Everything you need to know about this year’s Rugby World Cup
The wait for Rugby World Cup 2021, playing in 2022, is almost over - with only two days to go until the tournament gets under way, teams have been welcomed to New Zealand and excitement is building.
Hosts New Zealand head into RWC 2021 as defending champions and on a high, having beaten Japan 95-12 at Eden Park in their final warm-up for the delayed showpiece.
RWC 2017 runners-up England, meanwhile, are the in-form team in world rugby and secured a record 25th consecutive test victory last month, beating Wales 73-7 in Bristol.
They are among the teams who will hope to navigate a path to the final, which will be played at Eden Park on November 12.
Ahead of what promises to be a pulsating five weeks on New Zealand’s North Island, we give you the lowdown on RWC 2021.
HAVE THE TEAMS ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND?
Yes. On Monday, the 12 competing teams, match officials and global rugby family were officially welcomed to the country by Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor-General of New Zealand, at a ceremony in Auckland.
Kiro said: “It’s an honour to welcome rugby’s finest wā hine toa (female champions) from around the world to Aotearoa (New Zealand) for this hugely anticipated Rugby World Cup.
“I know the wonderful communities in Auckland and Whangā rei will get behind the games and make this a World Cup to remember.”
Hosted by broadcaster Rikki Swannell, the ceremony began with an official cultural welcome to the teams, before the captain of each side and a representative of the match officials was invited onto the stage and presented with a participation medal and cap.
New Zealand co-captain Ruahei Demant said: “It’s a huge honour for us to host this tournament, it’s very special. Thinking back to 2011 when we hosted the men’s World Cup and how much that inspired the nation, we hope that this World Cup can do the same for many New Zealanders, and that our country can get out and support the teams.”
England captain Sarah Hunter said: “It’s special to be here. We’ve been waiting a long time, and the welcome we’ve had has been absolutely incredible. Hearing that over 30,000 fans are coming to watch on the opening day is incredible and thanks to the work that’s gone on in New Zealand to get behind this tournament so we can showcase just how ready we are to play. Every team is ready to go, and we can’t wait for that opening day on Saturday.”
Fiji captain Sereima Leweniqila said: “We are grateful to be here. It has been a journey, we’ve been through some tough times just to be here, so we are just grateful and ready to get out there.”
WHERE IS RWC 2021 BEING PLAYED?
RWC 2021 will kick off at the iconic Eden Park on October 8, when South Africa take on France in Pool C. Following that match, England face Fiji, before cross-Tasman rivals New Zealand and Australia bring the curtain down on match day one.
Attention will switch to the Northland Events Centre the following day, and the stadium in Whangā rei will host nine matches during the pool stage and the first two quarterfinals on October 29.
Six pool-stage matches will be played at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland, which will also stage the second two quarterfinals on October
30.
Both semifinals on 5 November and the bronze final and final a week later will all be played at Eden Park.
HOW MANY TEAMS HAVE QUALIFIED?
Seven teams made sure of their place in New Zealand with their performance at RWC 2017, including the hosts, who won the tournament in Belfast.
Runners-up England, France, the USA, Canada, Australia and Wales also made sure of qualification in Ireland.
Four further teams – Japan, Fiji, Italy and South Africa – booked their tickets to New Zealand through regional qualifying, while Scotland became the 12th and final nation to confirm their place when they won the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai earlier this year.
HOW WILL RWC 2021 BE WON?
The 12 competing nations have been drawn into three pools, with the poolstage matches being played across six match days between October 8 and 23.
Whoever finishes first and second in each pool will qualify for the quarterfinals, along with the two best third-placed teams.
The quarterfinals will be played on October 29 and 30, with the winners advancing to the semifinals, which will both be played at Eden Park on November 5.
Seven days later, the eyes of the rugby world will once again be on the famous stadium in Auckland as the destiny of the trophy is decided.
WHAT HAPPENED AT RWC 2017?
RWC 2017 got under way in Dublin with a big win for the defending champions England. Kay Wilson scored four of the Red Roses’ 10 tries in a 56-5 defeat of Spain at the UCD Bowl.
England would go on to top Pool
B, beating the USA 47-26 in the decisive match, and then won 20-3 against France in the semifinal.
The Black Ferns had topped Pool A and were pitted against the USA in the semifinals. Portia Woodman crossed the whitewash four times to help New Zealand to a 45-12 win.
