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WXV 3 will also be played as a cross-pool format, made up of six teams with two from Europe and one from Asia, Oceania, Africa, and South America.
World Rugby has announced the first locations and dates for the WXV, the new international competition to increase elite women's rugby's competitiveness, reach, and impact.
The event is set to start in October 2023 with a clear mission to raise the profile and competitiveness of women’s 15s.
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It is also aimed at doubling the number of annual international fixtures for most competing teams, combining with World Rugby’s ‘Accelerate’ programme to raise standards at Rugby World Cup 2025 and beyond.
As reported by World Rugby, New Zealand will welcome the world’s top teams in the six-team top-level WXV 1 across three match weekends on October 21 and 28 and November 4.
Cape Town in South Africa will play host to the six-team second level WXV 2 with matches being played across the weekends of October 14, 21 and 28.
With the qualification process gathering pace, so far England, France, and Wales have booked their place in WXV 1. Scotland has secured a place in WXV 2, and Ireland is confirmed for WXV 3. Italy will now play-off against Spain to determine the final European representatives in WXV 2 and WXV 3.
The World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2023 will determine the remaining three teams in WXV 1 and one team in WXV 2 with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and USA contesting the competition featuring the top two teams in Oceania and North America.
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The remaining places will be determined via regional qualifiers, starting in May with competitions in Africa, Asia, and Oceania being played in Madagascar, Kazakhstan, and Australia respectively, while Brazil and Colombia will meet in a two-leg play-off to determine South America’s qualifier for WXV 3.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont expressed his eagerness to advance women’s rugby in the world.
“Much progress is being made at a rapid pace and today we are marking another milestone with the confirmation of the dates and venues for the inaugural WXV competition.
With women and girls leading our strategy to grow the sport on a global basis, this competition will increase the reach and impact of the sport and drive the overall competitiveness of women’s international rugby,” he said.
On her part, World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox expressed her excitement towards accelerating the global development of women in rugby through the WXV flagship.
“It is more than a world-class competition, it is a statement of intent, a vehicle to supercharge the reach, competitiveness, and value of elite women’s rugby and growing rugby more broadly, projecting the sport to new audiences in new markets,” she said.
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WXV 1
WXV 1 will consist of six teams and be played in a cross-pool format. Participating teams will include the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (Europe) and the top three teams from the World Rugby Pacific Four Series (Rugby Americas North/Oceania). Each team will play three matches. There will be no relegation or promotion for the first two years.
WXV 2
The WXV 2 competition will consist of six teams, playing in a cross-pool format. Participating teams for 2023 will include two teams from Europe, the fourth-placed team from the Pacific Four Series, alongside one team from Oceania, Asia, and Africa.
The sixth-placed regional position in the WXV 2 competition at the end of each season will be relegated to WXV 3.
WXV 3
WXV 3 will also be played as a cross-pool format, made up of six teams: two from Europe and one from Asia, Oceania, Africa, and South America. The regional position of the winner of WXV 3 will be promoted to WXV 2 and the bottom team will play off against the next best-ranked side, according to the World Rugby Women’s Rankings powered by Capgemini on the Monday after the final match of WXV that year.
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