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WXV Global Series will be like 'mini-World Cup'
TL;DR
The WXV Global Series, described as a 'mini-World Cup', will feature the top 12 women's rugby teams annually. Matches will take place during the autumn break, helping teams prepare for the 2029 World Cup in Australia.
Key points
- WXV Global Series is a new women's rugby competition.
- It features the top 12 teams in the world.
- Matches will be played during the autumn break.
- The series helps prepare for the 2029 World Cup in Australia.
- Ireland will play against USA and Japan.
WXV Global SeriesIrelandUSAJapan
The Irish Rugby Football Union's head of women's strategy Lynne Cantwell says the upcoming WXV Global Series is like having "a mini-World Cup every year, but on home soil".
The WXV Global Series has replaced the WXV competition and will feature the top 12 teams in the world.
England, Scotland and Wales will join Ireland as well as France, Italy, Japan, South Africa and the United States in the series with the matches to be played during the autumn break.
The tournament will help prepare the sides for the 2029 World Cup in Australia with teams playing between nine to 16 Tests in the WXV Global Series every year.
"Ireland play USA and Japan and the actual locations are nearly ready to be published and they will be published before the end of the Six Nations," Cantwell told the Ireland Rugby Social.
"That will be brilliant and I think this is going to be a really exciting competition as you are going to have USA coming, Australia the following year, New Zealand and Canada.
"You are going to have a mini-World Cup every year but this will be on home soil. From an Irish rugby point of view, we will have five or six international home games every year which has never happened before. That is really massive."
Figure caption,
Lynne Cantwell: Visibility, Legacy and Changing Irish Rugby
Ireland are currently competing in this year's Women's Six Nations and have lost two of their opening three fixtures.
However, Cantwell believes there are plenty of positives to take from the matches, particularly the 26-7 loss against France.
"I honestly thought the first half against France, particularly from a pack point of view, was sublime," added Cantwell.
"I am not going to lie, I have never seen anything like it from an Ireland point of view.
"It was absolutely amazing and all the players involved should be so proud of themselves and what they can do. It is only just starting."
Image caption,
Cantwell played in a Rugby World Cup semi-final in France in 2014
Cantwell won an Irish women's record 86 caps during an illustrious international career that yielded a Grand Slam success in 2013.
Q&A
What teams are participating in the WXV Global Series?
The WXV Global Series will include England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, Japan, South Africa, and the United States.
How will the WXV Global Series prepare teams for the 2029 World Cup?
The tournament will allow teams to play between nine to 16 Tests each year, enhancing their readiness for the 2029 World Cup in Australia.
When will the match locations for the WXV Global Series be announced?
The match locations are expected to be published before the end of the Six Nations.
What is the significance of the WXV Global Series in women's rugby?
The WXV Global Series is significant as it provides a competitive platform similar to a World Cup, fostering growth and exposure for women's rugby on home soil.
