Olympians Blast IOC Policy, Germany Claims European Crown & WXV Global Series Format | WRR 240

Women’s Rugby 7s News

International

• Five high profile Olympians have publicly slammed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to reintroduce mandatory genetic testing for women athletes starting at the LA28 Games. Caster Semenya, Nikki Hiltz, and others have labeled the move as shameful and invasive, arguing that it targets transgender women and those with differences of sex development while violating basic human dignity. These athletes and human rights advocates warn that the policy creates an unlevel playing field that disproportionately harms women from the global South and could eventually trickledown to affect grassroots sports. By defining womanhood through a single genetic test, critics argue the IOC is ignoring complex biological realities and focusing on political pressure rather than actual systemic issues like equal pay and resources [link]
• The 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championship Series kicks off in Hong Kong as a high stakes battle for both the title and tour survival. While New Zealand leads the standings and Australia remains their most consistent challenger, the USA have surged into third place following back to back bronze medals. At the other end of the table, bottom ranked Great Britain faces the threat of relegation as four battle hardened qualifiers join the elite tier to disrupt the status quo. This triple event finale across Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux will ultimately determine the world champion and the finalized lineup for next year’s main tour. [link]

Domestic

• The 2026 Tropical 7s solidified its status as the largest tournament in the Americas and the fifth largest globally, hosting over 230 teams and 10,000 attendees. I was honored to be part of the Tropical 7s Live show where we gave fans a behind the scenes look through deep dives and interviews with coaches, referees, and the athletes themselves. We even hosted as many champions on set as possible, including winners like Westlake Drua, Atlantis, USA West, and international standouts like the Renegades from Australia, Canada’s Trinity Western, and LITS 7s from the United Kingdom. This one of a kind broadcast captured the heart of the competition as LIT and other squads claimed their titles after two days of incredible action. [link]
  • U12 Girls: Westlake Drua
  • U14 Girls: Atlantis
  • U16 Girls Open: Wallabies (MEX)
  • U16 Girls Elite: USA West
  • U18 Girls Open: Aurora Barbarians (CAN)
  • U18 Girls Elite: Renegades (AUS)
  • U23 Women Open: South Atlantic
  • U23 Women Elite: Trinity Western (CAN)
  • Women’s Elite: LIT 7s (UK)

