WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2022

Information about women’s rugby is often not easy to find – that’s why we’ve put together a handy guide about the next women’s Rugby World Cup. Take a look at the information below, and if you have anything that you want us to answer, or something you think we might have missed out, just let us know at coach@ruggetterfc.com.

When does the women’s World Cup start?

The women’s World Cup was due to start in 2021, but due to safety and logistical concerns associated with Covid-19 it was pushed back to 2022. Therefore, the competition is, confusingly, referred to as the ‘2021 Rugby World Cup, played in 2022’.

When is the next Rugby World Cup?

The women’s Rugby World Cup (now officially named the ‘Rugby World Cup’) will be played from Saturday 8th October until Saturday 12th November in Auckland and Whangārei. This tournament length is different to the originally proposed run time of 35 days, as the match schedule has recently been amended to prioritise player welfare by including five-day minimum rest periods between matches. Also, within this structure change all fixtures will be played on weekends, meaning many triple-header match days for women’s rugby fans. Click here to watch the official brand video for the 2022 World Cup.

Where is the women’s Rugby World Cup being played?

New Zealand were awarded the hosting rights for the Rugby World Cup 2021 following a vote by the World Rugby Council in Dublin. Australia almost won the rights for the tournament, but after a comprehensive evaluation, New Zealand was chosen as the destination.

Which teams play in the women’s Rugby World Cup?

A total of twelve teams are playing in the women’s Rugby World Cup next year. Seven teams directly qualify for the women’s Rugby World Cup, these include: New Zealand, England, France, Canada, USA, Australia, and Wales. A further five teams are selected from various regional competitions. The graphic below gives a little more info on this:

Source: Rugby World Cup

The teams are then split into three pools: A, B and C. The first pool includes New Zealand, Australia, Wales and the final qualifier winner. The second pool includes Canada, USA, Europe 1 and Asia 1. The third pool includes England, France, South Africa and Fiji.

Who is playing and when?

A full breakdown of matches along with times and location can be found here. Keep an eye out on our social media channels as closer to the time we will be posting more resources on this. Why not download the match schedule and hang it up in your local club? If you do, be sure to take a snap and tag us!

Where can I watch the matches?

You can sign up to receive information on buying tickets to the women’s Rugby World Cup using this link. If you are unable to make the journey to support the female players in person, you will be able to watch the matches from the UK on ITV.

Who is sponsoring the women’s Rugby World Cup?

Mastercard have recently announced they will be the first Worldwide Partner for the 2022 and 2025 Rugby World Cups. In addition to this, Mastercard will be working alongside World Rugby to inspire more women and girls to both play and watch the sport through a new marketing campaign. The campaign will include a unique digital content series that champions inspirational females around the world.

Who will win the women’s Rugby World Cup?

That is the million-dollar question that everyone wants an answer to. Although we can’t see into the future and tell you who is going to win, we can give you some background on some of the teams’ previous performances. According to World Rugby, England are currently ranked as the world number one women’s rugby team. They have made it to the final of all but one of the Rugby World Cup finals; however, they have only won the title twice. Ranked in close second is New Zealand. The Black Ferns have competed at every tournament bar one and claimed the title five times. With the home advantage, who knows what the fierce female players will pull out of the bag? Canada comes in at the number three spot. The team made its debut on the 6th of April 1991 against New Zealand in Cardiff. The team narrowly missed out on a place in the RWC final in 2014, being beaten 18 -16 by France

Words by Stella Mills