins, powered by a clinical May Campbell hat-trick. Gloucester-Hartpury kept their own unbeaten streak alive with a 38–20 victory over Exeter Chiefs, though the Chiefs managed to salvage a valuable four-try bonus point in the closing minutes. The weekend’s biggest drama unfolded at Morson Stadium, where Sale Sharks overturned a significant halftime deficit to edge out Loughborough Lightning 31–29 in a frantic back-and-forth thriller. Meanwhile, Bristol Bears delivered a ruthless performance by dismantling Leicester Tigers 68–0, scoring ten tries to keep themselves firmly in the postseason conversation as the race for the top four intensifies. [link]
    • Red Roses stars Ellie Kildunne and Sadia Kabeya are currently stuck in Dubai following a massive escalation in Middle East conflict that has grounded flights across the region. The world-class duo was officially sidelined for this weekend’s action as travel disruptions prevent them from reaching their respective clubs, Harlequins and Loughborough Lightning. Both players have checked in with the UK government and are waiting for a safe opening to return home while the RFU provides ongoing support. [link]
• Oceania
  • The Fijiana Drua are set to enter the 2026 Super Rugby W season with a massive boost from their expanded partnership with Fiji Airways. This high-profile support comes as the team looks to build on their legacy of winning back-to-back championships in their first two years and reaching the semi-finals in the seasons since. The squad remains a powerful symbol of empowerment for young women in Fiji and continues to serve as a vital professional pathway for local talent. [link]
• Africa
  • Round 5 of the Uganda Premiership saw the Thunderbirds seize the top spot in the standings after a gritty 10–5 victory over the Avengers. This result, combined with a 25–17 win for the Nile Rapids over the Black Pearls, has completely reshuffled the top of the table as the Rapids remain the only unbeaten side in the competition. Meanwhile, the EWES secured a massive 29–20 win against the winless Panthers to jump into sixth place and distance themselves from the bottom of the rankings. [link]
  • The Isuzu Bulls Daisies firmly established themselves as the team to beat in Round 4 of the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1, dismantling second-place DHL Western Province with 24 unanswered second-half points to secure a dominant 50–22 victory. While the Daisies pulled clear at the summit, the Sanlam Boland Dames kept pace in the title race thanks to a hat-trick from Aseza Hele in a high-scoring 41–29 win over the EP Queens. Elsewhere, the Golden Lions continued their upward trajectory by stifling the Border Ladies 32–7, and the Sharks finally ignited their campaign, bagging a crucial first win of the season with a 33–19 bonus-point triumph over the Free State. [link]
• Asia
  • The Grand Final lineup for the Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Hong Kong Premiership is officially set after a clinical semifinal Saturday that saw the league’s top two seeds assert their dominance. League winners Societe Generale Valley RFC booked their place in the championship match with a commanding 22–0 shutout over the Gai Wu Falcons, avenging their only regular-season loss with a defensive masterclass at Happy Valley. Meanwhile, the Kroll USRC Tigers Women continued their historic season by overcoming HKFC Natixis Ice 33–19, utilizing their superior clinical edge and “finisher” depth to pull away in the second half. This sets up a massive season finale between a Valley side hunting their 14th Grand Championship and a surging Tigers squad that has proven they can close the gap on the traditional powerhouses. [link]

Women’s Rugby Features

• Campbell inspires Saracens to win over Harlequins [link]
• Nadine Roos: We are thrilled to go from zero Springbok Women’s games a year to 10 [link]
• Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on Rugby World Cup semi-final loss [link]
• Meet Zainab Alema, the Muslim woman breaking down barriers in rugby: ‘I want to inspire young girls’ [link]
• Marx and Roos crowned South Africa’s best at SA Rugby Awards [link]
• Red Roses Props Unite in the Commentary Box [link]
• ‘It’s Heads Down For Big Finish To The Season’ – Wicklow Forward Koper [link]
• Emilie Bydwell: ‘It’s time for us to shift gears’  [link]
• My most inspiring Black Fern retires [link]
• ‘Everyone just trusts each other and backs each other’: Niamh O’Dowd [link]
• Jacobs excited to be back where it all started  [link]
• SVNS mid-term report: Youth rules, new names, gun-shy Australia? [link]
• Helena Rowland to make first PWR appearance since World Cup win [link]
• England U21 announce clash with Women’s Rugby World Cup opposition [link]
• HSBC SVNS in Vancouver part of women’s sport ‘tipping point’, says Canada’s Symonds [link]
• Ohio rugby clubs denounce USA Rugby rule banning trans women from women’s teams [link]
• The sideline staff secrets of HSBC SVNS sides’ success [link]
• Is rugby any closer to answering the complex brain injury question? [link]
• Olympic Underdogs to Rugby World Cup Heartache: Canada’s 12-Month Roller Coaster With Alysha Corrigan [link]
• Keyara Wardley: ‘My body definitely needed a break’ [link]
• Great Britain bolstered by Olympic experience in Vancouver [link]
• ‘I missed the South African sunshine too much’: Catha Jacobs on her full circle moment [link]
• Amid Growing Restrictions on Trans Athletes, Ultimate and Quadball Choose Inclusion [link]
• USA Rugby announced a new “open” category for trans women. Advocates say it’s a “dark milestone.” [link]
• Justine Pelletier: ‘It’s unusual for Bordeaux to be in third position but the season is still young’  [link]
• You’ve got to look after your brain – Merchant  [link]
• Holmes appointed Wales women’s defence coach [link]
• USA Rugby bans trans women from women’s competition [link]
• Women’s Elite Rugby Expands Leadership and Launches Commercial Advisory Council Ahead of Series A Growth [link]
• Elisa Giordano, torchbearer for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games: “An honor for me and for our sport.” [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• The Women’s Rugby Treehouse: We Have Thoughts: PWR, Celtic Challenge & USA Trans Ban
• Squidge Rugby: So are rugby’s laws working right now? (w/ Sam Larner)
• Challenging the Game: Mental health, connection and support
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Hollie Davidson – History Making Referee
• Banana and Bear Pod: Furlongevity
• Rugby Rodeo: Olympic Underdogs to Rugby World Cup Heartache – Canada’s 12 Month Rollercoaster
• LTW Fancast: A New Standard Set?
• The Women’s Rugby Podcast: Three to Play, Tries on the Board and Journey from Zandvoort