A continuous crescendo to the 27th
1 September. Tess Feury (USA) replaces Bulou Mataitoga (injured)
2. Jenni Scoble (Wales) out of the RWC; replaced by Abbey Constable
3. Laura Bayfield (NZ) avoids ban following a red card; a just verdict
4. Sophie de Goede becomes Canada’s highest points scorer with 262
4. England team to play Australia announced
4. Brighton fanzone in full swing
5. Teams announced for Round 3 of RWC
6 & 7. Results: Canada 40 Scotland 19; USA 60 Samoa 0; Wales 25 Fiji 28 (their 1st RWC win!); Japan 29 Spain 21; Italy 64 Brazil 3; France 57 South Africa 10; NZ 40 Ireland 0
6. Sara Cox referees her 50th test, a new record
7. Sione Fukofuka steps down as USA coach
8. Christine Belisle (Scotland) called into the squad and starts the next match; Lisa Cockburn and Elliann Clarke both injured
8. Jorja Miller (NZ) wants to change the shape of rugby
9. More tickets made available for the four quarter-finals; the referees appointed: Cox (RFU), Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU), Hollie Davidson (SRU) and Aurelie Groizeleau (FFR)
10. The proposed league, R360, withdraws its application for official recognition till June 2026
10. Charlie Jacoby (USA) announces her retirement
10. 7.1 million people watched BBC coverage of the pool-stage games
10. Lana Skeldon (Scotland) has a photographic display on public view in a Bristol gallery
11. 276 hand-made red roses, representing every England player, on display at the South Bank, London
11. Alex Callender (Wales) undergoes unspecified surgery
12. Rugby Canada announces National Growth Plan 2025-2030
12. Clara Nielson (England then Ireland) leaves Exeter Chiefs
12. 3rd round, PWR Cup
13. Two quarter finals: NZ 46 South Africa 17; Canada 46 Australia 5
13. Ireland will play Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on 17 May 2026; first ever standalone women’s fixture to be held there
13. Shoulder injury to Amy du Plessis (NZ) rules her out of the RWC
13. Jade Konkel (Scotland) will retire post-RWC
14. The other quarter finals: France 18 Ireland 13; England 40 Scotland 8
15. Axelle Berthoumieu given a 12- match ban for biting; Manae Feleu a 6-match ban for a dangerous tackle; both to appeal the severity (see 16th below
16. Lynne Cantwell (IRFU & SARU) and Rochelle Clark (England) to be inducted into WR’s Hall of Fame
16. An appeals committee reduces the two bans (see 15th above) to 9 and 3 matches respectively
18. Emily Chancellor (Australia) and Caity Mattinson (England then Scotland) announce their retirement
18. Big blow for NZ: Jorja Miller and Laura Bayfield out of semi-final v Canada
18. Elite 1 in France announces its first sponsor, AXA
18. All 4 squads for the semis now known
18. World Rugby announces World Global Series to replace WXV
18. Belinda Moore, interim head of Wales women’s rugby, gives her personal, upbeat perspective of the road ahead
19-20. Semis: Canada 34 New Zealand 19; England 35 France 17
21. PWR Cup: Saracens 68 Leicester 7; where do Tigers go from here?
22. Three players nominated for World Player of the Year 2025: Sophie de Goede, Megan Jones and Jorja Miller; SdG will win the top award; Braxton Sorensen-McGee will be named Breakthrough Player of the Year and John Mitchell Coach of the Year
22. 440,000 RWC tickets sold to date, 94% of the maximum
23. 3.3 million people watched England v France on BBC
24. WR General Assembly opens with 134 unions attending at the Guildhall, London
25. Hollie Davidson wins the World Referee of the Year award
25. SRU will award 17 full contracts; a storm of protest; the figure later raised to 28
26. Krissy Scurfield will not join Loughborough Lightning; instead she rejoins Canada’s 7s squad
27. RWC final: England 33 Canada 13; 81,885 in attendance, a new record
27. Rachel Ehrecke joins Lightning
27 Irish Energia AIL league starts 2025-2026 season
28. 5.8 viewers watched the RWC final on BBC
28. Champions Party held at Battersea Power Station
29. The English PWR launches a “Home for Heroes” campaign
29. 2025 RWC Team of the Tournament announced
29 20,000 tickets made available for the 6N England v Ireland game at Twickenham
29. In all, 444,465 tickets bought for the RWC
30. Marine Menager, captain of France, summarises her team’s prospects with optimism; but she’ll be watching from her sofa
