“Of course the Black Ferns are going to win, they always do.” Not quite true; they’ve won only six out of nine trophies. They had to wait till 1988 for their first, and in 2014 the Irish beat them in the biggest giant-killing act the tournament has known. But for much of the period 1991-2025
Sione Fukofuka has selected this team to represent the States in the big première: 15 LOTTE SHARP 14 EMILY HENRICH 13 ILONA MAHER 12 ALEV KELTER 11 BULOU MATAITOGA 10 MCKENZIE HAWKINS 9 OLIVIA ORTIZ 1 HOPE ROGERS 2 KATHRYN TREDER 3 KEIA-MAE SAGAPOLU 4 TAHLIA BRODY 5 ERICA JARRELL-SEARCY 6 KATE ZACKARY (captain) 7
This is the squad John Mitchell has selected to play the USA Eagles on Friday evening: 15 KILDUNNE 14 DOW 13 JONES 12 HEARD 11 BREACH 10 HARRISON 9 HUNT 1 BOTTERNAN 2 COKAYNE 3 MUIR 4 TALLING 5 WARD 6 ALDCROFT (captain) 7 KABEYA 8 MATTHEWS 16 ATKIN-DAVIES 17 CLIFFORD 18 BERN 19 GALLIGAN
I’ve waxed lyrical often enough about the Canucks, but they deserve it. They sit a proud second in world rankings, a stonking 24 places above their menfolk. Until money started pouring in, in answer to their funding campaign, most of the bare necessities for success were missing: a massive country which meant resources thinly spread;
France Les Bleues have everything to play for. Theirs is an unlikely story at the World Cup: they have been ever-present, ever a threat, yet in nine attempts they have finished third seven times. Only once, in 1988, have they failed to reach the semis. Their first opponents are old rivals Italy at Sandy Park;
From the start the organizing committee conceived this tenth RWC on a different scale from its predecessors. Size First, the increase from 12 to 16 participating nations. This isn’t the only time – the 1998 and 2002 versions were that size. But people soon realised the problems this larger number brought. The bigger the tournament,
Here are the answers to our quiz – please let us know how you got on. Answers in bold. Here a five taglines. Which nations use them? 1. Strength in bloom – Wales 2. Get into rugby – USA 3. All in for Gold – Australia 4. Rugby for all – Japan 5. We’re doing
Here a five taglines. Which nations use them? 1. Strength in bloom 2. Get into rugby 3. All in for Gold 4. Rugby for all 5. We’re doing it for the girls 6. Which nation has been training at Loughbrough? 7. Which nation has been training at Tignes? 8. Which team received a $1.5m grant
The officials tend to be the people overlooked, until they stand accused of making an ‘obvious’ error. The fact is, they have been training assiduously, mostly at Faro in Portugal. The skills they need vary widely. Take for example what the onfield assessment involves: application of the laws; match control; fitness, agility, positioning and work-rate;
As we wait for the curtain to rise, we can make sure our nibbles are in place, and look back at rugbypass’ attempt to order the top fifty players to look out for. What a ridiculous enterprise! For one thing, the list is out of date from the moment it is published. Erin King, who
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