Welcome to WRR 211 for August 11-17. The 2025 Rugby World Cup is almost here, with all 16 teams officially welcomed. The tournament is set to kick off this Friday with hosts England facing the USA, where we will see the debut of flashing mouth guards for head injury assessments. Scotland is dealing with a contract dispute as Rhona Lloyd has stated that more than half of the national squad will be without contracts after the tournament. The Welsh Rugby Union’s chief executive, Abi Tierney, is also stepping down following a cancer diagnosis. Funding has been secured for a documentary on the 1991 Women’s World Cup pioneers, and the Red Roses have announced a new partnership with Barbie. While the International Defence Rugby Championship has begun, we are still working to find results, and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 210 for August 4-10. The USA Club 7s Rugby National Championships ended in dramatic fashion in Madison as the Chicago Lions snatched victory from Chicago North Shore at the final whistle. Fiji, England, Italy, and Canada all closed out their Rugby World Cup preparations with strong wins, while Australia confirmed the absence of sevens star Charlotte Caslick from their tournament squad. In Brazil, Melina secured the inaugural Women’s Cup title, and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 209 for July 25 to August 3. It’s been another two whirlwind weeks of Rugby World Cup prep, packed with statement wins and rising momentum. Eight World Cup squads were revealed and final tune-ups delivered across the globe. South Africa stunned the Black Ferns XV in Cape Town, England ran rampant over Spain, and Canada surged past the USA in front of a record home crowd. Ireland, Japan, and the Wallaroos closed out with strong wins, Brazil shut out the Netherlands, and Wales made history with a first-ever win on Australian soil. More warm-up matches are ahead this weekend as we count down to the opening match on August 22, when the USA faces England in Sunderland, and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 208 for June 30 to July 6. Canada opened their South Africa tour with a dominant win over the Springbok women in Pretoria, showing strength even while down a player. Trinidad & Tobago edged the Cayman Islands to secure back-to-back wins. The Black Ferns powered past the Black Ferns XV in Whangārei, setting the tempo from start to finish. The IRFU unveiled plans to launch four contracted provincial women’s teams by 2026, with Lynne Cantwell leading the charge. Shogun sealed the LTI Super 7s Elite Series title after winning the final stop at Bury St Edmunds. Canada East took gold at the 2025 World Police and Fire Games in Birmingham, joined on the podium by the Patriots and USA Unified Command, and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 207 for June 23–29. Trinidad and Tobago edged Mexico in a thriller, but Mexico still walked away with their first RAN XVs title since 2019 by the slimmest of margins. The result helped Trinidad and Tobago jump four spots in the World Rugby Rankings, while Mexico slipped two. In other action, Australia A impressed in a dominant win over Samoa. Ilona Maher earned her first ESPYS nomination, joining a powerhouse lineup that includes Coco Gauff, Simone Biles, and A’ja Wilson. Vicky Dombroski, the only woman to coach the Black Ferns, is featured in the new documentary No Tears on the Field. Denver Onyx wrapped the first season of Women’s Elite Rugby with a statement win over New York to claim the inaugural WER Legacy Cup. Rugby World Cup prep continues with eleven national teams in action soon. Great Britain secured the overall European 7s Championship title despite a strong final-leg push from Poland, and the LIT Super 7s Series Elite heads to its final stop at Bury St Edmunds with the title still on the line. That’s it for this week as we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 206 for June 16–22. Cayman secured a historic win over Bermuda in a 10s match, marking a rare international appearance for both teams. Canada named 38 players to a training camp ahead of a two-match tour to South Africa, with some big names returning from injury. Two new projects are reshaping women’s rugby storytelling: a docuseries following Ilona Maher as she chases a spot at the 2025 Rugby World Cup, and The Founding Four documentary honoring the women behind the 1991 World Cup. We’re proud to help preserve the most complete public archive of Women’s Rugby World Cup stats, covering every tournament from 1991 to 2021. The Lilian Amazons made history as the first Fijian women’s team to win a top-tier UK 7s tournament, taking the third stop of the Super Series Elite. Scottish Rugby is rumored to be stepping up to lead a potential full-time Great Britain 7s revival. And all eyes are on the WER Legacy Cup Final this weekend, where Denver and New York will battle for the first title of the new era of professional women’s rugby in the U.S.
