Beginning in October, WXV will present new alternatives for worldwide competitors for 18 groups throughout three tiers. Right here’s a short historical past of every workforce and their previous outcomes towards the groups they are going to be dealing with.
WXV 1
England
England’s Purple Roses are at the moment ranked first on the world rankings. With two World Cup titles from 1994 and 2014 and 18 Six Nations wins (together with 16 Grand Slams), England shall be wanting so as to add an inaugural WXV title to their resume as they work in the direction of internet hosting a house World Cup in 2025. They’ll face fierce rivals the Black Ferns on New Zealand’s residence soil for the primary time since they misplaced within the RWC 2021 closing, and can little doubt be wanting to set the file straight as they start their WXV journey.
England have featured in each RWC because it started and mixed with their two wins, have been runners-up 5 occasions. They’ve performed the Black Ferns 30 occasions, successful 10, shedding 19, and drawing one and have confronted Wales 40 occasions, successful on 38 events. They’ve come up towards France, who’re their closest competitor within the Six Nations presently and the WXV1 workforce they’ve performed probably the most, 53 occasions, successful 39 of these fixtures. Australia have been their opponent six occasions and England have a 100% win file. Lastly, they’ve gained 28 out of 32 matches towards Canada.
New head coach John Mitchell shall be becoming a member of the workforce in some unspecified time in the future over the subsequent few months after he has completed his tenure teaching Japan on the males’s RWC and Louis Deacon is interim head coach within the meantime.
New Zealand
The reigning RWC champions, the Black Ferns, go into WXV ranked second on this planet. After securing qualification by way of their first-place end on the Pacific 4 Collection, they may also host tier one among WXV. They’ve been a dominant power on the world stage, successful six out of 9 RWCs, and the bottom they’ve ever been on the world rankings is second.
Their first worldwide fixture was towards The Netherlands in August 1990, the place they gained 56-0. They’ve performed towards 15 completely different worldwide groups since then, and have confronted a WorldXV facet twice.
In opposition to Wales, they’ve gained six video games from six of their historical past. In opposition to France, they’ve gained on six out of ten events. They’re unbeaten towards native rivals Australia, successful all 24 fixtures, scoring 899 factors within the course of. England is the workforce they’ve performed probably the most on this planet, and so they have gained 19 occasions out of 30.
Wales
Wales performed their first worldwide match in 1987 once they misplaced 4-22 to England. They hosted the primary girls’s RWC in Cardiff in 1991 and have gone on to play in each event other than 2006. Their greatest end at a RWC was fourth in 1991.
Ioan Cunningham’s squad clinched the ultimate WXV1 place out there from the Six Nations with their third-place end, beating Eire, Scotland, and Italy within the course of. They start WXV ranked sixth on this planet, the bottom out of their rivals within the high tier of the competitors.
Nearly all of their squad ply their commerce within the Premiership Ladies’s Rugby, principally break up throughout the West Nation at Bristol Bears and Gloucester-Hartpury.
They’ve solely ever overwhelmed England twice, regardless of a prolonged competitors file between the 2. In opposition to France, they’ve gained 4 occasions of their historical past, and have by no means overwhelmed Australia or New Zealand. They’ve gained twice towards Canada since their first assembly in 1991, nonetheless, have additionally misplaced seven.
France
Runners-up from this 12 months’s Six Nations, France will present fierce competitors in WXV 1. Their second place on the Six Nations after a slender and well-fought sport towards England at Twickenham which ended 33-38 noticed them take their place in WXV1.
They’ve by no means dropped out of the highest six on this planet rankings with their lowest rating being sixth, and their highest being second. They go into WXV ranked third, which is identical place they completed on the RWC final 12 months. Stand-out wins on the Six Nations this 12 months embody 53-3 towards Eire and 50-0 towards Scotland.
Of the groups they’ll face in WXV1 they’ve overwhelmed towards Wales in 25 out of 29 conferences. They’ve a 40% win price towards RWC champions New Zealand, have misplaced 40 out of 59 matches towards the Purple Roses, have gained 9 out of 16 conferences with Canada, and gained 4 out of 5 matches towards Australia.
Australia
The Wallaroos certified for WXV1 after ending third on the Pacific 4 Collection. They performed their official first match in 1994 to New Zealand, and so they misplaced 0-37. Their greatest consequence at a RWC was a third-place end in 2010, and so they made it to the quarter-final final 12 months.
New Zealand is the workforce they’ve performed probably the most out of any of the groups in WXV 1, and actually, are additionally the workforce they’ve performed probably the most out of their historical past. They’ve by no means gained towards the Black Ferns, England, or Canada however the introduction of WXV will give them extra alternatives to attempt to obtain a primary victory. They’ve a sole win towards France out of 5 conferences.
They’ve performed in six RWCs, their first being in 1998, and go into WXV 1 ranked fifth on this planet.
