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New Zealand’s women won the most recent Rugby World Cup, which was held a year later than planned in 2022 because of the Co-19 pandemic
Rugby’s new global tournament – the women’s WXV competition – starts on Friday with Scotland and Ireland both in action.
The three-tier competition, which will be staged in South Africa, Dubai and New Zealand over three weeks, aims to offer consistent annual fixtures for sides outside of World Cup years.
“WXV will be a truly global tournament,” said Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s chief of women’s rugby.
“It gives players more competition and experience as there are not enough competition opportunities globally for our amazing women to play.”
How does WXV work?
Each WXV tier contains six countries who have qualified via continental tournaments and play-offs. The six countries in each tier are split into two pools.
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Participating teams in WXV 1 include the three top-ranked sides from the Women’s Six Nations – this year, that’s England, France and Wales – plus the top three from a four-nation cross-regional tournament – that’s Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
WXV 2 contains two teams from Europe – Italy and Scotland this year – and the remaining nation from the cross-regional competition, the United States, as well as the champions of Oceania, Asia and Africa.
WXV 3 includes the lowest-ranked team from the Six Nations and another European side, the winner of a South American play-off and the runners-up of regional tournaments in Oceania, Asia and Africa.
With each tier split into two pools, each team play the three sides in the other pool. Final placings are determined by a points table.
Four points will be awarded for a win and two for a draw, with the potential to pick up bonus points for scoring four tries or losing by seven points or fewer.
There will be no promotion or relegation during the first year of WXV 1. However, in WXV 2, the sixth-placed regional position will be relegated to WXV 3.
The winner of WXV 3 will be promoted to WXV 2, with the fate of the bottom team in the third tier decided by a play-off with the next best side outside of the competition according to World Rugby’s rankings.
The purpose of WXV
One of the main goals for the annual competition is to help build towards the expanded 16-team Rugby World Cup in 2025, which will be held in England.
It will offer a chance of qualification for the tournament, with at least five of the top-ranked, non-qualified teams at the end of WXV 2024 securing a place at the World Cup.
“We are going to New Zealand, South Africa and Dubai, and it’s an opportunity for 18 of the best teams in the world that qualify through a regional pathway,” Horrox said.
When do the home nations play?England are the top-ranked side in the competition after winning the 2023 Six Nations
In WXV 1, England, Wales and France, in one pool, will face Australia, Canada and New Zealand, with the games being played in New Zealand.
The Red Roses play Australia on 20 October in Wellington, Canada on 27 October in Dunedin and New Zealand in Auckland – in a repeat of the most recent World Cup final – on 4 November.
Wales face Canada on 21 October, New Zealand on 28 October and Australia on 3 November.
In WXV 2, Scotland, Italy and Samoa are in one pool, and those teams will play host nation South Africa, Japan and the USA.
Scotland begin against South Africa on 13 October before facing the United States on 20 October, with their final game against Japan on 27 October.
In WXV 3, Ireland, Kenya and Fiji will face Kazakhstan, Colombia and Spain, with the games being held at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai.
Ireland start their campaign off against Kazakhstan on 13 October, followed by Colombia on 21 October, with their final game against Spain on 28 October.
How do I follow it?
Matches across WXV 1, WXV 2 and WXV 3 will all be streamed via RugbyPass TV.
In the United Kingdom, ITV will show all three England and Wales matches on its streaming platform ITVX, with S4C also showing all three Wales games.
You can follow live text coverage of selected games and match reports of games involving England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland on the BBC Sport website.
What chances do the home nations have?Ireland lost every game at the 2023 Six Nations, meaning they will be in the lowest WXV tier
England, following their fifth Six Nations title in a row and a two-Test series win over Canada in September, will be one of the favourites to top WXV 1.
However, standing in their way are likely to be New Zealand, who beat England at Eden Park, Auckland, in the last Rugby World Cup final – delayed by a year until 2022 because of the Co pandemic.
Wales, quarter-finalists at that World Cup, will be eyeing at least one win in WXV 1 – most likely against either Australia or Canada.
Scotland will have hopes of topping WXV 2 after South Africa’s struggles at the World Cup, which included a 75-0 loss to England. The USA lost to Italy in that competition, a side Scotland beat a few months later in the 2023 Six Nations.
In WXV 3, Ireland will be heavy favourites to top the pool and, having failed to qualify for the last World Cup, they will want to make amends against some low-ranked sides.
Views from the camps
England flanker Sadia Kabeya, who will miss the tournament because of injury: “We want to show why we are one of the best teams in the world, and also use this as a stepping stone to regenerate the squad.”
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham: “We are under no illusions of the task ahead of us, but are relishing the opportunity to play our part in this exciting new competition.
“We have had a tough pre-season and the squad has been tested physically and mentally. This group of players has a real appetite for hard work and we’re ready for the challenges ahead.”
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson: “It’s really exciting to play against teams that you traditionally don’t play against too often. We’ve got three fantastic teams as our opponents and it’s a great opportunity to test ourselves against different playing styles that are outside of our usual Six Nations counterparts.”
Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan: “We have a really clear goal and some good momentum over the past two weeks with the direction we are heading both off and off the pitch. We can’t wait to get to Dubai.”