Welcome to WRR 205 for June 9-15. The weekend featured Great Britain claiming gold at the first stop of the 2025 European 7s Championship in Makarska, while Georgia made history with their first series win. Fiji’s Vodafone Fijiana defended their Oceania Rugby Championship title in a thrilling match against Samoa, and South Africa also defended their Rugby Africa Cup title in Madagascar with a perfect record. Brazil’s Yaras achieved the biggest victory in their team’s history with a commanding win over Colombia. Off the field, we reviewed the so-called “studies” World Rugby cited to justify its controversial ban on trans women and found them deeply flawed, while inclusive events continue to show safe, supported participation is possible, and the Kenya Rugby Union faces a deepening governance crisis marked by its chair’s resignation and a World Rugby warning that it will intervene if the situation does not improve. And as always, we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 204 for June 2-8. The Vodafone Fijiana opened the Oceania Rugby Championship with a commanding win over Tonga as they defend their title. South Africa began their Rugby Africa Cup defense with a strong victory over Uganda, while the Kenya Lionesses also secured a win over Madagascar. Italy and Scotland are gearing up for key test matches in July and August, with Scotland switching stadiums for their 2026 Six Nations match against England to Murrayfield, aiming to break attendance records. The WER Legacy Cup race tightens as Bay Breakers and New York Exiles battle for the remaining playoff spot with just one week of the regular season left. Shogun secured back-to-back titles at the Shelford 7s with two stops remaining in the LIT Super Series Elite. World Rugby’s revamped SVNS sevens circuit, designed to grow the sport, has instead triggered a chain reaction of cuts by major unions, raising concerns about the future sustainability of sevens. Meanwhile, Bosnia’s first women’s rugby sevens team is preparing for their debut international competition with hopes of qualifying for the 2032 Olympics.
Welcome to WRR 203 for May 26-June 1. This weekend saw Jamaica secure a strong second win over Trinidad & Tobago in the RAN XVs Tournament. The 2025 RWC is already setting records with 350,000 tickets sold and less than 90 days to go. At the 2025 IGR Union Cup in Oslo, Les Simones remained undefeated to claim the inaugural Emily Valentine Cup, while the “Ruck You Match” 7s united trans women and well-known cis women to champion inclusion in rugby. Over in North America, the Baltimore Flamingos-Ferals took home the 2025 NORAM Women’s+ Cup. Looking ahead, the 2025 Oceania Championship kicks off June 6 in Fiji, while the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup starts June 7 in Madagascar. In Premier rugby, Stade Bordelais won their third straight Elite 1 title in France, Round 11 of WER saw Denver suffer their first loss, shaking up the postseason and delaying the decision on the second Legacy Cup team until June 14. We round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 202 for May 19–25. New Zealand reclaimed the 2025 Pacific Four Series title, with Canada finishing as runners-up and Australia taking third as coach Jo Yapp announced she will step down after the World Cup. Japan secured a third straight Asia Rugby Championship title. The 2025 RAN Inter-Regional tournament kicked off with Mexico defeating Jamaica in the opening match. In a major step forward, the USA Women’s Eagles are now professional as they build toward the 2025 RWC. In South America, Argentina claimed the SAR 7s women’s crown and will join runner-up Colombia in the 2026 SVNS Division 3. The fallout of the SVNS revamp continues as the IRFU confirmed it will maintain its women’s sevens program as part of its long-term strategy, even as the men’s program is cut. Days later, Great Britain announced the end of full-time sevens for both men and women. We round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 201 for May 12-18. We start with the Asia Rugby Championships, where Japan opened their title defense with a dominant shutout over Kazakhstan. In PAC4 action, Canada and New Zealand battled to a thrilling draw in Christchurch, while the Wallaroos outlasted the USA. World Rugby marked 100 days to go with a new trophy and fresh ticket release as England 2025 shapes up to be the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup yet. There were four domestic championship matches this weekend, including the USA Club Nationals, where the Utah Vipers and Las Vegas Irish took home titles. In Spain, El Salvador snapped Majadahonda’s seven-title streak to claim the Iberdrola Final, and in Uganda, the Black Pearls secured their fourth straight crown. All eyes are on International Gay Rugby (IGR) this summer, with two flagship tournaments taking place the same weekend. The 2025 Union Cup kicks off in Oslo with 45 inclusive teams from across Europe and will feature what’s believed to be the first match of its kind, the “Ruck You Match.” Meanwhile, the 2025 NORAM Cup follows in Boston, bringing together LGBTQ+ clubs and allies from across North America, hosted by the Boston Ironsides RFC. And we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 200 for May 5–11. We’re stepping away from the usual format this week to celebrate a milestone as we mark our 200th episode. I didn’t set out to make a show. I just wanted to make sure people knew what was happening in women’s rugby because too often, no one was telling those stories. What began as a few scattered updates has grown into weekly coverage of 33 unique competitions around the world. From the top test teams to emerging leagues, WRR brings it all together in one place.