Canada
A formidable RWC2021 marketing campaign noticed them end simply outdoors the highest three with a loss within the third-place play-off to France. They’ve performed in all 9 RWCs and their greatest end was runners-up in 2014 once they misplaced within the closing to England regardless of drawing with them within the pool stage. They’ve completed fourth at 4 RWCs and stay key contenders as one of many high groups on this planet.
They secured their qualification for WXV 1 with their second-place end on the Pacific 4 Collection the place they beat Australia and USA earlier than shedding to New Zealand. They’re at the moment ranked fourth on this planet. Out of their top-tier opponents, they’ve been probably the most profitable towards Australia, successful 5 out of 5 conferences.
WXV2
Scotland
After qualifying for WXV 2 resulting from their fourth-place end on the Six Nations earlier this 12 months, Scotland go into the brand new competitors ranked ninth on this planet.
Their first worldwide match was towards Eire in 1993, once they gained 10-0. They’d competed at six World Cups and returned to the competitors final 12 months after two-tournament hiatus from their final look in 2010 once they completed eighth.
Out of the 4 WXV 2 groups they’ll face their most profitable consequence has been towards Samoa, who they performed as soon as in 2002 and gained. They’ve performed the USA 5 occasions, shedding 4. South Africa have overwhelmed them twice on the one events they’ve met. They’ve by no means performed Japan, so enjoying in WXV2 will enable them to broaden their expertise enjoying towards quite a lot of sides that lots of the present squad gained’t have ever confronted.
USA
The USA Eagles’ first worldwide fixture was towards Canada in 1987, the place they recorded a 22-3 win. Since then, they’ve gone to play towards 14 completely different worldwide groups. Regardless of this, they’ve by no means confronted Samoa, who be a part of them in WXV 2. In opposition to Italy, they’ve gained two of the three matches they’ve performed, towards Scotland and South Africa they’ve gained 4 out of their 5 encounters with every, and towards Japan, they gained the one match they’ve performed.
Current kind noticed them qualify for WXV 2 after ending fourth within the Pacific 4 Collection and never successful any of their matches. They go into WXV ranked seventh on this planet, the best of any workforce within the second tier of the competitors.
Samoa
Manusina Samoa have performed at three RWCs, the primary in 2002 the place they achieved their greatest results of the three (ninth).
They took the one WXV2 place up for grabs within the Oceania Championship in what was their first title, beating Fiji within the closing.
Their most important recorded loss got here towards Australia in 2009 (0-87) whereas their largest win was towards Papua New Guinea final 12 months (91-0). Their first recorded fixture was towards Japan in 2000 once they misplaced 10-12. They enter WXV ranked sixteenth on this planet. They misplaced the one fixture they’ve performed towards Scotland which was in 2002, as with Japan who they final performed in 2000, and Italy who they performed in 2013. They’ve beforehand performed South Africa twice, successful one and shedding one, and have by no means performed towards the USA.
Japan
The Cherry Blossoms’ first worldwide rugby was performed on the 1991 RWC. Their first sport was a 0-62 loss to France which was performed in 1991. They’ve gone on to play in an additional 5 RWCs, and their greatest end was eighth in 1994. Their largest win was towards Hong Kong in 2005 (78-0). Their largest recorded loss got here to WXV2 opponents USA, albeit in 1994, the place the Eagles gained with a 121-0 scoreline.
They’re at the moment ranked eleventh within the World. Out of their WXV2 opponents their greatest outcomes have been towards South Africa, who they’ve overwhelmed each occasions they’ve met. In two matches towards Scotland, they’ve gained one, however towards Italy, they’ve misplaced three out of 4.
They certified for WXV2 by successful the Asia Rugby Ladies’s Championship, beating Kazakhstan 72-0.
South Africa
After making their RWC debut in 2006, the Springbok Ladies have performed in an additional 4 RWCs. Their greatest end was tenth place of their inaugural look on the event.
At the newest RWC, they went out within the group stage after shedding all three of their pool video games towards France, England, and Fiji. They’ll host the second tier of WXV in what’s a large step ahead for girls’s rugby in South Africa. Their first worldwide fixture was performed towards Wales in 2004 once they misplaced 5-8.
Their heaviest defeat was towards England in 2005 once they misplaced 101-0, and their largest win was towards Namibia final 12 months (128-3). They gained this 12 months’s Rugby Africa Ladies’s Cup with a 79-8 win towards Madagascar which noticed them take the one area in WXV2 that was up for grabs from the competitors.
Italy
After a historic 2022 for Le Azzurre, they secured a spot in WXV2 after successful a two-leg playoff with Spain. At RWC 2021 final Autumn they grew to become the primary Italian workforce, males’s or girls’s, to succeed in a RWC quarter-final.
They completed fifth on the Six Nations this 12 months and go into WXV with a world rating of eighth. Their solely win at the newest Six Nations was towards Eire.
