2023 WXV (new global women's competition)
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This new global women's XVs competition model seems very similar to the World Rugby Nations Championship (World League Rugby) proposals for the men's game of 2018-2019 that didn't make it. Obviously, on a much smaller scale, due to the smaller number of participating nations, but with its own challenges.
World Rugby has launched WXV, a three-tiered annual competition model that will start in 2023.
- Sixteen-team, three-tier WXV global competition set to begin in 2023
- World Rugby to invest Ā£6.4 million in its first two years
- Unified international 15s calendar to comprise of two playing windows on an annual basis, optimising player welfare and performance
- Ground-breaking global international 15s calendar set to accelerate development of womenās game ahead of expanded RWC 2025
- Calendar reflects World Rugbyās long-term commitment to establishing a highly competitive and global test calendar to elevate standards
- WXV will be supported by new Women in Rugby commercial programme
- WXV offers hosts diversified revenue-generating opportunities
World Rugby has announced details of a new annual global womenās 15s competition model and international playing windows that will supercharge the womenās game.
Underscoring its commitment to increase competition, commercial and fan engagement opportunities while raising competitiveness of the womenās game on the road to an expanded 16-team Rugby World Cup 2025, World Rugby has launched WXV, a three-tiered annual competition model that will start in 2023.
Supported by an initial Ā£6.4 million World Rugby investment, the three WXV competitions will feature 16 teams and will be hosted within a new September-October global competition window, except in a Rugby World Cup year.
Teams will qualify annually into the WXV competitions courtesy of their finishing positions within the respective existing annual regional competitions, such as the Womenās Six Nations. These regional competitions, played within a new regional window, must be completed by June each year.
To support the implementation of the WXV competitions, a new annual cross-region competition will be established which will act as one of the principle qualification routes for the top tier of WXV. This will feature Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA. This represents a huge step forward, providing a regular annual international competition for these teams, where previously there was none.
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How it will work
WXV 1
WXV 1 will consist of six teams and be played in a cross-pool format, at a standalone tournament in one location, which will be determined on a year-by-year basis.
Participating teams will include the top three teams from the Womenās Six Nations (Europe) and the top three teams of the cross-regional tournament featuring Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA (Oceania/Rugby Americas North (RAN)). Each team will play three matches.
There will be no promotion or relegation in the first cycle of WXV 1.WXV 2
The WXV 2 competition will consist of six teams, playing in a cross-pool format, as a standalone tournament in one location, which will be determined on a year-by-year basis.
Participating teams for 2023 will include two teams from Europe, the fourth-placed team from the cross-regional tournament featuring Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA (Oceania/RAN) alongside one team from Oceania, Asia and Africa.
The sixth-placed regional position in the WXV 2 competition at the end of each season will be relegated to WXV 3.WXV 3
WXV 3 will be hosted in one venue as a round-robin format and will consist of four teams with the winner and rankings determined by a points table. Participating teams will include two teams from Europe, one team from Asia and the winner of an Africa v South America play-off.
The top ranked regional position in the WXV 3 competition will be promoted to the WXV 2 competition at the end of each season.
A play-off between the fourth-ranked team and next best ranked team from the World Rugby Womenās Rankings will determine regional position for the next year.Supporting all unions
Recognising that globally womenās high-performance programmes are currently at differing levels and stages, World Rugby is committed to work in partnership with unions to support collective ambitions to progress womenās high-performance programmes forward in a realistic and appropriate pace of development to ensure optimal performance within the WXV.Collaborative commercial model to grow the sport
World Rugby has also announced that the competition programme will be supported by a dedicated Women in Rugby commercial programme that sets out to actively further profile, engagement and sustainable growth, driving revenue back into the development of the game, supporting another key objective of the Women in Rugby Plan 2017-25.
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World Rugby confirms Pacific Four Series schedule, the new cross-regional womenās 15s tournament
World Rugby has announced details of a new cross-regional annual international competition titled, Pacific Four Series, that will bring together some of the worldās top womenās teams.
Contested by four of the worldās top teams - Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA ā the Pacific Four Series will act as one of the principle annual qualification routes for the top tier of WXV, with the top three-placed teams competing in WXV 1 and the fourth-placed team competing in WXV 2 from 2023 onwards.
With the global pandemic continuing to cause the global sporting community challenges, the World Rugby-funded competition will soft launch in 2021 with Canada and USA going head-to-head on 1 and 5 November. The full four-team format will debut in 2022, ahead of Rugby World Cup 2021, creating a bumper schedule of fixtures.
The Pacific Four Seriesā primary objective is to increase the reach, competitiveness and value of womenās rugby ā one of the worldās fastest-growing team sports between Rugby World Cups, adding to a full aligned global competition calendar for the worldās top players.
Pacific Four Series 2021 match scheduleMonday, 1 November, 2021
USA v Canada
Infinity Park, GlendaleFriday, 5 November, 2021
USA v Canada
Infinity Park, Glendale -
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Have to say that it is great to see WR not blindly following the menās game structure and the regular high level games are very welcome.
