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WXV 2024 - What we know with 100 days to go
By Imogen Ainsworth
The second edition of WXV will kick off in 100 days when round one begins on 27th September.
Competition for all three levels will take place on the same weekends (27 September – 12 October) with Canada hosting WXV 1 in Vancouver, South Africa hosting WXV 2 in Cape Town, and Dubai being the stage for WXV 3.
WXV 1 will be played BC Place and Langley Event Centre, WXV 2 at DHL Stadium and Athlone Stadium, and WXV 3 at The Sevens Stadium.
With 100 days to go, all teams 18 have qualified for WXV, with only Wales and Spain still to determine their levels in a play-off match.
Inaugural WXV 1 winners England will join Canada, New Zealand, France, Ireland, and the USA in the top level, with Ireland, who won WXV 3 last year, and the USA, who competed in WXV 2 in 2023, both making their debuts in the top level.
WXV 2 winners from last year, Scotland, return to Cape Town for a second year, and will be joined once again by South Africa, Japan, and Italy. Australia move down from WXV 1 after their last-place finish in the Pacific Four Series, and the lineup will be completed by the winners of the Wales vs Spain play-off on 29th June.
WXV 3 will also return to the same destination for a second year, this year with Fiji, Hong Kong China, Madagascar, Netherlands, and Samoa on the roster already, to be joined by the loser of the Wales vs Spain play-off.
This year’s WXV provides the added prize of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification for six teams who are yet to secure their place.
Teams who will be vying for the six RWC places are: Scotland, Italy, Australia, Wales, Spain, Hong Kong China, Madagascar, Netherlands, and Samoa.
Given Japan and South Africa have already qualified for RWC 2025, four places will be allocated to the remaining WXV 2 teams with two places up for grabs in WXV 3.
As Fiji have already qualified as a result of their Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship title, it will be all to play for for the remaining five teams in WXV 3 to finish in the highest position and gain the two remaining places.
Qualification - how each team secured their WXV place
WXV 1
England* - Guinness Women’s Six Nations champions
Canada* - World Rugby Pacific Four Series champions
France* - Six Nations runners-up
New Zealand* - Pacific Four Series runners-up
Ireland* - Six Nations third place
USA* - Pacific Four Series third place
WXV 2
Scotland - Six Nations fourth place
Italy - Six Nations fifth place
South Africa* - Rugby Africa Women’s Cup champions
Japan* - Asia Rugby Women’s Championship winners
Australia - Pacific Four Series fourth place
TBD - Winner of Wales vs Spain
WXV 3
Fiji* - Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship winners
Hong Kong China - Asia Rugby Women’s Championship runners-up
Madagascar - Rugby Africa Women’s Cup runners-up
Netherlands - Winner of a play-off with 2023 WXV 3 last place Colombia
Samoa - Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship runners-up
TBD - Loser of Wales vs Spain
*already qualified for RWC 2025
Qualification for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 so far
New Zealand - RWC 2021 semi-finalists (and eventual winners)
England - RWC 2021 semi-finalists (runners-up)
France - RWC 2021 semi-finalists (third place)
Canada - RWC 2021 semi-finalists (fourth place)
Ireland - 2024 Women's Six Nations, highest finishers behind already qualified teams (third)
USA - 2024 Pacific Four Series, highest finishers behind already qualified teams (third)
South Africa - 2024 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup champions
Japan - 2024 Asia Rugby Women’s Championship winners
Fiji - 2024 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship winners
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Latest Comments
Hopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
Go to commentsNot surprised to see Barretts rating. He has always been a solid defender for the ABs but not particularly effective in attack situations.
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