News from around the World
1 March NZR to launch Women & Girls in Rugby Strategy
1 March 35,000 tickets already sold for England v France
2 March Simon Middleton announces 42-strong training squad for 6 Nations; Zoe Harrison is out for the foreseeable with a torn ACL
2 March France 7s squad for Vancouver 7s announced; Carla Neisen captain; Caroline Drouin, Chloe Jacquet and Joanna Grisez included from previous 15s squad
3 March The SRU is 150 years old
4 March Alisha Butchers and Donna Rose (both Wales) to miss 6 Nations through injury
4 March Harlequins claim a new world record attendance of 15,420 for a women’s club match; it was the first half of a double header at HQ v Exeter Chiefs
5 March England Under 18s beat Wales 48-5 at Rugby School, to commemorate 200 years of rugby
6 March Aupiki Round 2: Manawa 50 Blues 33; Matatu 24 Poua 25
6 March New Zealand win Vancouver 7s
6 March Premier Rugby Sevens announces new season to start on 17 June with Eastern Conference Kickoff in Austin, Texas
7 March USA roster for Pacific Fours announced
7 March Georgina Friedrichs named 2022 Wallaroos Player of the Year
8 March England v Scotland at Newcastle sold out (capacity 10,200); 36,000+ tickets sold for England v France
8 March Buildcorp Super W launch day in Sydney
9 March Daily Telegraph reports possible decision of Ealing Trailfinders to leave English league system after RFU rejects their application to join the Premiership yet again; effect on women’s section unknown
10 March Hollie Davidson referees England men’s U20 v France at Bath (7-42)
10 March Fijiana Drua to be offered contracts before the start of the Super W in Australia
12 March Aupiki Round 3: Chiefs Manawa 46 Matatu 38; Hurricanes Poua 22 Blues 31
13 March Audrey Forlani replaces Gaëlle Hermet as captain of France
13 March Tamara Taylor will captain Samurai Warriors at the Hong Kong 10s
14 March Jessy Trémoulière announces she will retire after the 2023 Six Nations
14 March Premier Rugby Sevens (USA) confirms 16 coaches appointed; 6 women
14 March Independent review of Welsh Rugby Union culture invites public contributions
14 March England U20 will play France U20 in a two-match series in April
15 March Welsh Enquiry Panel announced
15 March 6 Nations launch day in London
16 March Romane Ménager withdraws from the French squad, replaced by Téani Feleu, younger sister of Manaé
17 March 10 year anniversary of Ireland winning their Grand Slam
17 March Sale Sharks have met the conditions of their offer to play in next season’s Prem 15s
17 March Scotland Under 16 squad of 42 announced
17-19 March 3-day training session for Italy at Parma
18 March Czechia 0 Finland 3 (Rugby Europe Trophy)
18 March Super Rugby Aupiki semi-finals: Matatu 26 Blues 23; Chiefs Manawa 43 Hurricanes Poua 21
18 March Portugal beat Czechia 51-0 to gain promotion to the European Championship
19 March Bath Rugby have three XVs playing at the same venue, Lambridge
20 March University of Worcester Warriors formally allowed back into the Premier 15s.
20 March City A.M. reports the concerns of Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, that the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is ‘being promoted through European and British Sport’; she fears data exploiting technologies; it’s the ‘TikTok 6 Nations again
20 March France and France U20 train together at Blagnac
21 March Sarah Hunter will retire directly after England’s first 6 Nations game against Scotland
22 March Over 40,000 tickets sold for England v France
23 March The FFR claims 30,000 women and girls playing rugby in France
23 March In France the seven women’s club finals will take place on 19 June
24 March 6th season of Super W starts in Australia
25 March 1st round 6 Nations; England 58 Scotland 7; Wales 31 Ireland 5
25 March Sarah Hunter retires with 141 caps
25 March Pacific 4 warm-up matches: Spain 14 United States 20; Canada 66 South Africa 7
25 March Super Aupiki Matatu beat Chiefs 33-31 to win final
26 March WRU holds all-important EGM; clubs vote for big changes at the top
26 March 1st round 6N Italy 12 France 22
27 March Céline Ferer and Laure Sansus join Stade Toulousain’s coaching team
28 March Aiden McNulty leaves his post as coach to Ireland’s 7s coach; Allan Temple-Jones replaces him
28 March BBC Woman’s Hour Power List 2023 Women in Sport includes Barbara Slater, Fiona Thomas, Jodie Ounsley, Sue Anstiss and Baroness Sue Campbell
28 March Injuries to Gwen Crabb (Wales) and Enya Breen (Ireland) rule them out of the rest of 6N tournament
29 March World record number of tickets sold for England-France match
29 March Canada to reboot its age-grade programmes at U18, U20 and U23 levels
30 March Italy to reintroduce age-grade programmes from U6 to U18 after Covid-19 lockdown
31 March Hong Kong Sevens in full swing
