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The Alan Gilpin verdict on new WXV clashing with the men's RWC
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin believes there will be a positive knock-on effect from staging the inaugural edition of WXV at the same time as the men’s Rugby World Cup 2023 as “the eyes of the sporting world will be on rugby”.
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WXV is World Rugby’s new annual global competition for women’s rugby and will help to accelerate the growth of the sport. World Rugby initially unveiled the three-tiered, 18-team tournament in March 2021, two weeks after the decision was taken to postpone RWC 2021 for 12 months due to the pandemic.
That led to WXV being pushed back in the calendar but, wishing to avoid any further delays, it will now run throughout October and November when Rugby World Cup 2023 is also on in France.
“We were not able to launch when we originally wanted to because of Covid-19 and the year-long delay of the women’s Rugby World Cup means that it now clashes with the men’s,” said Gilpin. “But the great positive of that is that the eyes of the sporting world will be on rugby.
“We have this great opportunity to use this platform to drive more and more interest in the women’s game. That is how we are looking at the positives of WXV’s timing. It’s a really exciting moment in time for the women’s game.”
Gilpin added: “WXV is absolutely crucial to the development of the women’s game. It will give us that competitive depth that we need to make Rugby World Cup 2025 and beyond more competitive. It is a genuine pathway for making sure that every year those 18 teams in those groups of six are playing the right type of opposition to develop and, obviously, there are regional tournaments feeding into that with movement year-on-year. We really need this in the women’s game.”
England, France and Wales – the top three in this year’s TikTok Women’s Six Nations – will compete in WXV 1, alongside the top three teams from the World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2023, which features RWC 2021 winners New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA.
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It was confirmed last Friday that New Zealand would host the WXV 1 tournament, building on the surge of interest in women’s rugby in the country since Rugby World Cup 2021. “As you can imagine, there was a fair bit of interest in New Zealand about getting some really high-quality women’s rugby back over there as quickly as possible,” said Gilpin.
“The prospect of all the top teams going back there and playing in an incredibly competitive tournament is brilliant for the women’s game and, ultimately, what fans want to see.”
Meanwhile WXV 2, will be played in Cape Town, a venue well-versed in staging big rugby events. Scotland became the first qualifiers for WXV 2 thanks to their fourth-place finish in the Women’s Six Nations and they will be joined by either Italy or Spain – who are due to contest a play-off – and one team from Africa, Asia and Oceania.
The team that finishes fourth in the Pacific Four Series, which concludes in mid-July, will also play in WXV 2. The venue for WXV 3 has yet to be announced and the six-team line-up is also a long way to being finalised with Women’s Six Nations wooden spoonists Ireland the only confirmed team at this juncture.
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Ireland will be joined by the loser of the Italy-Spain play-off and a qualifier from Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America.
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments