WXV is an annual women's rugby union competition between national teams. Launched in 2023,[1] the competition consists of three tiers (WXV 1, WXV 2, and WXV 3), each comprising six teams divided into two pools in a split pool format, where teams only face teams from the other pool.[2]
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 WXV | |
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| First season | 2023 |
| No. of teams | 18 (6 in 3 divisions) |
| Country | Worldwide |
| Most recent champion(s) |  England (WXV 1) Australia (WXV 2) Spain (WXV 3) |
| Official website | wxvrugby.com |
Background
editWith the expansion of the 2025 Rugby World Cup from 12 to 16 teams, the test calendar was restructured, with the WXV serving to revolutionise the women's international landscape.[3][4][5] WXV was announced on 16 March 2021 with the inaugural edition intended to begin in September 2022, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was pushed back to 2023 to accommodate the postponed 2021 Rugby World Cup. World Rugby will be investing £6.4 million in the tournament, and It is expected to be played within an international window from September to October, except for Rugby World Cup years.[1]
Format
editQualification
editTeams can qualify through various regional competitions and both play-off and play-in fixtures for the three competition tiers. Each tier has designated regional slots allocated before the 2023 edition. From 2023 the allocation of the slots in tiers two and three may change based on the region of the champion team and the lowest-ranked team. The allocation of slots in tier one will only change from 2026. There is no guarantee that a team will play in the same tier as they did in the year before.
WXV 1
editIn both the inaugural and the upcoming 2024 WXV 1 the top three teams from that year's Six Nations Championship and Pacific Four Series qualified for WXV 1. From 2026, the bottom-ranked side's regional place will be relegated to WXV 2 and the top WXV 2 side's regional place will be promoted.[2][6]
WXV 2
editIn 2023, the fourth-placed team from the Six Nations Championship and Pacific Four Series qualified for WXV 2 alongside the champions of the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship, the Asia Rugby Women's Championship, and the Rugby Africa Women's Cup. Additionally, the winner of a playoff between the 5th placed team in the Six Nations and the champions of the Rugby Europe Women's Championship secured a place.[2][6]
Starting in 2023, the champion of WXV 3 will have their regional place elevated to WXV 2, leading to the displacement of the regional place of the sixth-placed team, which will be relegated to WXV 3 for the following tournament (2024). From 2026 onwards, this process will also apply to the regional places of both the WXV 2 champion and the sixth-placed team in WXV 1.[2][6]
WXV 3
editIn 2023, the sixth-placed team from the Six Nations Championship, the runner-up in the playoff between the 5th placed team in the Six Nations and the champion of the Rugby Europe Women's Championship, the winner of a Play-in tournament between Colombia and Brazil, along with the runners-up from the respective regional tournaments in Asia, Africa, and Oceania, qualified for WXV 3.[2][6]
Beginning in 2023, the champion of WXV 3 will see their regional place promoted to tier two, displacing the regional place of the sixth-placed WXV 2 team for the following tournament (2024). The team that is sixth-placed at the end of the tournament will have to compete in a playoff with the best non-competing side in the World Rugby Rankings to decide who will take the last place in WXV 3 for the following tournament.[2]
Tournament
editIn 2023, all tiers used a cross-pool format. Teams are divided into two pools of teams from the same region if possible. Teams will only play the opposition in the other pool.[2][6] WXV 3 was originally announced as a round-robin tournament consisting of four teams. However, this was later revised to also be a six-team cross-pool competition.
Results
editWXV 1
edit| Ed. | Year | Host | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 |  New Zealand
|
England
|
 Canada
|
Australia
|
New Zealand
|
 France
|
 Wales
|
| 2 | 2024 | Canada
|
England
|
 Ireland
|
Canada
|
New Zealand
|
France
|
 United States
|
WXV 2
edit| Ed. | Year | Host | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 |  South Africa
|
 Scotland
|
 Italy
|
South Africa
|
 Japan
|
United States
|
 Samoa
|
| 2 | 2024 | Australia
|
Scotland
|
Italy
|
South Africa
|
Wales
|
Japan
|
WXV 3
edit| Ed. | Year | Host | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 |  United Arab Emirates
|
Ireland
|
 Fiji
|
Spain
|
 Kenya
|
 Kazakhstan
|
 Colombia
|
| 2 | 2024 | Spain
|
Samoa
|
 Netherlands
|
Fiji
|
 Hong Kong China
|
 Madagascar
|
References
edit- ^ a b "New global women's competition WXV "wows" the rugby world". www.women.rugby. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "WXV: How does it work?". www.world.rugby. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Rugby World Cup 2025 set to break new ground as tournament expands to 16 teams". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Women's Rugby World Cup to be expanded to 16 teams from 2025". Sky Sports. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Women's World Cup to Expand from 12 to 16 Teams for RWC 2025". Americas Rugby News. 27 January 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "World Rugby confirms Pacific Four Series schedule, the new cross-regional women's 15s tournament". www.world.rugby. 29 September 2021. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2022.