One of the aims though is to develop the game and without investment into getting more pro teams the gap could conceivably grow.
As it stands I see Australia potentially lifting their investment to stay in the top tier but it is Wales, Canada,USA, Japan,Fiji that I would like to see a lift from and thatās going to take money to allow full time training.Edit: Don't mean that to come across as negative. Hopefully these countries see this as an incentive to invest.
Ireland, Wales, Scotland have all announced player payment contracts for the top tier but are almost lip service at this stage and not what it would take to be a full time pro.
I really hope that WR offer support to places like Fiji.
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The Oceania Women's Championship, which was played this weekend for a spot in group WXV2, had quite a spectacular finish and a surprising champion, yesterday.
Not Fiji, but Samoa will take their place in group WXV2, after Samoa scored the winning penalty in the 82nd minute! Also, all Samoa's points were scored by one player, first five-eighth Cassie Siataga.
Fiji will now take the Oceania spot in WXV3.
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The match schedule for WXV, the new womenās international 15s competition has been announced.
WXV 1 excitement across New Zealand
The top three finishers in both the TikTok Womenās Six Nations 2023 and World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2023 will head to New Zealand to compete in nine tests across the three match weekends in the hope to be crowned WXV 1 champions.
The opening weekend kicks off on Friday, 20 October at Sky Stadium in Wellington with Womenās Six Nations winners, England up against Australia. This will be followed on Saturday with Canada facing Wales and Pacific Four Series and world champions, New Zealand up against France.
After travelling to Dunedinās Forsyth Barr Stadium for the second round of matches, the tournament will come to a close in an action-packed blockbuster weekend in Auckland at the Go Media Mt Smart Stadium. Fans will get to see Australia in action against Wales on Friday, 3 November followed by the final double-header that will see France take on Canada followed by the much-anticipated repeat of the Rugby World Cup 2021 final with England facing New Zealand.
Individual and weekend package tickets will go on sale at 10:00 (NZST, GMT+11) on Tuesday, 22 August and can be purchased at www.wxvrugby.com.
All nine tests will be shown exclusively on Sky TV New Zealand.
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Match schedule:
Saturday 21 October 2012 - K/o 7:00pm - Sky Stadium, Wellington
New Zealand v FranceSaturday 28 October 2023 - K/o 4:00pm - Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
New Zealand v WalesSaturday 4 November 2023 - K/o 7:00pm - Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
New Zealand v England -
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WXV2 and WXV3 start this weekend. Times below are NZT.
Fixtures XV2 (South Africa):
Sat 14 October 2023
1.00am: Italy v Japan - Sky Sport 2
3.30am: Scotland v South Africa - Sky Sport 2Sun 15 October 2023
1.00am: USA v Samoa - Sky Sport SelectFixtures XV3 (Dubai)
Sat 14 October 2023
2.00am: Fiji v Colombia
4.30am: Ireland v KazakhstanSun 15 October 2023
2.00am: Spain v Kenya -
@Stargazer said in 2023 WXV (new global women's competition):
4.30am: Ireland v Kazakhstan
At least the Ferns are better than Ireland! Obviously, the sexist Irish fluffybunnies are not investing adequately in their women's game
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How long before the Australian team drop into the second pool where they belong?
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@NTA said in 2023 WXV (new global women's competition):
How long before the Australian team drop into the second pool where they belong?
Tiers 1 locked this year
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Results:
XV2 (South Africa):
Sat 14 October 2023
Italy 28 - 15 Japan
Scotland 31 - 17 South Africa
USA 36 - 26 Samoa
XV3 (Dubai)Fiji 67 - 13 Colombia
Ireland 109 - 0 Kazakhstan
Spain 32 - 0 Kenya -
Draw weekend 20 - 22 October 2023. Times below are NZT.
XV1 (New Zealand)
Fri 20 October 2023 (Sky Stadium, Wellington)
7.00pm: England v Australia - Sky Sport 2Sat 21 October 2023 (Sky Stadium, Wellington)
4.00pm: Canada v Wales - Sky Sport 2
7.00pm: New Zealand v France - Sky Sport 1
XV2 (South Africa)Sat 21 October 2023 (Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town)
1.00am: USA v Scotland - Sky Sport 2
3.30am: Italy v South Africa - Sky Sport 2Sun 22 October 2023 (Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town)
3.00am: Japan v Samoa - Sky Sport Select
XV3 (Dubai)Sat 21 October 2023 (The Sevens 2, Dubai)
2.00am: Kazakhstan v Kenya
4.30am: Spain v FijiSun 22 October 2023 (The Sevens 2, Dubai)
2.00am: Ireland v Colombia -
Can't be bothered making a game thread for this, but England are three converted tries in front of Aussie after half an hour.
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Watching England v Australia. As expected, England are dominating (currently leading 21 - 0).
