There have been end-of-season retirements. I list them separately at the end.
1 March Super Aupiki Round One: Chiefs Manawa 25 Matatū 31; Hurricanes Poua 10 Blues 50
1 March Super W Round 1: Waratahs 17 Fijiana Drua 23; Western Force 29 Brumbies 29
1 March Celtic Challenge R9: Gwalia 17 Wolfhounds 48; Edinburgh 18 Clovers 60; Glasgow 17 Brython 33; Wolfhounds finish top, Clovers second
1 March Round 14 Elite 1; Stade Bordelais still top, unbeaten
1 March First PWR semi-final: Saracens 32 Harlequins 24
1 March Exeter Chiefs will not renew head coach Susie Appleby’s contract; that reduces the number of PWR female coaches to zero, somewhat contrary to World Rugby’s strategy
2 March Second PWR semi-final: Gloucester-Hartpury 36 Bristol Bears 20
3 March USA Rugby Talent ID Tour adds four new stops, spring 2025
4 March Sean Lynn (Wales) makes his first national selection
6 March Carol Isherwood is appointed first ever Chair of the new Women’s Lions’ committee
7 March Super Aupiki, Rd 2: Blues 24 Chiefs 22; Matatū 29 Poua 7
7 March Rugby Canada launches $1m funding campaign to support the Maple Leafs to World Cup glory
7 March 6 Nations’ launch on a Thames launch and at Tobacco Dock Wapping
8 March Super Aupiki, Rd 2: Matatū Hurricanes 22 Hurricanes Poua 7
9 March France’s Elite 1 takes a break till 29 March for the 6 Nations
10 March Fabio Roselli reveals his adjusted Italy squad for the first two rounds of the 6 Nations (see 5 March)
10 March Rugby Canada has launched a $1m fund-raising campaign to help the Maple Leafs succeed at RWC 2025
10 March WER signs multi-year agreement with Destination Sports Group to ensure all travel arrangements across the States; IDA Sports will look after footwear (see 13th)
10-13 March 37-player England squad assembles for the latest training session; two clubs in the PWR final unavailable (see 16th); 16 uncapped players included!
11 March Neath RFC sharply criticised for advertising a coming derby with the words “this one is definitely not for girls”; the club owner has apologised
12 March Bristol Bears will play a PWR match at the Principality Stadium Cardiff on 28 March 2026; it will be a double-header with the men’s team
13 March Pinto Capital LLP to become financial advisor and partner to WER (see 10th)
14 March Sean Lynn confirms a Welsh squad of 37 for the 2025 Six Nations
14 March BBC will provide free-to-air UK coverage of all Six Nations matches 2026-30
15 March Super Aupiki, Rd 3: Chiefs Manawa 46 Hurricanes Poua 7; Matatū 7 Blues 28
15 March Super W R3: Fijian Drua 21 Brumbies 15; Reds 14 Waratahs 36
16 March Portugal 13 Brazil 5
16 March: PWR final: Gloucester-Hartpury 34 Saracens 19; G-H win trophy for third time running, a new record
17 March Red Roses 6 Nations squad announced
17 March USA Rugby and WER announce a formalised sanctioning agreement
18 March Draw made for Farah Palmer Cup, 9 August-20 September; 7 teams in Premiership, 6 in Championship
19 March Seven Black Ferns 7s players are available for selection to the 2025 World Cup
20 March Twickenham must host more non-rugby events to survive, says Bill Sweeney, RFU Chief Exec. Currently it’s limited to 3 p.a. with 55,000 capacity
20 March WER signs contract with DAZN for free worldwide TV coverage of all matches (dazn.com)
20 March The England-Italy match at York is sold out; sorry!
20 March Alex Matthews (England and Gloucester-Hartpury) given a 3-match ban (i.e. for 6N) for a high tackle, reduced to 2 if she undertakes World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme
21 March Murrayfield Stadium is 100 years old today; happy birthday!
22 March Six Nations, Rd 1: Ireland 15 France 27; Scotland 24 Wales 21
22 March Six Nations, Rd 1: England 38 Italy 5; total of three red cards across the round
22 March Spain 41 Brazil 12, Alicante; first ever meeting
22 March Super W, Rd 4: Brumbies 21 Reds 26; Western Force 47 Fijiana Drua 31
22 March Super Aupiki, Rd 4: Hurricanes Poua 24 Matatū 43; Chiefs Manawa 21 Blues 36
22 March First ever WER match: New York Exiles 27 Boston Banshees 29
23 March WER: Chicago Tempest 15 TC Gemini 20
24 March 275,000 tickets bought for RWC 2025
24 March British Women’s Sport Journalist of the Year is Suzanne Wrack (The Guardian)
25 March Evie Gallagher (Scotland) banned for one game after her red card v Wales
25 March We learn how the Impact ’25 programme is assisting all four home unions
26 March Red cards: Georgia Evans (Wales) free to play England in R2; Gabrielle Vernier (France) banned for minimum of two matches
27 March Aoife Wafer named Player of the first Round, 6 Nations
27 March Black Ferns and ABs receive a rebranding, supplied by Re, a branch of M&C Saatchi Group
27 March IRFU has completed its Player Development Review
28-30 March Hong Kong 7s
29 March 6N Rd 2: France 38 Scotland 15; Wales 12 England 67 (att. 21,186)
29 March Super Aupiki, Rd 5: Blues 29 Matatū 37; Poua 7 Manawa 27
29 March 3 WER matches: Denver Onyx 63 Bay Breakers 7; Boston Banshees 36 TC Gemini 10
29 March Sarah Hirini (NZR) reaches 100 SVNS tries
29 March Super W: Brumbies 23 Waratahs 36
30 March 6N Rd 2: Italy 12 Ireland 54
30 March Ireland U18s 26 England U18s 19, Dublin
30 March New Zealand beat Australia 26-19 to win Hong Kong SVNS, second in succession
30 March Super W: Queensland Reds 47 Western Force 10
31 March Four nominees for player of the 2nd round, W6N: Manaé Feleu, Pauline Bourdon (both France), Aoife Dalton (Ireland), Ellie Kildunne (England)
31 March Dispute between NZR and sponsors Ineos settled
Retirements
4-6 March Three retirements from Sale Sharks: India Perris-Redding (turns to coaching), Catie Benson (joins Boston Banshees in WER) and Lauren Delany (Ireland)
11 March Harriet Millar-Mills announces her retirement from rugby after winning 66 England caps
16 March Kathryn Buggy (Ireland and Gloucester-Hartpury) retires from the game
19 March Amber Reed – England (67 caps) and Bristol (16 seasons!) – announces her retirement
