Only WXV3 provides such a wide range of emotions. First, the unparalleled range of competing nations: Fiji, Hong Kong China, Madagascar, Netherlands, Samoa and Spain. It’s in this 4-continent group that we can see huge disappointment side by side with unutterable joy. Samoa have been demoted from WXV2; Fiji and Spain couldn’t heave themselves up
The second WXV has moved a step closer; we now have the full fixture-card. You can view it on here. This is how things look in WXV1. I’ll take the six nations in order: England They play USA first, New Zealand second and Canada last. That might look like undeserved luck, but it reflects finishing
No sooner is the inaugural Under 20s Six Nations tournament completed than another new venture comes over the horizon: a Transatlantic Quad Series. The four nations involved are Canada, England, the USA and the hosts, Wales. This gives them and us the chance to examine how a new set of squads compares. Other, non-participating nations
PWR has now confirmed the details of the revised opening stages of the 2024-25 season. It’s a great pity that the smooth running of the league has had to be interrupted once more. In one instance it was beyond the authorities’ control – the pandemic. In others it’s been because of the self-imposed three-year cycle;
Beckenham, 14 July This was a thoroughly engaging match, played on a Beckenham track looking unusually green. Stars certainly seemed to agree, for they fielded a squadron of spinners just as large as England’s in their recent match (teams listed below). We were lucky: this was the only game played to a finish; the other
Under 20 Summer Series The last round of the inaugural Under 20s Summer Series kicked off with two internationals widely separated across the day. Ireland v Scotland Despite the 9 o’clock start it was already hot. The temperature would reach 32 degrees in mid-afternoon (hence the big gap in start-times). Scotland finished well beaten, but
U20 Summer Series – England v France Our starting point: a 74-0 walloping of the English by the French in April in Rouen. On three minutes wonderful combinations led to an opening try for Steph Else, who spotted a weak edge to a ruck near the line. The move started from a solid scrum, which
The Kia Oval, the Oval, as the ECB awkwardly titled the venue. Sophie Devine won the toss and decided to bat. England’s selections were fascinating. Heather Knight was restored, at the expense of Maia Bouchier. Linsey Smith replaced Charlie Dean. So the three spinners would all turn the ball away from right-handed batters, (if at
France squad 15 Kelly Arbey (Stade Toulousain) 14 Cléo Hagel (Lyon OU) 13 Hawa Tounkara (Bobigny) 12 Enoé Neri (Grenoble) 11 Suliana Sivi (Stade Rennais) 10 Maé Levy (Montpellier) 9 Eneke Labeyrie (Lyon OU) 1 Mailys Borak (Stade Bordelais) 2 Marion Zdzioblo (Stade Bordelais) 3 Iliana Acolatse (Grenoble) 4 Kiara Zago (Stade Toulousain) 5 Taina
Third T20 – England v New Zealand The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury Ben Sawyer had obviously said “Attack!” – and Suzie Bates obliged, hitting Lauren Filer’s first ball back past her for four. But Filer played the old-pro’s game. She allowed Bates a single, then undid Georgia Plimmer with a bouncer that she could only loft
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