Good officiating from Lauren Jenner re: that shoulder-to-head contact by the Aussie 5. After initially tending towards a red card because there was no mitigation (no "dip"), she asked to see it again at live-speed. It was clear then that the Aussie 5 was quite static (the England player run towards her) and there wasn't a high degree of danger. Yellow card, not red.
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It's a pity that there is no "TMO review" of yellow cards in case of head contact in the WXV. It's either red or yellow, and has to be decided immediately. I prefer the way they did it in SR and do it at the RWC.
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Women's 15s is basically Tier 1 of NZ, Fr and Eng, and everyone else Tier 3. It will be a long time before the rest catch up, and I am worried that NZ will fall out into Tier 2 before long with our pathetic amount of game time, compared to Eng Prem 6N etc
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Aussie 5 is really stupid. Bye, bye, red card. Could even be a straight red, instead of a red for two yellows.
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It's red for a second yellow. I disagree with that. I'd have given a straight red. A no-arms tackle with her shoulder straight to the opponent's head. Can't see how there was not a high degree of danger.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 WXV (new global women's competition):
It's red for a second yellow. I disagree with that. I'd have given a straight red. A no-arms tackle with her shoulder straight to the opponent's head. Can't see how there was not a high degree of danger.
Pure idiocy
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@antipodean said in 2023 WXV (new global women's competition):
Can't be bothered making a game thread for this, but England are three converted tries in front of Aussie after half an hour.
Said early in the game this would be like the minnows at RWC: plucky start, promising periods of play, but ultimately only one question: how big is the margin?
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The play of a lot of these Aussies indicates where we are in women's rugby: very small pool of players, with a few of them selected as stand outs in our commissions. All getting found out against a side with discipline and rigour.
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Our lineout is shocking tho.
Scrum better than I thought
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Got some pay out of the pick n go but not enough professionalism to make it stick
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Finally the ref is giving advantage for England being repeatedly offside.
Only took 79 minutes
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Black Ferns 17-18 France
Mistake riddled mess from the Black Ferns v France. They dominated possession but couldnāt handle the blistering line speed of the French defence. Some great tries scored by the French though and Ruby Tuiās grubber to set up Vahaakolo in the second half was the highlight for the BF. Reduced to 14 after a very dumb head v head by Viliko - a newbie. However, BF managed to dominate the final 20mins when down a woman - including memorably destroying the full French scrum with only seven women.
Overall, I enjoyed the match despite the loss. It was a proper slugging match with a team full of newbies up against one of the best two teams in the world. The BF couldāve won that match if theyād been more accurate in taking their chances. Demant, Brunt & Du Plessis were well contained by the French and never really got any room.
Ruby Tui with very limited ball was the biggest attacking threat to the French and Iām bloody happy sheās playing 15s for us. The others looked flustered in the backline for most of the match.
The forwards (full of recent newbies) can take great heart from that effort. They dominated their French opposites for large parts of the match. Who wouldāve said that a few years ago? The team needs to just make better use of possession. A lot of wasted ball.
By the way, it was a poor crowd in Wellington. Hopefully more people turn up in Dunedin.
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Results 20-22 October 2023:
XV1 (New Zealand)
England 42 - 7 Australia
Canada 42 -22 Wales
New Zealand 17 - 18 FranceXV2 (South Africa)
USA 14 - 24 Scotland
Italy 36 - 18 South Africa
Japan 32 - 10 SamoaXV3 (Dubai)
Kazakhstan 18 - 12 Kenya
Spain 26 - 19 Fiji
Ireland 64 - 3 Colombia -
XV1 (New Zealand)
Fri 27 October 2023 (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
7.00pm: England v Canada- Sky Sport 1Sat 28 October 2023 (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)
4.00pm: New Zealand v Wales - Sky Sport 2
7.00pm: France v Australia - Sky Sport 2
XV2 (South Africa)Sat 28 October 2023 (Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town)
1.00am: Scotland v Japan - Sky Sport 2
3.30am: South Africa v Samoa - Sky Sport 2Sun 29 October 2023 (Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town)
4.00am: USA v Italy - Sky Sport 1
XV3 (Dubai)Sat 28 October 2023 (The Sevens 2, Dubai)
2.00am: Kazakhstan v Fiji
4.30am: Kenya v ColombiaSun 29 October 2023 (The Sevens 2, Dubai)
2.00am: Ireland v Spain -
England spank Canada
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Good try from the Aussies. Leading against France for the 2nd time in the game.
Can't imagine that will last though. -
HT: France 10 - 12 Australia
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No doubt the Aussies are playing well, but the French should be able to beat them easily. Yet, the Aussies are dominating. It looks like the French underestimated the Aussies ... Interesting game.
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5 to go. 14 point margin. C'mon girls!
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Well done, Wallaroos! Great win!
FR: France 20 - 29 Australia
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Wow. French Captain born in the Future Islands, spent time at school in Hawkes bay, and studying to be a surgeon!
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@Nepia said in 2023 WXV (new global women's competition):
@NTA Teachers must make a mint on Wallis and Futuna as Woodford House is one of the poshest girl schools in NZ.
Scholarship I suppose?
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