England take on Australia on Friday in their first-ever meeting of the WXV, a new tournament that promises to “revolutionise the women’s international rugby landscape”.
Organisers hope it will act as a “springboard” for the 2025 World Cup, which will be hosted in six venues across England, helping to ensure the expanded 16-team tournament is the most competitive yet.
Here, the PA news agency breaks down how the WXV works.
What is the competition format?
The WXV consists of 18 teams divided into three individual competitions: WXV 1, WXV 2 and WXV 3. The top division, WXV 1, includes the top three Women’s Six Nations finishers and the top three from the cross-regional tournament which includes USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
England, who won their 19th and fifth consecutive Six Nations title in 2023, are in the top tier alongside Australia, Wales, Canada, New Zealand and France.
Scotland, whose tournament started on Friday, play alongside Italy, Japan, South Africa, Samoa and USA in the second-tier WXV 2, while Ireland are in the WXV 3 with Colombia, Fiji, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Spain.
The six teams in each competition are further broken down into two three-team pools and only take on teams in the other pool – a “cross-pool format” – to determine rankings at the end of the tournament. Should teams finish level on points, there are a series of tie-breakers beginning with the result of any matches played between the tied teams.
Is there relegation between the levels?
For at least the inaugural season there will be no relegation from WXV 1, but the bottom WXV 2 side will drop to WXV 3, which will see its top side promoted.
Whoever finishes bottom in WXV 3 will face a play-off with the next-highest side in the World Rugby rankings, with the winner booking a place in WXV 3 the subsequent season.
How does this affect World Cup qualification?
While England are already assured of 2025 qualification as both tournament hosts and as 2021 World Cup semi-finalists, the 2024 edition of WXV will serve as a final chance for teams who have not managed to qualify by any other regional means, with a minimum of the top-five ranked sides at the end of that tournament also assuring themselves a place.
Because the Red Roses were 2021 World Cup runners-up, there should be six places up for grabs come the end of the 2024 WXV.
Where are the matches taking place?
One innovation of the WXV is that each tier participates in a standalone tournament in a single location over the course of three weeks. The inaugural WXV will be hosted across New Zealand, with Cape Town welcoming the WXV 2 and Dubai the WXV 3.
There are some obvious advantages to this format. As women’s rugby aims to narrow the gap between its historically dominant nations – some of whom in recent years have turned fully-professional – and those who are still catching up, guaranteeing at least three Tests per year against competition performing at a similar level is a welcome prospect.
So, too, will be the decision to host each competition in a single location, allowing teams to maximise their long-distance travel rather than flying across the world to meet just a single opponent.
The “event”-like nature of the tournaments and rotating hosts should also allow organisers to capitalise on regional excitement and enthusiasm and, ideally, bring more women’s rugby fans into the fold.
Will it be aired?
ITV will air all three England and Wales matches on ITVX, with S4C also showing the Wales games.
Rees-Zammit relishing Mahomes advice as former rugby star eyes spot on Chiefs roster
Louis Rees-Zammit has likened Patrick Mahomes to an extra coach as he looks to make an impact in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby union fans in January when he announced he was turning his back on the sport to enter the NFL's International Player Pathway programme.
He was signed by two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City in March and is now looking to earn a place on their roster for 2024, learning the role of running back at the Chiefs' rookie minicamp after attending another training camp alongside Mahomes.
Rees-Zammit has made sure to pick the brains of Mahomes, who has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC Championship games and won three Super Bowl rings since being drafted in 2017.
"It was amazing, all the quarterbacks and receivers were there, we were running routes, we were working in the gym", Rees-Zammit said of his experience at that camp in Texas.
"It was a great two weeks, I definitely learned a lot with Pat and the other boys."
Asked if Mahomes was acting like an extra coach, he said: "100 per cent.
"I'm new to the game so I'm trying to pick everyone's brains and try and pick up the sport as quick as possible because I want to be out there playing.
"The way I can do that is picking the brains of everyone that's currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been impressed by Rees-Zammit's attitude, saying: "He's so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything. I appreciate that.
"I like the fact he's got shorter steps initially, that's a good thing as a running back. If you're a long strider in there you've got to really work on making it through those tight adjustments you have to make. He seems to have a nice feel."
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
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