Black Ferns Claim PAC4, Fiji Rules Oceania, and College 7s Champions Crowned | WRR 243

YSC Rugby is still celebrating 20 years, and the giveaways continue! Next up on our journey is chasing the 8,000-follower mark. To be eligible for the next individual drawing, make sure you are following both @YSCRugby and @BooshiePromo on Instagram AND have commented on the pinned Anniversary post.

Want to hook your team up, too? You can enter yourself into the individual milestone drawings and register your team for the massive Grand Prize giveaway at the end of the celebration by commenting your club’s name on our pinned Anniversary post. It has been an incredible 20 year journey so far and we are not slowing down!

Women’s Rugby XVs News

International

• Oceania Championship
  • Fijiana secured their third consecutive Oceania title with a crushing 60–7 win over Manu Sina at Govind Park, fueled by Aqela Raitubu’s impressive hat-trick and a clinical team performance. After leading 27–0 at the half, Fiji maintained their relentless pace to finish the tournament undefeated and earn their sixth championship overall. Head coach Mike Legge praised the squad’s discipline and depth as the team now shifts its focus toward upcoming Super W preparations. [link]
  • Earlier in the week, Manusina secured a decisive 50–5 victory over Tonga’s Lofa, overcoming a physical and competitive first half at Churchill Park. While Tonga showed resilience early on, Samoa’s second-half composure led to eight tries from seven different scorers to seal the result. Captain Utumalama Atonio credited the team’s patience for the win as they now shift their focus to a highly anticipated final round clash against the Fijiana XV. [link]
• PAC4
  • The Black Ferns extended their historic dominance over Australia with a 40–5 victory in Queensland, marking their 30th consecutive win against the Wallaroos and securing back-to-back Pacific Four titles. New Zealand effectively ended the contest in the first half with a four-try blitz, leaving the winless Australians to claim the tournament’s wooden spoon despite a resilient effort from captain Siokapesi Palu. While the Wallaroos celebrated Michaela Leonard becoming their most-capped player, the world-class Black Ferns remained untouched as they preserved a 32-year undefeated streak against their rivals. [link]
  • Canada capped off its 2026 Pacific Four Series with a commanding 50–12 victory over the United States in Chicago, powered by a dominant scrum and eight total tries. Claire Gallagher led the scoring with 20 points, including two tries and five conversions, as the Canadians overwhelmed their rivals in a clinical second-half display. Head coach Kevin Rouet highlighted the benefit of a full week of preparation, noting that the strong connection between the forwards and backs provided the perfect platform for the win. [link]
• W6N
  • The Red Roses extended their remarkable winning streak to 36 matches and secured the Triple Crown with a ten-try, 62–24 demolition of Wales at Ashton Gate. Played before a record crowd of 26,247 which is the team’s highest ever attendance for a Women’s Six Nations match away from Allianz Stadium, the contest featured a masterclass from captain Meg Jones and a flawless English set-piece. While the Red Roses remain on a firm trajectory toward another Grand Slam, a defiant Wales side showed significant grit by crossing the line four times to claim a hard-earned bonus point against the world’s top-ranked team. [link]
  • Italy delivered a clinical masterclass in the Parma heat to dismantle a depleted Scotland 41–14 and celebrate Silvia Turani’s 50th cap in style. Braces from Alyssa D’Incà and Vittoria Zanette powered the Azzurre to a commanding 29–0 halftime lead as they took full advantage of Scotland’s injury woes and defensive lapses. Although Scotland fought back with tries from Lana Skeldon and Molly Poolman during an Italian discipline lapse, the hosts remained physically dominant to secure a statement victory ahead of their upcoming clash with England. [link]