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• Germany secured the European Trophy title with a dominant 29-0 victory over Sweden in Trelleborg. This win capped off a perfect campaign for the German squad, who finished at the top of the table with two wins from two matches and a total of 10 points. By shutting out the Swedes and holding off Finland earlier in the tournament, Germany successfully claimed the championship crown for the 2025-26 cycle. [link]
• The Spanish Lionesses delivered a highly competitive performance in their friendly against England U21, showing significant growth throughout the match at Estadio El Pantano. Despite a tough first half where England took a 0-17 lead, Spain roared back in the second period with tries from Gaia Tartinville, Paloma García, and Naroa Azpitarte. While the final score ended 17-27 in favor of the visitors, the Lionesses outscored England 17-10 in the second forty minutes and proved they could dictate the pace against a world-class opponent. [link]
• The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has confirmed that a high profile extraordinary general meeting will move forward on April 13, despite the district that originally called for it attempts to withdraw their motions. The Central Glamorgan Rugby Union initially pushed for the meeting to issue a vote of no confidence in top leadership, but they declared their voice has been heard following the announced resignations of WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood and Malcolm Wall. However, the WRU stated that proceeding is a legal requirement under company law once a meeting has been formally triggered, meaning it cannot be cancelled. The session at Principality Stadium will now serve as an open forum for the WRU board to provide updates and for member clubs to address leadership directly regarding the future of the sport in Wales. [link]
• The 2026 international rugby window kicks off this weekend with a massive lineup of matches across four different competitions and several continents. Fans can expect high intensity action as the Guinness Six Nations enters a critical round of play while the Pacific Four Series officially gets underway in the United States and Canada. In Europe, the regional championship continues with two fierce rivalries, and an intriguing international friendly features a clash of styles between Fiji and South Africa. This weekend represents a pivotal moment for these national programs as they test their depth and build momentum for the remainder of the season. [link]
  • Guinness Six Nations (W6N): France vs. Italy, England vs. Ireland, and Wales vs. Scotland.
  • Pacific Four Series (PAC4): USA vs. New Zealand and Canada vs. Australia.
  • European Championship: Portugal vs. Spain and Belgium vs. Netherlands.
  • International Friendly: Fiji vs. South Africa.
• Pacific Four Series
  • USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach Jack Hanratty has named a 32-player squad for the 2026 Pacific Four Series, signaling a fresh start for the program with ten uncapped players and a revamped coaching staff. While veteran mainstays like Hope Rogers and Alev Kelter return to lead the charge, the roster also highlights rising stars from the USA pathways such as NCR Player of the Year Telesi Uhatafe and utility back Bella Vogel. The Eagles will look to capitalize on home field advantage across Sacramento, Kansas City, and Chicago, aiming to settle some unfinished business following a resilient but heartbreaking World Cup campaign last year. Key leaders Kate Zackary and Gabby Cantorna will miss the series due to injury but remain involved in leadership roles as the team prepares to kick off against the Black Ferns on April 11th. [link]
• Hong Kong has officially announced its coaching roster for the 2026 Asia Rugby Emirates Championship, with Bella Milo named as the lead coach before she transitions to her new role as Head Coach of Manusina Samoa. Milo will be supported by a deep technical team including Strategic Consultant John Haggart and assistant coaches Charli Jacoby, Gus Leger, Terry Sibanda, and Will Webster. The tournament kicks off in Kazakhstan on April 28, where Hong Kong China will face the hosts and defending champions Japan as part of their preparation for the WXV Global Series later this year. [link]
• WXV
  • The 2026 WXV Global Series marks a total transformation of the international women’s rugby calendar by moving away from centralized tournaments to a high performance touring model. Running from 2026 through 2028, this new three year cycle provides the top 12 nations with a dedicated eight week window in September and October to host home matches and grow local fanbases. This stable structure serves as the primary qualification pathway for the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, with emerging nations fighting for the final spots in a centralized tournament tier. While the full fixture list is still taking shape, marquee matchups like England versus New Zealand and a two Test series between Australia and Scotland have already been confirmed for this fall. This evolution not only mimics historic touring traditions but also guarantees over 100 international matches to further the professionalization of the global game. [link]
  • The Wallaroos have officially locked in another fixture in the WXV Global Series against world number six Scotland for October 23, 2026, at GIO Stadium in Canberra. This announcement follows their dominant 33-15 victory over Fijiana last Friday, where debutant Nicole Ledington and veterans Maya Stewart and Desiree Miller helped secure the Vuvale Bowl. With the squad currently undefeated in the capital since their return in 2025, Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh highlighted the city as a critical “rugby nursery” for the team’s growth. Tickets for the Scotland clash went on sale this week as the Wallaroos prepare to transition into their Pacific Four campaign later this month. [link]

