WXV 2024 Details Confirmed – WXV 3 Heads Back To Dubai

WXV 2024 returns in September and October for the second edition of the new global Women’s XVs tournament, which will see Canada (WXV 1), South Africa (WXV 2) and Dubai (WXV 3) hosting this year. The tournament takes on extra excitement as six Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 places are up for grabs.

Updated June 2024 – WXV Teams & RWC 2025 Qualified teams

All three tournaments will be played across three consecutive weekends in September and October 2024 with the exact WXV match schedule and ticketing information still to be confirmed by World Rugby.

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “We are delighted to be working with Rugby Canada, the South African Rugby Union and Dubai to host WXV later this year. The tournament plays a fundamental role in helping us to grow women’s rugby and provides more opportunities for players, showcases the game to more fans and inspires more girls to play.

Our hosts all share our ambition to take the tournament to the next level and further strengthen the development of the women’s game.”

WXV 2024 Schedule

This 2024 WXV tournament will start earlier than in 2023 to “support performance planning and best preparation for unions for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.”

RWC 2025 means that all three levels of WXV will be played across the same three weekends to enable the six qualification spots to be confirmed immediately after the conclusion of the tournament.

• Round 1 – Friday, 27 – Sunday, 29 September 2024
• Round 2 – Friday, 4 – Sunday, 6 October 2024
• Round 3 – Friday, 11 – Sunday, 13 October 2024

WXV 2024 Qualification – Asian Teams Compete In ARWC 2024

Photo Credit: HKRU Jessica Ho Wai in action for the HKCR against Kazakhstan in ARWC 2023

Qualification for WXV got underway in March 2024 with unions from around the world competing to secure one of 18 spots across WXV 1-3.

In Asia, the top two teams from the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship (ARWC) 2024 would qualify for WXV 2 and WXV 3 respectively, the same as last year.

Japan were the favourites again as they played Kazakhstan and Hong Kong China Rugby, with HKCR hosting the ARWC from 22 May – 1 June 2024, and the Sakura XV won the ARWC, while HKCR secured the runner-up position to play in WXV3 2024.

Fixtures & Results ARWC 2024

• 22 May 2024 – HKCR 12-29 Japan
• 27 May 2024 – Japan 0-64 Kazakhstan
• 1st June 2024 – Kazakhstan 0-22 HKCR

WXV 2024 Qualified Teams

• WXV1 – Canada, England, France, Ireland, NZ, USA
• WXV2 – Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, SA, Wales
• WXV3 – Fiji, Hong Kong China, Madagascar, Netherlands, Samoa, Spain

Rugby website Scrumqueens reported at the end of June 2024, that the WXV pools will be based on the latest rankings issued on 8th July, with pool and fixtures expected to be published on the 11th of 2024.

The WXV is a cross-pool system with each team playing all the teams in the other pool.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Four teams had already booked their place at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 as a result of finishing in the top four of the tournament played in New Zealand in 2022; New Zealand, England, Canada and France.

Six teams will qualify as winners of six regional tournaments in 2024 (indicates qualified teams, not necessarily tournament winners)

• Asia Rugby Women’s Championship (Japan)
• Guinness Women’s Six Nations (Ireland)
• Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship (Fiji)
• Pacific Four Series (Australia)
• Rugby Africa Women’s Cup (South Africa)
• Sudamerica play-off (Brazil)

Defending champions New Zealand, France, Canada, Ireland, USA, South Africa, Japan, Fiji, and Brazil secured their places and due to the fact the top six non-qualified nations at the end of WXV 2024 will claim the remaining tickets to Women’s RWC 2025, Australia, Scotland, Italy and Wales are also sure of their place at England 2025.

The final spots will go to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through RWC 2021 and the regional tournaments.

WXV 2025

With the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, there will be no WXV tournament played in 2025.

World Rugby said a full review of the tournament will be undertaken with participating unions to ensure that WXV continues to support high-performance and commercial goals on the road to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia and beyond.

WXV 2023 Recap

WXV provides more competitive matches for unions, a greater profile and investment on the road to an expanded 16-team Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, said World Rugby.

• In 2023, WXV 1 was won by England who beat world champions New Zealand 33-12 to win the inaugural WXV 1 title.
• In WXV 2, Scotland’s 38-7 bonus-point victory over Japan saw them crowned champions in South Africa.  Japan qualified after winning the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship but lost two and won one match in WXV 2 – enough to secure an Asian spot in WXV 2.
• The WXV 3 title went to Ireland in 2023, with the Irish beating Spain 15-13. Kazakhstan was the Asian representative in WXV 3 which was played in Dubai – the Kazakh Nomads won one and lost two of their matches to retain an Asian spot in WXV 3.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 21: Rereglory Aiono of Samoa goes over the line to score their side’s first try during the WXV 2 2023 match between Japan and Samoa at Athlone Sports Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Johan Rynners – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Asian & World Rugby Tournaments 2024

• Pacific Nations Cup 2024 Explained.
• Is The New Aligned Rugby Calendar Good For The Sport.
• HSBC SVNS 2023-2024.
• Japanese Sakura XV Players Playing Overseas In 2024.