A short month with much going on worldwide
1 February Belated news reaches of the tragic passing on Jan. 23 of Inge van der Velden, elder sister of Linde, from cancer; a capped player, aged 30
1 February A second U18 Six Nations Festival will take in April at Wellington College Berks
1 February The Pittsburgh Steeltoes join Premier Rugby Sevens as the eighth and final franchise
1 February Sara Barattin and Manuela Furlan announce their retirement from international rugby
1 February Combined Provinces XV’s home games to be available on their YouTube channel
1 February Worcester Warriors’ new owners are Jim O’Toole and James Sandford (Atlas consortium)
1 February WRU contemplates radical changes to its top positions; women to be assured of places
2 February USA Rugby marks National Women & Girls in Sport Day
2 February Rugby Canada marks the start of Black History Month, celebrating inclusivity and diversity in rugby
2 February Lyndsay O’Donnell joins Bristol from Worcester on loan for rest of season
3 February Maggie Cogger-Orr, originally from Canada, joins NZR as Women’s Referee Development Manager
3 February Fiona Stockley becomes first female committee member of Barbarians
3 February The SRU announces Rosy Ryan as the new Lead Manager for Women and Girls in the Rugby Development department
4 February Combined Provinces XV beat The Thistles 45-12 in Belfast, the first wide margin in 3 matches
4 February Yet more revelations by women of alleged persistent and improper behaviour by WRU committee men
4 February Portugal beat Finland 39-0 in the European Trophy; other nations involved: Belgium, Czechia, Germany
5 February Gloucester-Hartpury still unbeaten after 10 rounds
5 February Wasps set up GoFundMe as they are now without any financial support
6 February Simon Middleton announces he will step down after the 2023 Six Nations
7 February Jay Tregonning signs on again as Wallaroos’ head coach
8 February France announce 40 names for 6N squad 2023
9 February First news that (University of) Worcester Warriors will rebrand as Sixways Rugby
9 February Melissa Bettoni, now retired, is appointed forwards coach to the Italy U20s team
9 February RFU’s priority is to enable Worcester Warriors Women in the Premier 15s in a sustainable way
10 February Allan Bunting takes over as Black Ferns’ DoR
10 February Both Lons (v Montpellier) and Chilly Mazarin (v Stade Toulousain) pull out of their Elite 1 fixtures
11 February The Thistles beat the Welsh Development XV 21-7 in Cardiff
11 February Rugby Australia will offer their first part-time contracts to 35 elite women’s 15s players; pay-range $30,000 – $52,000
11 February RA starts its female Match Official Leadership Program, an annual two-day event
11 February Andy Marinos, CEO of RA, hints at possibility of linking SuperW to NZ’s Aupiki
11 February Italy beat Spain 22-5; first-ever U20 result: Spain 10 Italy 5
11 February Netherlands beat Sweden 38-12; first game in the 2023 European Championship
13 February Worcester’s new owners may back down on plans to rename the club after loud protests
13 February In an interview Simon Middleton states Red Roses need ‘female influence’ among their coaches
13 February Rugby Australia invests AUS$2 million into women’s rugby over the next 5 years as part of its professionalisation plans; max. 35 players to receive contracts
13 February Scott Bemand to stand down as Red Roses’ assistant coach at end of 6N; Louis Deacon to continue
16 February Red Roses now entitled to 26 weeks’ fully-paid maternity leave
16 February Kathryn Dane (Ireland) suffered a brain haemorrhage at training before Christmas
17 February Girls-only camp at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton
17 February The Atlas Group has proposed a long-term tenancy arrangement which would keep Warriors Women at Sixways Stadium; to be formalised (see 1 Feb. above)
18 February Combined Provinces XV 19 Welsh Development XV 0 (Belfast)
19 February Spain beat Netherlands 70-0 (Sitges, Barcelona)
19 February Tunisia beat UAE 24-5
21-23 February Girls-only camp at Loughborough
23 February The Allianz Premier 15s Disputes Committee awards Gloucester-Hartpury 5 points for the game that Wasps couldn’t contend
24 February The death is announced of Tom Tierney, Ireland’s head Coach at the 2017 World Cup, aged 46
25 February The Thistles 26 Combined Provinces XV 33 (final match of tournament); clean sweep for CP
25 February Spain 90 Sweden 5, their 10th Rugby Europe win, plus WXV qualification
25 February Super Rugby Aupiki, Round One: Hurricanes Poua 21 Chiefs Manawa 53; Matatu 33 Blues 31
25 February Hollie Davidson referees Italy v ireland Under 20s in the 6 Nations
26 February Tonga launch a XVs competition
28 February British & Irish Lions feasibilty panel makes pronouncement
28 February Ireland announce 8 new names in their training squad for the 6 Nations
