WXV - the story so far by Sophie Hawkins

Many rugby fans may not have heard of the WXV Global Series: a revamped version of the WXV competition that brings women’s teams together from around the world to play each other from September till the end of October. It is an important opportunity for smaller teams to get experience playing international fixtures, provides more fans with the chance to watch high quality rugby, and also aids qualification for the 2029 World Cup. 

Here’s a quick overview of the home nations:

England in the WXV

England have scheduled matches against Australia, Canada and New Zealand and these games have already proved to be mouthwateringly close. It may have not felt like England has really been tested as a team for a while, but it is clear that that time is coming to an end. In their first match against Australia they trailed at half-time for the first time since 2020 after an error-filled first half, however they reset and went on to score seven tries in the second half, ultimately coming away with a 48-15 win. 

Jess Breach scoring against the All Blacks /Gary Mitchell GMP Media via Alamy

Their second match saw them face Canada in a rematch of the World Cup final last year, and, this time around, the Maple Leafs came out with a point to prove. In a thrilling match both teams traded tries, with the Canadian defence looking particularly impressive. The game ended 26 - 26, ending the Red Roses’ 39 match winning streak and cementing Canada as the team to watch. 

England finally faced off against New Zealand once again, a rivalry that keeps on giving in terms of tries and drama. Buoyed by England’s draw the week before they brought a high level of unrelenting physicality for the whole 90 minutes in a way that other teams have failed to do. The Black Ferns attack worked hard and were rewarded with tries off the back of several England mistakes, leaving the score all tied 19-19 with five minutes to go. A moment of brilliance from Zoe Harrison saw her intercept a pass in the dying moments of the game to secure the all important win and prove once again why England are the world champions.

Wales in the WXV

Wales were set for a tough game against South Africa (WomenBoks) who sat three places above them in global rankings and going without a win for a year. They had no reservations in their playing, though, and produced a flowing style that was deliberate and dominant. South Africa suffered from ill discipline with two players sent off in the first half allowing Wales to run rampant and score six tries to WomenBoks’ one, leaving the score 38-5 at half-time. Although Wales started to run out of steam in the second half it didn’t stop them scoring two more tries. South Africa also geared up with an impressive second half performance scoring two tries to add to their total and show their attacking promise. The Welsh win was well deserved though and with a final score of 50-19 it shows they are working in the right direction.

Wales’ second test was against the USA, a tough challenge that they rose to meet. They managed to claw back a 14 point deficit in the first half and went into the break leading 24-21. The US were able to capitalise on some handling errors and unfortunate mistakes from the Welsh side in the second half though, ultimately giving them the edge they needed to score the only try after the break giving them a slender two point victory.

Courtney Keight scoring against South Africa

Andrew Orchard Sports Photography via Alamy

Scotland in the WXV

With a new head coach, the Scots began their WXV campaign against Canada at home. The Scottish defence made some impressive try saving tackles across the entirety of the match, but unfortunately Canada’s attacks were too powerful and they showed their class with a try within five minutes. Scotland didn’t rest despite the strong Canadian side and their maul managed to deliver two tries before the break leaving the scoreline 12-31 at half-time. The hosts couldn’t quite claw the deficit back in the last 45 minutes despite a strong finishing try, and the game finished 26-52 to Canada. 

Next up for Scotland was New Zealand; another difficult opponent who are known for their fierce physicality. The Scottish defence were relentless, putting in some huge tackles, and they were rewarded for their efforts 21 minutes in with their first try. New Zealand’s counter-attacks were extremely effective and by half time they had racked up 38 points to Scotland’s 14. By the second half, Scottish legs were beginning to tire while the Black Ferns barreled onwards adding four more tries to finish 14-66 at the final whistle. 

Scotland’s most recent game was against Australia, familiar rivals who they faced last year in the previous iteration of the WXV competition. The Scots started strong with a try 15 minutes into the game, and managed to hold onto their lead into the break, however it was three tries in quick succession that proved a scoreline too high to beat and the Wallaroos ended with a 10-30 win. 

Although three losses from three are not ideal, there are good foundations in the Scottish side, and the team will be aiming to build upon basics and improve discipline going into the next games. 

Ireland in the WXV

Ireland were leading comfortably in their opening game against the USA after a strong first half performance with four tries. Their attacking plays carved through the US defence, with particular power in their driving maul. They led by 12 points going into the break and it seemed like they would continue their form as they added a fifth try to the board minutes into the second half. However, the US showed up when Ireland had a player sent off and punished the hosts with a flurry of unanswered tries. Ireland didn’t go down without a fight but their final try came as the clock ticked down and they didn’t have enough time to close down the gap meaning the game ended in an agonising 36-40 defeat.

Knowing they had plenty of good to capitalise on, Ireland went into their game against Japan with renewed vigour. This attitude translated onto the score with a 19-5 lead at halftime thanks to good control of the ball and a tight hold on possession. The Japanese bounced back in the second half as they moved the ball quickly and took advantage of gaps in Ireland’s defence to score twice before the Irish could respond. A final score of 31-24 reflected a hard fought game that tested Irish defence.