Dummies guide to women's Rugby World Cup

This nonfiction was primitively published connected Stuff and is reproduced with permission

AUSTRALIA

It's a World Cup arsenic adjacent to Australian shores arsenic there's ever been (until they big successful 2029), but contempt the closer-to-home proximity this clip out, the task is inactive a precise steep 1 for the women successful gold.

Having made conscionable 1 semi-final successful their six World Cup appearances, the fortunes don't look agleam for alteration conscionable yet for a broadside which could beryllium champion described arsenic spirited but limited, and who person ne'er beaten their trans-Tasman neighbours successful 22 clashes.

Ranked No.7 successful the world, they gave the Ferns a decent tally successful Adelaide successful their astir caller outing, the week aft their thrashing successful Christchurch, but besides spell into the tourney aft a winless Pacific Four bid successful New Zealand arsenic good arsenic a stunning 12-10 decision to Japan connected the Gold Coast.

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Kennedy Simon of New Zealand and Shannon Perry of Australia airs with the Rugby World Cup. (Getty)

For context, the Ferns crushed the Japanese 95-12 to circular retired their preparations.

Like their Kiwi counterparts, the Wallaroos person besides had a melodramatic coaching change-up, with Dwayne Nestor and adjunct Matt Tink resigning past twelvemonth erstwhile audio emerged of them criticising players and referees.

But caller manager Jay Tregonning's lone on-field occurrence to day came successful a 36-19 decision of satellite No.21 Fiji successful Brisbane, which was the Aussies' archetypal Test successful astir 3 years owed to COVID-19.

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Maiakawanakaulani Roos of the Black Ferns fends Grace Hamilton of the Wallaroos. (Getty)

Coach: Jay Tregonning

Squad:

Forwards: Liz Patu, Emily Robinson, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Madison Schuck, Bridie O'Gorman, Eva Karpani, Ashley Marsters, Adiana Talakai, Tania Naden, Michaela Leonard, Sera Naiqama, Atasi Lafai, Kaitlan Leaney, Shannon Parry (c), Emily Chancellor, Grace Hamilton, Grace Kemp, Piper Duck.

Backs: Iliseva Batibasaga, Layne Morgan, Arabella McKenzie, Trilleen Pomare, Siokapesi Palu, Cecilia Smith, Georgina Friedrichs, Sharni Williams, Mahalia Murphy, Ivania Wong, Bienne Terita, Maya Stewart, Pauline Piliae-Rasabale, Lori Cramer.

RWC history: 1991: DNP, 1994: DNP, 1998: 5th, 2002: 7th, 2006: 7th, 2010: 3rd, 2014: 7th, 2017: 6th.

Last 5 results (most caller first): Lost to New Zealand 22-14, mislaid to New Zealand 52-5, mislaid to Canada 22-10, mislaid to United States 16-14, mislaid to New Zealand 23-10

Outlook: While their sevens squad this twelvemonth claimed the triple crown of World Series, Commonwealth Games and World Cup gold, and sevens reps Bienne Terita and Sharni Williams are included successful this squad, the 15s squad inactive intelligibly has large enactment successful beforehand of them.

Predicted finish: Semi-finalists

Patu gives Wallaroos cleanable start

NEW ZEALAND

Can the Black Ferns implicit the astir spectacular of turnarounds?

They spell into the tourney arsenic defending champions, and hosts, but volition request to muster thing peculiar if they are to triumph this clip out.

That is acknowledgment to the implicit dominance of England, who are connected a 25-Test triumph streak, including a brace of grounds victories (43-12 and 56-15) implicit past year's hapless Kiwi tourists, who besides fell to grounds defeats to France (38-13 and 29-7) connected that aforesaid ill-fated circuit which drew a damning reappraisal into squad culture.

From that historical debased has travel renewed hope, though. Coach Glenn Moore resigned successful April and successful came 1 of the sharpest minds successful Wayne Smith on with the acquisition of Sir Graham Henry, and the Ferns were instantly tasked with embracing a caller up-tempo benignant of game.

It brought contiguous rewards successful their Pacific Four bid triumph successful June, and portion New Zealand past hammered Australia to clasp the O'Reilly Cup, the instrumentality lucifer crossed the ditch surely showed the Kiwis inactive person their vulnerabilities.

The Ferns nary uncertainty boast immoderate of the astir breathtaking onslaught powerfulness going around, but whether they tin musculus up up beforehand erstwhile it counts volition beryllium key.

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Coach: Wayne Smith

Squad:

Forwards: Luka Connor, Natalie Delamere, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale, Phillipa Love, Krystal Murray, Amy Rule, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Santo Taumata, Chelsea Bremner, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alana Bremner, Sarah Hirini, Charmaine McMenamin, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Kendra Reynolds, Kennedy Simon (cc).

Backs: Ariana Bayler, Kendra Cocksedge, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Ruahel Demant (cc), Hazel Tubic, Logo I Pulotu Lemapu Atai'i (Sylvia) Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Renee Holmes, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Ruby Tui, Renee Wickliffe, Portia Woodman.

RWC history: 1991: 3rd-equal, 1994: Withdrawn, 1998: Champions, 2002: Champions, 2006: Champions, 2010: Champions, 2014: 5th, 2017: Champions.

Last 5 results (most caller first): bushed Japan 95-12, bushed Australia 22-14, bushed Australia 52-5, bushed United States 50-6, bushed Canada 28-0

Outlook: The question of location enactment could supply the burst NZ request to get implicit the line, but besides supply a unit of expectation, and lasting successful the hosts' mode is simply a assured England broadside who volition beryllium keen connected revenge from 5 years ago.

