Red Roses looking too blooming good
Fiona Tomas from the UK Daily Telegraph offers an expert perspective on all the teams at the World Cup
Pool A New Zealand
Coach: Wayne Smith
Best finish: Winners (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017)
Ranking: Second
They are the most successful nation in the women’s game but the Black Ferns have endured a torrid past 12 months before a home World Cup. A disastrous northern tour last year — where they were twice heavily beaten by England and France — followed a two-year exile in the wilderness due to the pandemic. Damning bullying allegations then plunged the women’s set-up into a crisis which saw former head coach Glenn Moore depart.
New Zealand Rugby parachuted in rugby royalty in a last-ditch attempt to get their women’s team back on track. Wayne Smith, who helped steer the All Blacks to successive World Cup triumphs, has led the team for the past six months, with Mike Cron, Sir Graham Henry and even Dan Carter all pitching in. Whether the collective effort will be enough to spare the team’s blushes is another matter, but they should breeze through the pool stages.
Australia
Coach: Jay Tregonning
Best finish: Third (2010)
Ranking: Seventh
In a not too dissimilar situation from their transtasman foes, Australia’s women’s programme has been shrouded in controversy.
In July 2021, former head coach Dwayne Nestor resigned after a leaked conversation with assistant coach Matt Tink revealed derogatory language about his players. New coach Jay Tregonning was a welcome addition but his team have struggled for form, having won only one of their past seven tests.
The Black Ferns are likely to prove a step too far, while a fully-professional Wales outfit and an inspired Scotland side playing in their first World Cup will not be easy walkovers.
Wales
Coach: Ioan Cunningham
Best finish: Fourth (1994)
Ranking: Ninth
Wales head into the World Cup with support for its women’s programme at an all-time high. The Wales Rugby Union unveiled 12 full-time contracts at the start of the year and the impact was felt instantly: the team’s thirdplace finish at the 2022 Six Nations was their highest since 2009.
The progression continued into the summer, with 29 players training professionally since the start of July. Wales will play in a female-fitted kit for the first time at the World Cup and with so much positive change, they should be in a position to target the knockouts.
Scotland
Coach: Bryan Easson
Best finish: Fifth (1994)
Ranking: 10th
Scotland’s World Cup has been 12 years in the making, having missed out on qualification each time since the 2010 edition.
They beat minnows Colombia in Dubai earlier this year to seal the last spot at the tournament. An experienced side is led by captain Rachel Malcolm. But after finishing bottom in this year’s Six Nations, they face a tall order to get out of the pool, while their preparations have been rocked by the tragic death of their former teammate, Siobhan Cattigan, whose family has launched legal action against the Scottish Rugby Union after alleging she was urged to return to the field after suffering an undetected brain injury.
Pool B Canada
Coach: Kevin Rouet
Best finish: Runners-up (2014) Ranking: Third
Having featured at every World Cup, Canada are one of the most consistent teams in the women’s game and will likely go deep in the tournament.
They were the only side who seriously challenged England last autumn and boast standout individuals — including captain Sophie de Goede — many of whom have benefited from playing in the Premier 15s. The North Americans build their game around their marauding pack and often catch teams out with their impressive transitional game. They have always punched above their weight at World Cups — having never finished lower than sixth. Expect fireworks from a hugely physical side.
USA
Coach: Rob Cain
Best finish: Winners (1991) Ranking: Sixth
The winners of the first women’s World Cup in 1991, the USA were an early powerhouse of women’s rugby but fell behind when European nations began to take the game seriously in the late 1990s. Their preparation for this year’s tournament has been far from convincing — they edged past Scotland 21-17 in August before being walloped 52-14 by England in their other warm-up.
Former Saracens women’s coach Rob Cain is the only full-time employee of the USA women’s programme and has drafted in two part-time assistants to boost his side’s chances in New Zealand — one being Martin Haag, the former England men’s under-20s coach.
Italy
Coach: Andrea Di Giandomenico Best finish: Eighth (1991)
Ranking: Fifth
Italy lit up this year’s Six Nations with a couple of compelling performances and have evolved into a punchy international side. They sealed World Cup qualification in the 2021 after winning the European qualifying competition and the FIR rewarded its women’s team with a first set of centralised contracts to aid their World Cup preparations. Having beaten France in their last warm-up game, anything less than reaching the knockout stages would be a disappointment for the Azzurre.
Japan
Coach: Lesley McKenzie
Best finish: Eighth (1994)
Ranking: 13th
Despite featuring in four World Cups Japan have recorded only one pool victory.
They have enjoyed something of a resurgence with wins this year against Australia and Fiji, before claiming a confidence-boosting 29-10 victory over Ireland in August. Former Canada prop Lesley McKenzie — who is the sole female head coach at the World Cup — has assembled an experienced team which could pull a few surprises.
Pool C England
Coach: Simon Middeton
Best finish: Champions (1994, 2014) Ranking: First
They have the best programme, the best supported coaches, and the best players. With three years of professionalism behind them, England are the overwhelming favourites to reclaim the World Cup crown they last won in 2014. Armed with their impressive 25-match winning streak, never before has an English rugby team been so ready to take on the world.
While other rugby unions have stood idly by over this World Cup cycle and have drawn criticism for failing to adequately invest in their women’s programmes, the Rugby Football Union has led the way with full-time contracts. The result? A worldbeating team.
Can the world’s top-ranked side be stopped? That is the burning question. Realistically, only pressure can derail their hopes of glory — and the Red Roses know it. If they fail to deliver on that aim, there will surely be a post-tournament inquest.
France
Coach: Thomas Darracq
Best finish: Third (1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2017)
Ranking: Fourth
A team that has always been the bridesmaids to England, and never the bride. France have always been a dominant force in the women’s game but enter the World Cup off the back of 10 straight defeats to the Red Roses. Encounters with their cross-Channel rivals in recent years have become more of a psychological nightmare and less a physical challenge.
A reshuffle in the French coaching pack after this year’s Six Nations saw Gaelle Mignot, France’s Grand Slam winning captain from 2014, drafted in as forwards coach, with David Ortiz shoring up defence. It will be the last tournament for playmaker Laure Sansus, who will retire after the World Cup.
Fiji
Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula
Best finish: First World Cup Ranking: 21st
World Cup debutants Fiji will be a force in New Zealand. Fijiana played their first test in 2006 and a lot of this squad were part of the Fijiana Drua’s Super W-winning side, while there are six sevens Olympic bronze medallists. Do not be surprised to see them outskill teams with their physicality and lightning footwork.
South Africa
Coach: Stanley Raubenheimer
Best finish: 10th (2010, 2014)
Ranking: 11th
South Africa’s women’s programme has been through a period of transition over recent years. Former Ireland centre Lynne Cantwell, who came on board as the side’s high performance manager two seasons ago, has overseen sweeping changes. Most of the squad will be making their World Cup debuts in New Zealand, while a handful featured in the recent Sevens World Cup in Cape Town.