Domestic

• Americas
  • The road to the 2026 Super Regionals is narrowing as unions across the country determine their championship matchups. Key battles are set for April 11, including Colorado Springs against Utah SLUGS in the Northern D2 bracket and Phoenixville taking on Monmouth in the Atlantic D2 division. Other high-stakes matchups on that date feature Charlotte versus Atlanta 2.0 in the Gulf Coast and Pasadena facing Los Angeles in the Pacific region. In the D3 tier, the Red River Cup will be decided between Dallas and Bay Area while North Bay and York & Lancaster fight for the East Penn title. These finals over the next few weekends will ultimately decide which top clubs secure their spots in the four highly anticipated Super Regionals. [link]
• Europe
  • Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) is entering a transformative era as Gloucester-Hartpury and Saracens continue to set the pace at the top of the table. Following a high-scoring regular season featuring dominant performances and narrow upsets, the league has officially invited expressions of interest from ambitious programs across the UK and Ireland to join its future structure. This expansion effort aligns with the rapid growth of the women’s game and a strengthening commercial platform supported by partners like TNT Sports and Gallagher. As the 2026 season marches toward its June finale at Twickenham Stoop, this strategic move aims to solidify the league’s position as a global leader in professional women’s sport. [link]
  • Llandaff North RFC remains the team to beat in the Welsh Premiership, sitting at the top of the table as the 2026 season pushes through its busy April and May schedule. While the regular season fixtures currently stretch until at least May 16, a major highlight for the division is the upcoming WRU Finals Day on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at the Principality Stadium. This massive event will feature the Women’s Cup Final as part of a four match showcase, giving the top clubs in the country a chance to compete on the national stage. Between the cup final and the remaining league rounds, the next two months will be pivotal for determining which side ultimately walks away with the Premiership title. [link]
  • Round 14 of the AXA Elite 1 saw the top of the table tighten as the league’s heavyweights delivered dominant performances. Stade Toulousain reclaimed their place at the summit with a massive 92-0 shutout of Toulon, while ASM Romagnat kept pace by overpowering Lyon 46-12 on the road. The most competitive clash of the weekend took place between Blagnac and Stade Bordelais, with Blagnac narrowly edging out the defending champions 18-17 in a high-stakes battle. Elsewhere, Montpellier secured a comfortable 33-14 win over Lille Metropole, and Grenoble earned a gritty 18-12 victory at home against Bobigny. [link]
• Oceania
• Africa
  • The Isuzu Bulls Daisies secured a historic fourth consecutive provincial title by defeating the Sanlam Boland Dames 36-15 in the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 final at Loftus Versfeld. The Daisies dominated the first half to build a 19-3 lead through tries from Vainah Ubisi, Zintle Mpupha, and Shaunique Alexander. Boland fought back with second-half scores from Felicia Jacobs and Maxene Valentine, but the Daisies’ depth proved superior as Alexander added a second try alongside late scores from Lebogang Ralebona and Thobile Msizazwe. [link]
• Asia

Women’s Rugby Features

• Bella Milo, new coach of the Manusina team after 18 years as an international player [link]
• World Rugby confirms Women in Rugby Careers Programme cohort for 2026 [link]
• Whitney Hansen: ‘My hope is that you just see those things a little more’ [link]
• LANDMARK THREE-YEAR CONTRACTS FOR NIB BLUES [link]
• World Rugby opens 2026 player welfare research funding applications [link]
• The inequality in rugby jobs that no one talks about [link]
• Millie Hyett: ‘I hate change – it was a big thing for me to make a move’ [link]
• Who is Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a? [link]
• Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series: Updates made to ‘important’ pathway competition [link]
• The Azzure’s Silvia lining [link]
• RTÉ and Virgin Media Unite for Women’s Six Nations [link]
• Gallagher replaced in Scotland’s Six Nations squad [link]
• Niamh Briggs hails exciting time for women’s rugby as Six Nations set to begin [link]
• Joyce ‘shocked’ to receive Wales call-up for Women’s Six Nations only months after giving birth [link]
• Scottish Rugby must weigh up pros and cons of applying to join Premiership Women’s Rugby [link]
• Red Roses’ Heard ruled out of Six Nations [link]
• Manae Feleu: ‘It’s very funny, because every year, everyone tells us about England’ [link]
• Brave but battered: Bok Women’s Sevens face injury worries after mixed Sao Paulo showing [link]
• Major setback for Scotland ahead of Women’s Six Nations [link]
• Get the stats story: Women’s Six Nations and your team [link]
• Sides locked in for epic three-event HSBC SVNS World Championship Series [link]
• Italy Women’s Team: Many new prospects and a consolidated group of leaders. Analysis of the squad called up for the 2026 Six Nations [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Sara Cox
• Full Credit: Since You’ve Been Gone
• Rugby Rodeo: BTS Red Roses Pre Six Nations Camp
• LTW Fancast: Women’s Slater Cup Review with Sam Bytheway
• Squidge Rugby: So what should we expect from Italy? | Women’s Six Nations 2026
• The Women’s Rugby Podcast: Champions, Contenders and Conclusions