REIGNING WORLD CHAMPIONS New Zealand will host the inaugural WXV tournament in October.
World Rugby has confirmed the venues and dates for the new three-tier competition, which seeks to increase “the competitiveness, reach and impact” of the 15-a-side women’s game across the globe.
Eighteen teams will take part in the event, with the top six battling it out in WXV 1 in New Zealand across three weekends on 21 and 28 October 21 and 4 November, the next six contesting WXV 2 in South Africa on 12, 21 and 28 October, and WXV 3 using the same dates but with the venue dependent on the nations qualifying.
Ireland will compete in WXV 3 following their wooden spoon finish in the Six Nations.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We made a pledge at a spectacular Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand to accelerate the advancement of the women’s game.
“Much progress is being made at rapid pace and today we are marking another milestone with confirmation of the dates and venues for the inaugural WXV competition.
“With women and girls leading our strategy to grow the sport on a global basis, this competition will increase the reach and impact of the sport and drive the overall competitiveness of women’s international rugby as we look forward to an expanded 16-team Rugby World Cup 2025 in England and subsequent Rugby World Cups in Australia in 2029 and USA in 2033.”
Beaten World Cup finalists England, France and Wales have already booked their places in WXV 1, while Scotland and Ireland will participate in WXV 2 and WXV 3 respectively with Italy and Spain playing off to decide the final European participants in those groups.
The World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2023 will determine the remaining three teams in WXV 1 and one team in WXV 2, with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States contesting the competition featuring the top two teams in Oceania and North America.
WXV 3 will comprise two sides from Europe and one each from Asia, Oceania, Africa and South America.
Each division in the annual tournament will be played out as a cross-pool format, with promotion and relegation – although not for the first two years leading up to the 2025 World Cup – adding spice.
Former England captain Sarah Hunter is confident the competition will help raise standards globally and hone teams for World Cup battle.
Hunter said: “To know that when you look at the calendar as England – and having recently played for England – that you’ll be playing some of the best teams in the world, it can only make you better, and to know that it’s not just every four years you get that opportunity to do so.
“I just think it’s a really exciting concept, that every year you’re going to be playing in one of the toughest competitions there is.”
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Gavin coombes must feel even more bitter right now. Bringing an injured 2nd choice 8
@Gary Galligan: Just shows how good Conan is that he inspires that much faith in the coaching staff.
@Gary Galligan: i am sure coombes is preparing for his possible call up and working on the things he was told to work on in order to be picked in the future…and he will leave the bitterness to those more qualified in that behaviour…
@Gary Galligan: he’s from the wrong province so won’t be considered…..
@Patrick Kennedy: Prendergast is next in line I’d say. Not that I agree with it necessarily, but with Prendergast getting a chance in the warm up at #8, he had to be next in the pecking order i would imagine.
@Mark Murphy: either way, it looks like we’ll be we’ll stocked at 8 for a few years to come.
@Mark Murphy: looks like it alright, but backrow is very attritional so coombes had better be ready…and if he’s not called up then at least he can hit the ground running once the munster season kicks into gear
@Philyclever@eircom.net: It is disgraceful the way the IRFU coaching staff are all former Leinster players, isn’t it? How’s a Munster man supposed to get a look in with Kildare’s Paul O’Connell on the staff.
@Philyclever@eircom.net: he got a good lesson on Friday in Cork from max deagan.
@Gary Galligan: Would love to see him slamming tries from 5 metres but AF hates him, he’ll be waiting until the next cycle. He’s literally done everything you could possibly want from a classic 8 point of view.
@chris mcdonnell: You mean where he played in the second row?
Would think that Prendergast is the next cab off the rank
@Kevin Ryan: yep, ahead of Coombes. May not be quite as dynamic carrying, but much greater range, link play and lineout threat…
@Sea Point: cant say id agree with you there. Coombes has far better hands.
@Kevin Ryan: wHaT aBoUt GaViN cOoMbEs?
@Andrew Martin Farrell: I’m just commenting on who is likely to be called up. Andrew David Farrell must think Cian P a better fit as he played him against England while Coombes released earlier.
@Sea Point: Dunno, They’re both pretty versatile, but in different directions, dont see CP as an 8 really, versatile back rower more of 7, Coombes versatile back roweer but more of 6, 5, 4 (for which we’re pretty comfortable). Coombes has never had a look even when he was the top try scorer in the league for his team. Farrell definitely prefers the energy CP brings, depends on what he wants but he really doesn’t like GC.
That’s concerning.
Also not great for Doris as he has to play every week!
Please don’t flog Doris for another week. He’s had so many minutes recently. There isn’t many other options, Berine can play 8 but he’s played loads recently too
@Andrew Slazenger: You’re certainly not wrong! No8 v Tonga is going to be a physical drain and both Beirne and Doris have 80s in 35C+ on their clocks. Conan would definitely have started if fit, so having the extra back in the squad with nothing to do looks rather silly. Guessing best option is 40mins each for Doris and Beirne, Hendy and McCarthy at lock (Ryan on bench)
@Andrew Slazenger: I don’t really get this idea that Doris has been ‘flogged’. He’s played in the (4?) warm-up games but, like many of the other Leinster guys, not much else since the 6N. Isn’t that just a fraction of what Will Skelton has been doing and generally against much lower quality opposition in the summer?
Meanwhile, we seem to have backs that are not going to figure holding up slots on the 33 .. given the fixture sequence and injury-carrying profile (4 forwards with knocks), was 18-15 the right mix? With 19 forwards, Prendergast would be starting Saturday if Conan wasn’t fit.
@John Morris: This way we got to rest any 3 of Keenan, Hansen, Lowe, Ringrose, Aki, all of whom are crucial to how we play, they prioritised those players over the forwards, it was one or the other
@Robert O’Connor: Like the way we got to rest any 3 of the above in our easiest match? And if you think any 3 of that group are going to be rested in any of the remaining matches then I’m not sure what page you’re on!