University of Bath graduate Natasha Hunt is aiming to win a second Women’s Rugby World Cup title with England – and this time on home soil. The 2025 tournament kicks off on Friday with the host nation taking on the United States at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, live on BBC1 (7.30pm). Hunt will win her
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;
World Rugby and Gallagher have announced the latest cohort of 14 female coaches selected for the Gallagher High Performance Academy, who will take up coaching roles as part of the management teams of their respective national sides during Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. Fourteen female coaches from 14 nations join Gallagher High Performance Academy’s latest
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
Springbok Women’s Flyhalf Eloise Webb – ‘We’re Going to the Rugby World Cup to Compete’ Though her role at flyhalf is a fairly new one for the Springbok women, Eloise Webb has been meticulous in her preparation for the upcoming Rugby World Cup (RWC) starting in England next week. South Africa open their Group D
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;
Social Networks