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Brazil make history to qualify for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025
Brazil will make their Women’s Rugby World Cup debut in England next year after they beat Colombia 34-13 in Luque on Saturday.
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Colombia, who competed in WXV 3 last October, went into the match unbeaten in six matches against their South American rivals and sitting 25 places above them in the World Rugby Women’s Rankings.
However, that counted for little at Estadio Heroes de Curupayty as Brazil dominated their hosts to qualify for Women’s RWC 2025 in style.
Brazil opened the scoring in the 11th minute as Iris Coluna dotted down from the base of a scrum after Colombia prop Catalina Suarez had been shown a yellow card.
But Las Tucanes hit back five minutes later as Juliana Soto crossed the whitewash in the right corner to level the scores.
Despite being pegged back, As Yaras continued to press and scored their second try of the match in the 28th minute, Isadora Lopes finishing off a fine team move on the left wing.
And it soon got even better for Brazil as captain Eshyllen Coimbra touched down and fly-half Raquel Kochhann added the conversion.
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Maria Arzuaga landed a penalty with the clock ticking towards half-time to cut Colombia’s deficit to nine points but there was still time for Brazil to land a telling blow.
With Las Tucanes pushing for a second try, Brazil scrum-half Aline Mayumi snagged an interception on her own 22 and raced away to score. Kochhann missed the conversion but the visitors led 22-8 at the break.
Colombia started the second half quickly and within four minutes had a lifeline as Laura Gutierrez crossed the whitewash.
But again, Brazil refused to be overawed and it was As Yaras who scored next, after a superb rip and finish by Yasmin Soares just after the hour mark before Mariana Nicolau put the seal on victory.
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“We knew it would be a hard game, a battle, which would not be easy. But we were able to get victory thanks to our hard work,” Brazil captain and Player of the Match Coimbra said.
“We worked very hard the last five, six months on the scrum, even pushing against the trunk of tree.”
Coach Emiliano Caffera added: “We had planned the game as it unfolded, our first half solid scrum wasn’t there in the second half, although we managed to control handle the ball a bit more and things happened for us.
“Everything starts with the set pieces which we worked very hard for, but for the Rugby World Cup we will have to work even harder.”
Victory means Brazil become the sixth regional qualifier to book their ticket to England 2025.
They join the hosts, defending champions New Zealand, France, Canada, Ireland, USA, South Africa, Japan and Fiji in securing their place at the showpiece tournament.
Due to the fact the top six non-qualified nations at the end of WXV 2024 will claim the remaining tickets to Women’s RWC 2025, Australia, Scotland, Italy and Wales are also sure of their place at England 2025.