Their first official worldwide match was a 0-0 draw to France in Riccione in 1985. Their largest win was 52-0 towards Germany in 2005. They performed their first Six Nations in 2007 after changing Spain within the competitors. They’ve completed backside of the competitors 3 times. In opposition to the workforce’s they’ll face in WXV2 their greatest outcomes have been towards Scotland who they’ve solely misplaced to seven occasions. They gained their solely fixture towards Samoa in 2013, as with South Africa who they performed in 2018. They’ve gained three out of 4 conferences with Japan, however have misplaced two out of three towards the USA.
WXV3
Spain
Performed their first match in 1989, towards France, and had been concerned within the 5 Nations after which the Six Nations from 2000 till 2006, and their greatest consequence was three third-place finishes in that point. Once they had been changed by Italy in 2007 because the event aligned itself with the lads’s, Spain misplaced out on the chance to frequently compete with the highest groups in Europe.
From 2016 to 2022 they completed in first place on the Rugby Europe Ladies’s Championship. They had been one of many twelve groups to participate within the first girls’s RWC in 1991. They’ve gone on to participate in an additional 5 RWCs, the newest being in 2017 the place they completed tenth.
They’ve by no means performed towards WXV 3 opponents Colombia, Fiji, or Kenya, however have achieved constructive outcomes towards Eire and Kazakhstan. Their previous kind towards Eire has seen them win six out of ten fixtures, whereas towards Kazakhstan they’ve a three-from-three win price.
Fiji
Fiji performed their first take a look at towards Samoa in 2006, performed them seven occasions, gained 4 and misplaced three. Their first look in a RWC got here at the newest event in New Zealand. Regardless of not making it out of the pool stage, they put in a powerful efficiency towards England and beat South Africa 21-17 to safe a well-deserved win.
Since their first sport in 2006 the place they misplaced 15-27, they’ve gone on to play an additional ten worldwide groups. They’ve by no means performed towards any of their rivals from WXV, so the event will see them enter what’s a comparatively unknown discipline of play. As their performances at RWC 2021 confirmed, nonetheless, this shouldn’t cease them from bringing flare and pleasure to any sport.
Kenya
The Lionesses performed their first take a look at in 2006 towards Uganda, who they’ve performed 26 occasions, successful 14. They’re at the moment ranked twenty third on this planet rankings and have by no means performed at a RWC.
Colombia and South Africa are the one groups from these taking who’ve certified for WXV that they’ve performed towards, and they’re but to win a sport towards both. They’ll have the chance to compete towards Colombia whereas additionally including to their worldwide expertise with extra video games towards Kazakhstan, Eire, Fiji, and Spain as a part of WXV3.
They missed out on qualifying for RWC 2021 after shedding within the cross-regional repechage play-off towards Colombia which they had been a part of after they completed second on the 2019 Rugby Africa Ladies’s Cup.
Colombia
Las Tucanes have solely performed towards 4 sides since 2019 and two of them characteristic of their WXV group. They beat Brazil, the facet they’ve performed probably the most incessantly in that point, in a two-game collection to qualify for his or her place in WXV 3. They’ve performed towards Kazakhstan and Kenya as soon as, successful each occasions and shall be seeking to replicate that this Autumn. Scotland beat them to take the area at RWC 2021 that was up for grabs. They’re at the moment twenty fifth on this planet rankings and begin WXV because the lowest-ranked workforce within the event. They’ve by no means performed towards Eire, Fiji, or Spain.
Eire
Presently tenth on this planet rankings, WXV will give Eire the chance to achieve some much-needed sport time after a turbulent few seasons. They’ll compete in WXV 3 ending backside of the 2023 Six Nations desk. Ten years prior they gained a Grand Slam within the competitors and shall be hoping to rebuild the type of outdated within the coming years. After lacking out on a spot ultimately 12 months’s RWC, the chance to play extra common worldwide fixtures on account of the brand new WXV competitors will enhance their possibilities to compete at a better degree going ahead. They’ve by no means performed towards Kenya, Colombia, or Fiji. In opposition to Spain, they’ve a 40% win file (performed 10, gained 4, misplaced six), and new head coach Scott Bemand’s facet will look to file some constructive outcomes to complete a difficult 2023.
Kazakhstan
Nicknamed the Nomads, Kazakhstan have a wealthy girls’s rugby historical past and have performed in six Rugby World Cups. Their first was in 1994, the second version of the event, and their greatest end was ninth place out of 16 in 1998. In 2014, they gained the Asian 4 Nations Championship in Hong Kong. Their first recorded fixture was towards Germany in 1993.
Out of their rivals in WXV 3 they’ve beforehand performed towards three out of the 5. Their greatest win share of the three is towards Eire, the place they’ve performed 5 video games, gained three, and misplaced two. In opposition to Colombia, they misplaced the one sport that they’ve performed, and towards Spain, they misplaced each of the one video games they’ve performed. They’ve by no means performed towards Fiji or Kenya, so WXV3 will see them compete for the primary time.
Presently 18th on this planet rankings, their largest win on file was in 2005 with a 67-0 scoreline towards Thailand. Their heaviest defeat got here towards England in 2010 when the Purple Roses beat them 82-0.