In the final at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Toka Natua scored a hat-trick of tries as the Black Ferns came from 17-10 down at half-time to win 41-32 and claim their fifth title.
WHO WERE THE TOP TRY AND POINTS-SCORERS IN IRELAND?
Portia Woodman ended RWC 2017 as the tournament’s top try-scorer with 13, including eight against Hong Kong in the pool stage.
Woodman’s haul was more than double her closest challengers. Teammate Selica Winiata, and Canada’s Magali Harvey and Elissa Alarie each scored six times.
Her 65 points were also the most scored by any player at RWC 2017; three more than Black Ferns colleague Kendra Cocksedge.
England’s Emily Scarratt ended the tournament with 56 points, while Magali Harvey also reached a halfcentury,
finishing RWC 2017 with 51 points.
WHEN WAS THE FIRST WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP PLAYED?
The inaugural women’s Rugby World Cup was played across eight days in South Wales in April 1991.
New Zealand and the USA both topped their pools and met in the first semifinal at Cardiff Arms Park, Women’s Eagles captain Barb Bond scoring the decisive try to send her team to the final.
England provided the opposition, having beaten France in the second semifinal. Gill Burns then converted a penalty try to give the English a 6-0 lead in the first half of the final.
However, the USA replied with three tries after half-time, through Clare Godwin (two) and Patty Connell, to claim a 19-6 win and become the first women’s Rugby World Cup champions.
WHO WINS IT?
New Zealand did not compete at the second women’s Rugby World Cup in 1994, which was won by England, but returned four years later to win their first title – beating the USA in the final.
That was the start of a remarkable run of dominance for the Black Ferns, who won four Rugby World Cups in a row between 1998 and 2010.
England won their second title at RWC 2014, beating Canada 21-9 in the final. Five years ago, the Black Ferns claimed their fifth Rugby World Cup with a 42-31 defeat of England in the final in Belfast.
BLACK FERNS SQUAD:
Kendra Cocksedge and Renee Wickliffe, who recently announced they will retire following RWC 2021, have been selected for a fourth Rugby World Cup.
Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon will co-captain the squad, which includes 18-year-old Sylvia Brunt. Grace Brooker, Kaipo OlsenBaker and Aleisha Pearl Nelson all miss out through injury.
Forwards: Luka Connor (Bay of Plenty/Chiefs), Natalie Delamere (Bay of Plenty/Matatū ), Georgia Ponsonby (Canterbury/Matatū ), Tanya Kalounivale (Waikato/Chiefs), Phillipa Love (Canterbury/Matatū ), Krystal Murray (Northland/Blues), Amy Rule (Canterbury/Matatū ), Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (Waikato/ Chiefs), Santo Taumata (Bay of Plenty/Chiefs), Chelsea Bremner (Canterbury/Matatū ), Joanah NganWoo (Wellington/Hurricanes), Maiakawanakaulani Roos (Auckland/ Blues), Alana Bremner (Canterbury/ Matatū ), Sarah Hirini (Manawatū / Hurricanes), Charmaine McMenamin (Auckland/Blues), Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (Auckland/Blues), Kendra Reynolds (Bay of Plenty/Matatū ), Kennedy Simon (Waikato/Chiefs).
Backs: Ariana Bayler (Waikato/ Chiefs), Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury/Matatū ), Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (Counties Manukau/ Chiefs), Ruahel Demant (Auckland/ Blues), Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau/Chiefs), Logo I Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt (Auckland), Amy du Plessis (Canterbury/Matatū ), Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland/Blues), Stacey Fluhler (Waikato/Chiefs), Renee Holmes (Waikato/Matatū ), Ayesha Leti-I’iga (Wellington/Hurricanes), Ruby Tui (Counties Manukau/Chiefs), Renee Wickliffe (Bay of Plenty/ Chiefs), Portia Woodman (Northland/ Chiefs).
BLACK FERNS FIXTURES:
Saturday, October 8: v Australia at Eden Park, Auckland. Kick-off 7.15pm.
Sunday, October 16: v Wales at Waitakere Stadium, Auckland. Kickoff 3.15pm.
Saturday, October 22: v Scotland at Northland Events Centre, Whangā rei. Kick-off 4.45pm.
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Tickets can be purchased for RWC 2021 from the official site, tickets2021. rugbyworldcup.com.