2022 Rugby World Cup – ARN Guide

After a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the top women’s players in the world have finally gathered for their 9th edition of the Rugby World Cup. Despite the change World Rugby continue to call the tournament ‘RWC 2021’ for branding purposes.

New Zealand will act as hosts for the first time, having done so twice previously in the men’s tournament. All matches will be centered around Auckland with Eden Park hosting the final on November 12. The opener is this coming Saturday (Friday night in the Americas) with the two North American teams starting a day later. There is no South American team in the tournament.

Three pools of four teams are entered, with seven teams qualifying automatically at the 2017 event. Scotland qualified earlier this year via the Repechage process, returning for the first time since 2010. South Africa are back in after missing out on 2017, while Fiji will play in their first-ever women’s XVs World Cup. The latter are the lowest-ranked team to qualify.

While the hosts are defending champions and five-time World Cup winners, it’s England who are considered strong favorites. The Red Roses have won 25 straight games since last tasting defeat in March of 2018. A podium finish is within the ability of both Canada and the USA, but anything other than an England vs New Zealand final would be a major surprise.

Canadian viewers can watch every game live on TSN. Those in the USA can watch on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. ESPN will broadcast in Latin America.

A complete schedule can be seen here.

 

POOL A

 

AUSTRALIA

Current Ranking: 7

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 6 (16 wins, 13 losses)

Best Finish: 3rd (2010)

Head Coach: Jay Tregonning (age 44, Australia, appointed 2021)

Captain: Shannon Parry (flanker, age 32, 19 caps)

Full Roster

 

NEW ZEALAND

Current Ranking: 2

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 7 (30 wins, 2 losses)

Best Finish: 5x Champions (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017)

Head Coach: Wayne Smith (age 65, New Zealand, appointed 2022)

Co-Captain: Ruahei Demant (flyhalf, age 27, 21 caps)
Co-Captain: Kennedy Simon (flanker, age 26, 10 caps)

Full Roster

 

SCOTLAND

Current Ranking: 10

Qualified: Repechage

World Cups: 5 (11 wins, 13 losses)

Best Finish: 5th (1994)

Head Coach: Bryan Easson (age 49, Scotland, appointed 2020)

Captain: Rachel Malcolm (flanker, age 31, 30 caps)

Full Roster

 

WALES

Current Ranking: 9

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 7 (13 wins, 18 losses, 1 draw)

Best Finish: 4th (1994)

Head Coach: Ioan Cunningham (age 39, Wales, appointed 2021)

Captain: Siwan Lillicrap (No8, age 35, 47 caps)

Full Roster

 

POOL B

 

CANADA

Current Ranking: 3

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 8 (21 wins, 16 losses, 2 draws)

Best Finish: 2nd (2014)

Head Coach: Kévin Rouet (age 36, France, appointed 2022)

Captain: Sophie de Goede (No8, age 23, 14 caps)

Full Roster

 

ITALY

Current Ranking: 5

Qualified: Europe 1

World Cups: 4 (6 wins, 12 losses)

Best Finish: 7th/8th (1991)

Head Coach: Andrea Di Giandomenico (age 47, Italy, appointed 2009)

Captain: Elisa Giordano (No8, age 31, 56 caps)

Full Roster

 

JAPAN

Current Ranking: 13

Qualified: Asia 1

World Cups: 4 (3 wins, 14 losses)

Best Finish: 8th (1994)

Head Coach: Lesley McKenzie (age 41, Canada, appointed 2019)

Captain: Saki Minami (prop, age 26, 26 caps)

Full Roster

 

USA

Current Ranking: 6

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 8 (25 wins, 13 losses)

Best Finish: 1x Champions (1991)

Head Coach: Rob Cain (age 42, England, appointed 2018)

Captain: Kate Zackary (No8, age 33, 23 caps)

Full Roster

 

POOL C

 

ENGLAND

Current Ranking: 1

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 8 (31 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw)

Best Finish: 2x Champions (1994, 2014)

Head Coach: Simon Middleton (age 56, England, appointed 2015)

Captain: Sarah Hunter (No8, age 37, 135 caps)

Full Roster

 

FIJI

Current Ranking: 21

Qualified: Oceania 1

World Cups: 0

Best Finish: n/a

Head Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula (age 48, Fiji, appointed 2020)

Captain: Sereima Leweniqila (No8, age 32)

Full Roster

 

FRANCE

Current Ranking: 4

Qualified: Automatic (RWC 2017)

World Cups: 8 (25 wins, 12 losses)

Best Finish: 3rd (1994, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2017)

Head Coach: Thomas Darracq (age 45, France, appointed 2021)

Captain: Gaëlle Hermet (flanker, age 26, 45 caps)

Full Roster

 

SOUTH AFRICA

Current Ranking: 11

Qualified: Africa 1

World Cups: 3 (3 wins, 12 losses, 1 draw)

Best Finish: 10th (2010, 2014)

Head Coach: Stanley Raubenheimer (age 52, South Africa, appointed 2018)

Captain: Nolusindiso Booi (lock, age 37, 30 caps)

Full Roster