Predicted finish: Runners-up

Hannah Jones of Wales offloads portion being tackled by Jess Breach and Ellie Kildunne of England. (Getty)

WALES

Never has a seventh/eighth classification crippled possibly looked truthful crucial.

In beating Ireland 27-17 for the insignificant placings astatine the past World Cup successful 2017, the Welsh ensured nonstop qualification for this year's lawsuit acknowledgment to their top-seven finish.

That meant avoiding a European qualifying tourney successful Italy past twelvemonth – 1 which saw Italy and Scotland beforehand astatine the disbursal of, yes, Ireland.

Since then, Wales person mustered conscionable 5 wins from 22 games successful the Six Nations, though they managed to find immoderate signifier and decorativeness 3rd this year.

That was acknowledgment to starting the tourney with a 27-19 triumph implicit Ireland successful Dublin and a 24-19 triumph implicit Scotland successful Cardiff, earlier they rounded retired with a constrictive 10-8 location decision to Italy courtesy of conceding a last-gasp punishment goal.

However, the satellite No 9 broadside spell into the World Cup with their eyes wide unfastened aft being dealt to 31-3 by Canada successful Halifax past torn isolated 73-7 by England successful Bristol.

While Sioned Harries, Caryl Thomas and Elinor Snowsill are embarking connected their 4th World Cups, Wales person 19 playing successful their first, and they volition request to beryllium on-song from the get-go against Six Nations rivals Scotland oregon other it could beryllium a agelong fewer weeks.

Coach: Ioan Cunningham

Squad:

Forwards: Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Gwen Crabb, Georgia Evans, Kat Evans, Abbie Fleming, Cerys Hale, Sioned Harries, Cara Hope, Natalia John, Kelsey Jones, Bethan Lewis, Gwenllian Pyrs, Donna Rose, Siwan Lillicrap (c), Carys Phillips, Caryl Thomas, Sisilia Tuipulotu.

Backs: Keira Bevan, Lleucu George, Hannah Jones, Jasmine Joyce, Kerin Lake, Lisa Neumann, Ffion Lewis, Lowri Norkett, Kayleigh Powell, Elinor Snowsill, Niamh Terry, Megan Webb, Robyn Wilkins, Carys Williams-Morris.

RWC history: 1991: 9th, 1994: 4th, 1998: 11th, 2002: 10th, 2006: DNP, 2010: 9th, 2014: 8th, 2017: 7th.

Last 5 results (most caller first): Lost to England 73-7, mislaid to Canada 31-3, mislaid to Italy 10-8, mislaid to France 33-5, mislaid to England 58-5

Outlook: It volition each travel down to their first-up fixture against Scotland, successful Whangārei. If the Welsh triumph that, they are a accidental of being 1 of the 2 third-place teams to advancement to the quarterfinals.

Predicted finish: Pool play

Lana Skeldon of Scotland celebrates arsenic her broadside opens the scoring with a try. (Getty)

SCOTLAND

It's been 12 years since Scotland past featured astatine a World Cup, but they are back, having claimed the last spot for this year's event.

Flanker Rachel Malcolm volition skipper a squad which has a 50-50 forwards-backs divided and features 27-year-old fastener Emma Wassell arsenic the most-capped player, with 57 tests.

There are 4 others successful the radical with much than a fractional period of games to their name, and that acquisition volition beryllium important successful a pugnacious excavation wherever the team's large fixture comes connected the archetypal play against Wales.

Having to spell done qualifying successful Italy past year, the Scots mislaid 38-13 to the hosts earlier scoring important wins implicit Spain (27-22) and Ireland (20-18) to beforehand to a last clash successful Dubai successful February against Colombia, who they thrashed 59-3.

Scotland past went winless successful this year's Six Nations, though the margins were small, and they volition beryllium encouraged by however competitory they were successful a 21-17 decision to the United States – a squad ranked 4 places supra them astatine No 6 successful the satellite rankings – successful Edinburgh past month.

Coach: Bryan Easson

Squad:

Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Sarah Bonar, Elliann Clarke, Katie Dougan, Evie Gallagher, Jade Konkel-Roberts, Rachel Malcolm (c), Rachel McLachlan, Louise McMillan, Lyndsay O'Donnell, Lana Skeldon, Jodie Rettie, Emma Wassell, Molly Wright, Anne Young.

Backs: Shona Campbell, Megan Gaffney, Coreen Grant, Sarah Law, Rhona Lloyd, Caity Mattinson, Mairi McDonald, Liz Musgrove, Helen Nelson, Emma Orr, Chloe Rollie, Eilidh Sinclair, Hannah Smith, Meryl Smith, Lisa Thomson, Evie Wills.

RWC history: 1991: DNP, 1994: 5th, 1998: 6th, 2002: 6th, 2006: 6th, 2010: 8th, 2014: DNQ, 2017: DNQ.

Last 5 results (most caller first): Lost to United States 21-17, mislaid to Ireland 15-14, mislaid to Italy 20-13, mislaid to France 28-8, mislaid to Wales 24-19

Outlook: Scotland play each 3 of their excavation games successful Whangārei, and it is the archetypal of them which looms arsenic the astir crucial. If they tin sound implicit the Welsh, who they person had precise adjacent battles with successful caller years, they springiness themselves a changeable astatine advancing.

Predicted finish: Quarterfinalists

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