Womens XVs Rugby - Global news & Developments

[grande Profile]

Holy shit, what a game that was. Canada pressing for the final six minutes was super intense.

Final score, England 27-20 Canada.

[Canalina Profile]

A resume of the WC warm-up matches, counting also the not capping ones. If I didn't miss anything, both France and Italy will go to the WRWC without preparation games. It's sure about Italy; there's even some fears about a withdraw because italian federation asked the national olympic committee to fund the expedition and the answer is still not known

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Extremely sad to see a Tier 1 union with a 45 M€ budget leaving their women's team without allocated funding just in hope that somebody else comes to pay the bills.

France may not have a confirmed warm-up game but they are already in a training camp.

[Canalina Profile]

In an interview, the g.m. Maria Cristina Tonna assures there are not economical problems for the italian women's team
"Many people forget that these girls are students and workers and that they have a family; we already asked their time for the 6N, the 7s tournaments and the pre-WC stages, we can't ask them to play also some preparation matches... Furthermore we tried to organize some tests during these months but we couldn't find any opponent: Hong Kong for example accepted to play with us but they wanted to play in may, when our girls were occupied in the national championship play-off".
The first and the second statement seem to me conflictual ("our girls have no time for a warm-up match... we tried to organize a warm-up match") but, ok

http://rugby1823.blogosfere.it/post/564 ... rogrammati

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Italy will finaly have three small training camps, but no games: http://rugby1823.blogosfere.it/post/565 ... allirlanda

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Yunque has talked again in Play Rugby about that Four Nations project. World Rugby and Rugby Europe closed again the door on Spain's readmission in Women's Six Nations but seem to have accepted to stop giving most World Cup berths in that private tournament.

Four Nations would take place in the same timeframe as Six Nations and would involve Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden (not Russia, as previously said), but its format is expected to change in the year prior to WRWC so to involve bottom 6N teams and top 4N ones fighting for multiple WRWC spots. But talks are still ongoing.

It's from minute 10: http://play.cadenaser.com/audio/011RD010000000141012/

[grande Profile]

New Zealand vs England, NZ leads the series 16-7-1

New Zealand has traditionally been the more dominant team, but England's won several consecutive games over the Black Ferns about five years back. England's looked pretty strong so far this June, so I think they might eek out a win.

First Meeting: New Zealand 67-0 England, August 13, 1997
Most Recent Meeting: England 20-25 New Zealand, November 19, 2016

Australia vs Canada

This is only the second time these two teams have faced off. The previous game, Canada won 22-nil, June 6, 2014.

[johnbirch Profile]

Yunque has talked again in Play Rugby about that Four Nations project. World Rugby and Rugby Europe closed again the door on Spain's readmission in Women's Six Nations but seem to have accepted to stop giving most World Cup berths in that private tournament.

TBH who plays in the 6N probably outside RF or WR's control. It is, as you say, a private tournament run by the 6 Nations Committee. All RE and WR can do is stop using this as a qualification route for the World Cup - as is the case with the men.

Snag is that its much cheaper to use the 6N in that way - and WR have shown they will cut any corners possible to reduce the cost of WRWC qualification - and the 6N nations have huge financial power and voting strength on WR.

This also slightly begs the question about what Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Finland do - especially as Belgium's new coaching team were opemly talking about a long term aim of World Cup qualification. Would this freeze them out?

[johnbirch Profile]

In an interview, the g.m. Maria Cristina Tonna assures there are not economical problems for the italian women's team
"Many people forget that these girls are students and workers and that they have a family; we already asked their time for the 6N, the 7s tournaments and the pre-WC stages, we can't ask them to play also some preparation matches... Furthermore we tried to organize some tests during these months but we couldn't find any opponent: Hong Kong for example accepted to play with us but they wanted to play in may, when our girls were occupied in the national championship play-off".
The first and the second statement seem to me conflictual ("our girls have no time for a warm-up match... we tried to organize a warm-up match") but, ok

http://rugby1823.blogosfere.it/post/564 ... rogrammati

Yes - we have the same interview http://www.scrumqueens.com/features/italy-putting-story-right

I agree. Some of her justifications sounded very thin. She seems to blame alot on the length of the Italian club league - which is indeed the longest in Europe - but that is surely allowing the tail to wag the dog? It is the FIR's league and surely they can shorten it - as England and France have done? There are way too many one-sided games in it anyway - a smaller league would be tougher.

And Italy USED to play more non-6N internationals - so it must be possible.

I must confess I was unconvinced.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

This also slightly begs the question about what Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Finland do - especially as Belgium's new coaching team were opemly talking about a long term aim of World Cup qualification. Would this freeze them out?

I agree that it wouldn't be fair to switch from one closed tournament to another of the same specs, but the fact its format would change to become a WRWC qualifier opens the door to that kind of nations if a Rugby Europe tournament is still in place.

I don't know all the details, I'm just a fan, but seeing both Patricia García and Yunque have shared Scrumqueens' posts on Facebook you can see there is some truth in the project. Whether it comes to fruition or not, it's a different story.

[grande Profile]

Canada 45-5 Australia

[victorsra Profile Website]

Italy at least has the 6N... what about Australia? Almost never plays XVs and was smashed by the 3 powers...

[Canalina Profile]

In Italy there are at least two couples of brother&sister wearing the national team shirt: Federico and Valentina Ruzza (image below), Massimo and Maria Grazia Cioffi (Massimo is the fullback of the U20 team). Some also in your nation?

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Pol and Bàrbara Plà.

[sammo Profile]

Sonny Bill and Niall Williams; https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.smh. ... pxnnn.html

[Canalina Profile]

Thank you both!

Also australian Kristy Giteau and Matt Giteau, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_i ... n_families

[ugrugbychiclet Profile]

Uganda


Currently, no one I can think of right now. I will take a look at recent records later tonight.

In the past though - Charlotte Thereza Mudoola and Fredrick and Timothy Mudoola; Evelyn Aweku and Jude Kermundu; Helen Koyokoyo Buteme, Irene Bunihizi Namapii and Nathan Wasolo.

NB: In Uganda siblings do not always share a surname even if they have the same parents.

[Canalina Profile]

Thank you Ugrugby

[Used2BwithIt Profile]

Other sister / brother combos:

Annaleah and Xavier Rush from New Zealand.

Tyson and Brett Beukeboom from Canada.

[sjbret Profile]

Christelle et Sébastien Chobet (France)

[Armchair Fan Profile]

From 2018 Spanish Rugby Union budget:
- There should be a Scotland v Spain game on 20/1
- Proposed Four Nations dates would be 3/2, 24/2, & 10/3

http://ferugby.es/userfiles/file/Transp ... 202018.pdf

[grande Profile]

http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/england ... -world-cup

Disappointing news. England's decided to stop issuing 15s contracts to focus on Sevens.

[victorsra Profile Website]

Is it because the new English Super League will be professional?

[johnbirch Profile]

I hear that there is a review of the status of Canadian women's tests being undertaken. All Wikipedia games looks like being accepted EXCEPT the two games in 2007 v USA in Blaine, Minnesota.

[grande Profile]

I hear that there is a review of the status of Canadian women's tests being undertaken. All Wikipedia games looks like being accepted EXCEPT the two games in 2007 v USA in Blaine, Minnesota.

Interesting. Do you know what sparked that? And why those games are on the chopping block?