For such a pathetically short month, February has packed in a lot of events covering six continents. Here is a diary, varying from personal to global.
1 February The Colombia squad goes into a Covid bubble in advance of their World Cup trip to Dubai
2 February Two more Welsh players receive retainer contracts, Kayleigh Powell and Sisilia Tuipulotu. The full list now reads:
Retainer Contracts:
Gwen Crabb (Gloucester-Hartpury), Georgia Evans (Saracens), Kat Evans (Saracens), Cerys Hale (Gloucester-Hartpury), Abbie Fleming (Exeter Chiefs), Kerin Lake (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), Caitlin Lewis (Exeter Chiefs), Kayleigh Powell (Bristol Bears), Niamh Terry (Exeter Chiefs), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Full-time contracts:
Kiera Bevan, Alisha Butchers, Natalia John, Hannah Jones, Jasmine Joyce, Ffion Lewis, Siwan Lillicrap, Carys Phillips, Gwenllian Pyrs, Lisa Neumann, Donna Rose, Elinor Snowsill.
2 February Referees announced for the last two World Cup qualifiers: Kazakhstan v Colombia: Kat Roche (USA); Scotland v winner of Kazakhstan v Colombia: Amber McLachlan (Australia)
2 February Scottish squad announced for final RWC qualifier in Dubai on 25 February. Caity Mattinson becomes the second Red Rose (after Carys Williams) to take advantage of World Rugby’s new ruling on eligibility. Qualifying by birth, she is named in the squad
2 February The Duchess of Cambridge becomes Patron of England Rugby. She joins in a practice at HQ. Did she miss her true vocation?
4 February Amy Perrett retires from refereeing to take up a role in referee development with Rugby Australia. She was in charge of the 2014 RWC final
4 February Niamh Briggs is appointed Assistant Head Coach for Ireland
5 February Julianne Zussman (Canada) becomes the first woman to whistle a men’s Under 20 international, Ireland v Wales
5 February Lissete Martinez takes over as head coach of Colombia at the last moment
6 February Alisha Butchers and Jasmine Joyce (both Bristol Bears and Wales) announce their engagement
8 February The US Women’s Rugby Foundation celebrates the 50th anniversary of women’s rugby in the USA
9 February Liza ‘Bird’ Burgess announces her coaching team to assist the Wales Under 18 squad. It includes Siwan Lillicrap as skills coach
9 February Jose Antonio ‘Yunque’ Barrio, head coach of Spain since 2010, announces his intention to retire after the upcoming European Championships
9 February A new team, Fijiana Drua, will join the Buildcorp Super W competition in Australia. They replace the Presidents XV, assembled to provide a sixth team in the tournament.
10 February A Spain A XV beat Colombia 47-15 outside Madrid; a first ever fixture for Las Tucanes in Europe
14 February 29 new-style contracts announced for Black Ferns
14 February Scotland squad arrive in Dubai nine days before their World Cup qualifier
15 February The French XV squad completes an intensive 9-day training course in Corsica
15 February British & Irish Lions appoint Two Circles to carry out a feasibility study for Women’s Lions. A steering group was set up on 12 October last year.
16 February The Scottish government awards £1m to stimulate growth and participation in the club and schools’ game
16 February Covid testing requirements in England relaxed. Only people with symptoms still need to continue.
16 February Rugby Canada extend Jack Hanratty’s role as Interim Head Coach for Women’s Sevens
17 February Consortium led by Francois Pienaar takes over Saracens
17 February Strong rumour 6 Nations is thinking of admitting South Africa in place of Italy. No references to the women’s version
17-27 February A statue of Emily Scarratt appears alongside other sportswomen by City Hall, Pool of London. An Adidas initiative, ‘Support is Everything’
18 February 6 Nations board issues strong denial it is contemplating changes to constituent nations
19 February Colombia beat Kazakhstan 18-10
19 February Tamara Taylor returns to her old club, DMPDS, for a second time
19 February Structural damage to the StoneX Stadium causes postponement of Saracens’ home game. Storm Eunice to blame
19 February Spain beat Netherlands 69-0 in Amsterdam (European Championships 2022)
19 February Two U18 ‘international’ matches: England beat Scotland 64-0 in a training game; Italy lose 40-7 in a first ever game against France’s Ligue Sud at Saint Raphaël in the south of France. This is another indication of the expansion of women’s rugby in Italy promised by the new FIR president, Marzio Innocenti
21 February Sarah Hirini named as captain of the Hurricanes Poua, one of the four teams competing in the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki
22 February Changes (restrictions) made to the Aupiki tournament because of Covid
23 February Announcement: England Under 20s to host Scotland Under 20s at Darlington Arena on 19 March, KO 14.00
23 February Sally Horrox appointed Director of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby
24 February Patricia Garcia Rodriguez announces she will retire after playing Russia on 26 February. Spain lose the services of their greatest player
Super Rugby Aupiki Trophy (Photo: NZ Rugby)
25 February Scotland 59 Colombia 3 – Scotland qualify for the 12th and last place at the RWC
25 February Lisa Neumann switches from Sale to Glos-Pury on receipt of her Wales contract
26 February Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division Final: Railway Union beat Blackrock College 24-18
26 February Spain beat Russia 27-0 in Madrid, despite the invasion of Ukraine. José Antonio Barrio and Patricia Garcia retire.
27 February The top-of-the-table clash between Bristol and Saracens halted as the one doctor on call was already dealing with an injury to Georgia Evans
28 February Super Rugby Aupiki announces the choice of trophy for the new tournament. It represents Hineruhi, the dawn maiden