  • France moved level with England at the top of the table after a clinical 26–7 victory over Ireland at the Stade Marcel-Michelin, proving that efficiency is the ultimate currency in Test rugby. Despite Ireland dominating possession and territory for long stretches, the visitors were undone by three disallowed tries and a faltering kicking game that saw them convert over a dozen visits to the red zone into just seven points. Les Bleues showed superior composure and game management in the second half, with late tries from Anaïs Grando and Léa Champon securing a vital bonus point and setting the stage for a grandstand title showdown. [link]
  • Ticket sales for Ireland’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations finale against Scotland have surpassed the 20,000 mark, setting the stage for a historic occasion at Aviva Stadium on May 17. This milestone follows a record-breaking crowd in Galway and marks the first time the women’s team will play a standalone Championship fixture at the home of Irish rugby. Captain Erin King noted that the surging interest reflects the team’s “Green Wave” momentum as they aim to inspire the next generation through high-performance results. Following their recent clash in France, the team will host Wales in Belfast before returning to Dublin for this high-stakes showdown. [link]
• Look Ahead
  • The coming days are packed with high stakes fixtures starting with the Asia Rugby Emirates Championship in Kazakhstan as the hosts open the tournament against Japan on April 28. This round robin event continues through May 10 as Japan, Kazakhstan, and Hong Kong battle for continental supremacy and vital momentum for the upcoming WXV cycle. On May 2, the focus shifts to the launch of the Women’s Six Nations Under 21 Series with France hosting Scotland and England facing Ireland in a double header of elite development rugby. Also the USA Club Super Regionals continue this weekend with the Atlantic and Northern regions. [link]
  • Asia Championship
    • The 2026 Asia Rugby Emirates Championship will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from April 28 to May 10, featuring defending champions Japan, Hong Kong China, and the host nation. The round-robin tournament starts with Kazakhstan facing the seventh-time champions Japan on April 28, followed by Japan versus Hong Kong China on May 5 and the finale between the hosts and Hong Kong China on May 10. For Hong Kong China, led by coach Bella Milo before her departure to lead Samoa, the competition serves as vital preparation for hosting the WXV Global Series Challenger later this year. The squad aims to close the gap on world number 11 Japan and finally secure a victory against Kazakhstan on their home soil. [link]
  • Kenya Cup
    • The Kenya Cup final takes center stage this Saturday, May 2, as the undefeated Mwamba squad faces off against the Quins Queens at the Goan Institute in Nairobi. Mwamba enters the championship match as the heavy favorite and the defending champion, having secured the title in 2024 and 2025 as part of an incredible multi-year run of dominance. Their path to a potential three-peat was secured after a high stakes semifinal victory over their long-time rivals Impala, where they clinicaly dominated with a 22–3 win. Meanwhile, the Quins Queens booked their spot by taking down Northern Suburbs 15–10 in a closely contested battle at the RFUEA Grounds. [link]
  • Africa Cup
    • Kenya will host the 2026 Rugby Africa Cup at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds, with the premier Performance Division tournament taking place on May 23, 27, and 31. This round-robin event features the Kenya Lionesses, South Africa, Madagascar, and Uganda, with the final match between Kenya and the defending champion South Africa on May 31 expected to decide the title. Earlier in the month, Tunisia will host the Division 1 tournament from May 8 to May 16, featuring Tunisia, Ivory Coast, and Morocco. [link]
  • WXV
    • The French Rugby Federation has unveiled its 2026 WXV home fixtures, which will see Les Bleues host three major clashes across September. The campaign opens in Lyon at Matmut Stadium Gerland on the weekend of September 12 against the Black Ferns of New Zealand. This is followed by a matchup with Australia in Aix-en-Provence on September 19 and a final showdown against Canada in La Rochelle on September 26. [link]

Domestic

• Americas
  • Premier
    • Season 2 of Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) officially kicks off this Saturday, May 2, with a highly anticipated rematch between the Boston Banshees and the New York Exiles at Veterans Memorial Stadium. All six founding teams are back for a ten-game regular season that will feature the reigning champion Denver Onyx defending their title at Infinity Park and the Chicago Tempest seeking their first win at their new home in Lisle. With a shift to a May kickoff and matches broadcast live on the Women’s Sports Network, the league is leaning into professional visibility and stadium-grade environments to cement its place in the American sports landscape. [link]
      • However, the excitement of the new season is being met with significant criticism over the league’s application of its gender eligibility policy. While the USA Rugby amateur policy for club and college play operates on a rebuttable presumption that allows transgender women to compete until an administrative challenge is filed, WER has chosen a preemptive blanket ban. This disparity has caused a rift in the community as critics argue that WER has bypassed the due process used by the NGB in favor of a corporate risk-mitigation strategy. For a league built on the foundation and labor of many who are now excluded, the conversation this weekend will likely be as much about who is missing from the team sheets as who is on them. [link]
  • Club
    • The first wave of Super Regional results are in as clubs across the country battle to keep their seasons alive. Life University punched their ticket directly to the Final Four with a big 55 to 19 win over Houston in the Gulf Coast DI final while Tampa Bay was equally dominant in DII by putting up 60 points on Knoxville. Battleship also stayed on course with a massive 75 to 5 victory in DIII to secure the first ever Gulf Coast WDIII title. Out West the Pacific Coast was defined by a gritty defensive struggle as San Diego took down Berkeley 48 to 22 and Life West stayed perfect with a 29 to 12 win over Las Vegas in the DII final. [link]
      • Now the attention shifts to the Northern and Atlantic Super Regionals this weekend where Chicago North Shore battles the Utah Vipers for a Final Four spot and powerhouse clubs like Philadelphia and NOVA look to survive a loaded Atlantic bracket. It is a high stakes sprint to the finish as the road to the National Championship narrows down to the elite few.
  • College
    • CRC 7s
      • Championship Sunday in the CRC 7s delivered a massive shakeup as AIC officially dethroned the Brown dynasty with a clinical 24 to 7 upset to claim their first Premier Cup in program history. The Yellow Jackets played lockdown defense all weekend while MVP Naomi Dodd and SaTya Miller fueled the offensive surge that finally broke the Bears’ scoreless streak. In Division I-AA Northeastern showcased their own defensive masterclass to secure a repeat title by shutting out Colorado State 14 to 0 behind back to back MVP Kourtney Bichotte-Dunner. The mountain schools also made a huge statement as Colorado Mesa unseated Coast Guard 17 to 0 for the DII crown and Colorado School of Mines completed an incredible national double by blanking MiraCosta 24 to 0. Between the Orediggers’ historic season and the massive upsets in the top brackets it was a weekend defined by relentless defensive pressure and a total shift in the national landscape. [link]
        • Premier: American International College (AIC)
        • DI-AA: Northeastern
        • DII: Colorado Mesa
        • DIII: Colorado Mines
    • CRAA 7s
      • The CRAA 7s National Championships saw Life University reclaim their spot at the top as the Running Eagles powered through the D1 bracket to secure the national title. Life showcased their trademark clinical execution and superior fitness to outpace the competition and cement their status as a 7s powerhouse once again. In the Challenger Division it was all about UC Santa Barbara as the Gauchos navigated a physical field to lift the trophy and prove they are a program on the rise. [link]
        • Premier: Life University
        • Challenger Division: UC Santa Barbara (UCSB)
    • The 2026 collegiate rugby landscape in the U.S. faces a major crisis as institutions like Quinnipiac and UC Berkeley dismantle elite women’s programs under the guise of federal compliance. New regulatory burdens and funding threats have turned these championship teams into perceived liabilities, leading schools to demote varsity squads to club status to protect their primary research grants. This strategic retreat follows similar cuts at Central Washington and Newberry, proving that administrative efficiency is being prioritized over the actual survival and safety of women’s sports. [link]
    • Harvard senior Tiahna Padilla has made history as the first student-athlete in program history to win the MA Sorensen Award, which recognizes the top collegiate women’s rugby player in the United States. A four-time finalist for the honor, the senior captain holds the program record for career assists and played a pivotal role in leading the Crimson to a historic three-peat this season. Padilla will be formally honored at a gala in Seattle on June 13, adding a crowning achievement to a collegiate career that includes four First-Team All-NIRA selections and consistent participation in the USA senior pipeline. [link]
• Europe
  • UL Bohemian has cemented their place as a modern dynasty after a stunning 83rd minute match winning try from Caitríona Finn secured a 32 to 29 victory over Blackrock College at the Aviva Stadium. The Red Robins trailed for much of the afternoon but found their signature late game magic to capture their third straight Energia AIL title and a record 16th crown overall. Blackrock appeared to have the trophy within reach after Jill O’Toole crossed the line in the 78th minute to give them a late lead but the persistence of Sarah Quin’s squad proved too much in the final play. Player of the match Alana McInerney and prop Ciara O’Dwyer were instrumental in keeping Bohs in the hunt as they became the first program to achieve a three in a row since 2015. It was a heartbreaker for a resilient Blackrock side that led by nine points entering the final quarter but the clinical finishing and championship experience of UL Bohemian ultimately ruled the day in Dublin. [link]
  • La Roche-sur-Yon will serve as the hub for French women’s rugby on June 6, 2026, as the Henri-Desgrange stadium hosts the Women’s Finals Day. This major event features six national championship matches across all levels, ranging from the Under-18 Elite and Promotion categories to the high-stakes Elite 2 final at 7:00 PM. Organized by FCY Rugby, the day is designed to celebrate the sport’s rapid growth in France while rewarding the dedication of clubs and players from the youth development pathway to the senior elite. [link]
• Oceania
  • New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the 2026 Farah Palmer Cup schedule, with the provincial season set to kick off on August 29 when the Manawatū Cyclones host the Bay of Plenty Volcanix. This year’s competition features a heavy emphasis on double-headers, with over half of the matches paired with National Provincial Championship fixtures to boost the matchday experience for fans. A major early highlight includes Waikato’s first JJ Stewart Trophy defense against the Auckland Storm in week two. As a critical high-performance pathway for the Black Ferns, the tournament continues to serve as the premier stage for emerging talent to compete alongside established stars across both the Premiership and Championship divisions. [link]
• Africa
  • Round 10 of the Uganda Women’s Premiership featured dominant performances from the league leaders as the title race intensifies. The Nile Rapids solidified their first-place standing with a convincing 41–12 victory over the She Wolves, while the Avengers kept pace by overpowering the EWES in a 31–8 result. These outcomes leave the Rapids at the top of the table with 27 points, though the Thunderbirds and Avengers remain within striking distance as the competition heads into critical fixtures next weekend. [link]
• Asia

Women’s Rugby Features

• Oceania Rugby and Fiji Rugby Union launch landmark action on gender‑based violence [link]
• England’s Sing to stay with Gloucester-Hartpury [link]
• New talent excites De Bruin as Bok Women season hots up [link]
• Irish rugby player Shannon Ikahihifo shares big news after cancer diagnosis [link]
• ‘Mansfield got me to where I am today’: England rugby prospect Aisha Jah hails impact of childhood club [link]
• ‘I want to see the Olympics’: GB rugby sevens star Katie Shillaker looks ahead to pivotal qualification period [link]
• Reds Women’s Team Armed with Five Defence Force Signings for the Pack [link]
• Aoibhe Kelly continuing memorable 2026 at U21 Series [link]
• England back-row forward Demelza Short has signed a new deal to stay with Premiership Women’s Rugby side Bristol Bears [link]
• Anna Caplice column: ‘Only one dish is on the menu for Ireland in France’ [link]
• ‘Psoriasis made me too embarrassed to shower at Saracens’ [link]
• England rugby star Abbie Ward crowned Cumbrian sportsperson of the year [link]
• Ireland captain Erin King: First win in France ‘would mean everything to us’ [link]
• Pride, passion and points to prove: Bethan Lewis on captaining Wales in Bristol [link]
• Meg Jones challenges other unions to close gap in Women’s Six Nations [link]
• The Women’s Six Nations is faster and smarter – but is it better? [link]
• Stacey Flood: ‘It’s such an Irish thing to shy away from being confident’ [link]
• Rugby: Mo’omo’oga Palu to debut for Black Ferns in first-ever Anzac Day Test against Australia [link]
• Junior Springbok Women selection for a two-match series against the USA U20 side in July [link]
• As the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship is now over and crowned Las Leonas for the ninth time in a row, it is time to pick the best 15 (and a power bench) of the 2026 edition [link]
• We’re Really Playing with 23 Players [link]
• Monk, Fua called into Wallaroos squad for O’Reilly Cup opener after Smith, Pohiva injuries [link]
• Suzy Rook, a former Scotland forward is taking on a North Pole challenge with a difference this summer to celebrate her recovery from cancer [link]
• The rhythm of our interactions [link]
• Michaela Leonard to become most-capped Wallaroo in Anzac Day Test [link]
• ‘I need to get with the programme’: Bok legend Japie Mulder on women’s rugby [link]
• Alyssa D’Inca: ‘We’re not the young ones anymore, but we’re not veterans’ [link]
• Sabrina Melis, Italy’s number 41: “The ’91 World Cup was a turning point for women’s rugby, but today everything has changed for the better.” [link]
• Why are England dominating women’s rugby and drawing record crowds? [link]
• ‘We want the respect we deserve.’ Quinnipiac women’s rugby team continues fighting to reinstate program [link]
• Erin King looks to lift Ireland: ‘It was tough some days to keep showing up’ | Ireland women’s rugby union team [link]
• “I’m super grateful”: Abbie Ward of the Red Roses on the change that made a difference during her second pregnancy [link]
• ‘Once I get on the pitch, I just flip a switch’ Nancy McGillivray’s rugby journey [link]
• France’s worst fears confirmed as Vernier injury verdict announced [link]
• Ball trial extended to WXV Global Series [link]
• John Mitchell: ‘We’re still an unfinished rugby team in many ways’ [link]
• Morgane Bourgeois’ Women’s Six Nations notebook: Chapter 3 [link]
• Renault Awards 1982 French Women’s Rugby Team the Rooster They Never Received [link]
• The benefits of team sports for perimenopausal women [link]

Women’s Rugby Media

• American Rugby Rising: USA Women’s Rugby: Jack Hanratty on the Pacific Four Series & The Rise of the Eagles
• Full Credit: Whitney Hansen Era Takes Shape
• The Good, The Scaz & The Rugby: Inside England Camp with Meg Jones & Mo Hunt
• Mudder Rucker: Three Parsons and a Wafer Walk Under a Bar
• Rugby Rodeo: Six Nations Catch Up with Ellie, Jess & Zoe
• Women’s Rugby Podcast: All Roads to Aviva
• Squidge Rugby: So how did France wash Wales? | Women’s Six Nations 2026
• NTVUganda: The challenges and triumphs of women’s rugby in Uganda and what lies ahead