In this episode, Villorba are crowned Italian champions, the Black Ferns extend their streak over Australia in PAC4, and Latvia stay perfect in the European Conference with another shutout over Norway, climbing to 38th in the world rankings. Zimbabwe Rugby Union leadership faces suspension over the treatment of national team players. Looking ahead, the Asia Rugby Championship kicks off, Uganda’s final is on deck, and the Iberdrola title will be decided in Spain. Thanks for being here for the 200th, and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 199 for April 27-May 4. New Zealand closed out the HSBC SVNS season with a commanding World Championship win over Australia, while Canada secured bronze against the USA and four teams: Brazil, China, Kenya, and Spain earned their way into next year’s Division 2 under World Rugby’s newly launched three-tier Sevens model. The format revamp has not been universally welcomed, with concerns raised about reduced access and the impact on emerging nations. Canada also opened their Pacific Four Series title defense with a clutch win over the USA in front of a record crowd of 10,518, the largest ever for a women’s rugby match in North America. The Wallaroos extended their own streak with a powerful showing against Fijiana, and Uganda’s first pro, Emily Lekuru, continues to blaze her own trail in Japan. We bring you all this and more as we round up the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to WRR 198 for April 20-27. The USA Women’s Eagles hosted Japan for the first time on U.S. soil, falling just short in a thrilling back-and-forth match in Los Angeles, while the Eagles now head to Kansas City for a record-breaking clash against Canada to open the Pacific Four Series. England edged France 43-42 in one of the greatest Women’s Six Nations matches ever to claim their fourth straight Grand Slam, and Scotland closed their W6N campaign with a hard-fought emotional win over Ireland. The HSBC SVNS season is set to wrap up in Los Angeles this weekend with the 2025 SVNS Awards nominees revealed. Around the globe, Japan aims for a three-peat in the Asia Rugby Championship, Fiji prepares to host the Wallaroos for the first time, UL Bohemian and Mwamba captured historic domestic titles in Ireland and Kenya, and excitement keeps building with over 275,000 tickets sold for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 — and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
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Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 197 for April 14-20. This week, we gear up for the 2025 HSBC SVNS Grand Final in Los Angeles on May 3-4 and celebrate the news that Rugby 7s will return to the Olympics at LA28. The USA Women’s Eagles are set to smash the attendance record in Kansas City with their upcoming match against Canada, while South Africa opened their 2025 season with a strong win over Spain. Georgia made their historic XVs debut against Kazakhstan, and England and France stayed on track for a Grand Slam decider after key wins. Uganda finished unbeaten at the Rugby Africa Women’s Division One tournament and earned promotion to the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup. The Blues also made history, dominating to win the first-ever Women's Super Rugby Champions Final over the Waratahs — and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 196 for April 7–13. Kenya made history by winning the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series, while South Africa claimed the final leg in Krakow, with Argentina and Colombia also booking spots in the upcoming SVNS Play-off in Los Angeles—though World Rugby’s ongoing format review has cast uncertainty over promotion. In the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, England and France stayed on track for a Grand Slam clash on Super Saturday with convincing Round 4 wins, and Italy picked up their first victory of the campaign against Scotland. Spain continued their dominance in Europe, securing their eighth consecutive Rugby Europe Championship title. And we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 195 for March 31–April 6. The Black Ferns locked up the SVNS League title after a dominant regular season, capping it with a statement win over Australia in Singapore. Pools for the upcoming SVNS Championship in Los Angeles were confirmed, with the final Challenger spots still up for grabs in Krakow next weekend. Spain improved to 2-0 in the European Championship and will face second-place Netherlands in a top-of-the-table clash. In the U.S., National Collegiate Rugby’s reversal of its transgender inclusion policy has sparked backlash across the rugby community, while concerns continue to grow around the expected 2035 Rugby World Cup bid from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE over serious human rights issues. That and more as we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women's Rugby Rundown 194 for March 24–30. Round 2 of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations delivered big moments, with France staying unbeaten thanks to a bonus-point win over Scotland and a rare drop goal from Pauline Bourdon-Sansus, England routing Wales in front of a record crowd, and Ireland earning their first away win since 2021 against Italy. Spain kicked off their European Championship campaign with a strong win over Portugal. Over in Hong Kong, New Zealand claimed back-to-back golds in the HSBC SVNS, Australia took silver, and Canada edged France for bronze—setting the stage for a tense final stop in Singapore, with Grand Final spots and relegation on the line. Meanwhile, Kenya heads to Krakow for the World Rugby Challenger Series April 11–12, riding momentum from consecutive wins and eyeing one last shot at promotion to the SVNS in LA. That and more as we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
Welcome to Women’s Rugby Rundown 193 for March 17–23. The debut of Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) lit up the USA with history-making matchups, as the Boston Banshees and TC Gemini opened the first-ever women’s professional rugby league with comeback wins and wild endings. Over in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, France held off a determined Irish side in Belfast, Scotland made it two straight over Wales for the first time in two decades, and England launched their campaign in dominant fashion against Italy. Spain kicked off their Rugby World Cup preparations with a confident home win over Brazil. In 7s, the HSBC SVNS returns with back-to-back weekends in Hong Kong and Singapore. Pools are also locked for the next World Rugby Challenger Series stop in Krakow—and we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide.
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Welcome to Women's Rugby Rundown 192 for March 10-16! In troubling news, New Vision reports allegations of sexual harassment by male coaches within Uganda’s national team setup. In a separate blow, the Lady Rugby Cranes have withdrawn from the penultimate leg of the World Rugby Challenger Series in Poland due to visa issues, raising questions about who will replace them—Belgium currently sits in the 9th spot. Brazil kicked off its Rugby World Cup preparations with a win over Portugal and now turns its focus to Spain on March 22. The 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations also gets underway this weekend, featuring Ireland vs. France, Scotland vs. Wales, and England vs. Italy. In club action, Gloucester-Hartpury became the first team since 2012 to win three straight titles, while in Hong Kong, Societe Generale capped off a perfect season by edging Natixis Ice in the Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Premiership Final. Stay tuned as we round up all the global Premier and Club competitions worldwide!
