First ever Rugby World Cup: What will Brazil bring?

We are just two months away from the Rugby World Cup kicking off, and amongst the 16 competitors, Brazil will be the only debutant, a nation that until late 2022 showed relatively little interest in their women’s 15s team.

Before 2020, the Yaras were mainly focused on strengthening their sevens brand, with the 15s team almost forgotten.

However, when the 2025 World Cup opportunity presented itself, the Yaras quickly evolved and found the tools and means to field a strong enough 15s team to overcome their neighbours, Colombia, and qualify for England 2025.

Although celebrations and fireworks ensued, there were fears concerning the Yaras’ lack of Test match experience. A wide range of questions arose, questioning their set-piece strength, in-game organisation and if they had the physicality to withstand a full 15s match.

Before that 2024 historical victory, Brazil Women had only amassed a total of eight Test matches, spanning over the last 20 years.

Fortunately, 12 months after that clash against Colombia, the Yaras seem to have found their groove, fielding a more confident squad that’s able to contend even with some more experienced rivals.

For those unaware of their Test match form, Brazil has played seven matches since June 2024, recording the following results:

–          Two losses vs the Netherlands, with the Dutch nailing two close wins in November 2024

–          19-12 win vs Portugal in March 2025

–          12-42 defeat against Spain in March 2025

–          29-26 defeat against the USA ‘Falcons’ earlier this month, followed by a 15-14 win against the same opposition a week later

–          58-7 victory over Colombia earlier this month

Although the losses still outweigh the wins, the Yaras have managed to find their footing and develop an enticing and electrifying backline supported by a forward pack engine that likes to take charge.

It is common knowledge that newly ‘created’ Test match teams fail to keep ball possession for long, scarcely scoring any points, which surprisingly was something that didn’t happen to Brazil.

Head coach Emiliano Caffera’s team scored 20 tries across these last seven fixtures, 12 of which were dotted down by backline personnel, an extraordinary feat by itself.

If we compare the two Colombia clashes, Brazil has vastly improved in all areas, scoring 23 more points, conceding eight fewer points and managing to cut the number of handling errors and infringements by half.

Whilst in 2024 the Brazilians relied on slowing down the game, locking the ball in the maul and pumping long-range kicks, they have now embraced a more bravado kind of style, trying to outpace the opposition and accepting the big-risks big-rewards mindset.

With the set-piece setting the tone and placing the team in an advantageous situation, the Yaras have begun to crack the Test match code.

While last year the Yaras seemed to stumble every time they had to go wide, they are now able to inject a careful but vibrant rugby samba, evading tacklers or brushing them off to set in motion a well-planned team play.

The inclusion of World Series sevens stars like Bianca Silva, Raquel Kochann, Isadora Lopes, Thalita Costa and Larissa Alves has helped the team go up another level, adding in-game experience and knowledge to a squad packed with young talent.

Mix it with international ‘signings’ like Larissa Lima Henwood (Counties Manukau), Taís Prioste (AC Bobigny), Letícia Medeiros (Bondi University Australia) and Maria Graf (Brothers RFC) and the Yaras have blossomed into a fierce competitor that will want to shine come late August.

However, for all the growth and improvements, this doesn’t mean Brazil will come knocking on the door of their World Cup rivals. More Test match experience and more time to develop a deeper squad and knowledge on how to deal with a full 80-minute game is needed and will at the moment, skew the balance in favour of those who have had more of a run out at international level.

For now, the Yaras are riding the World Cup wave and, having settled the foundations, they are slowly crafting a system that can deliver a Brazilian carnival (rugby style), come their first match against South Africa on Sunday 24^th August.

Fixture

Women's Rugby World Cup

South Africa Women

66 - 6

Full-time

Brazil Women

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