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What to watch in women's rugby: Road to England 2025 continues

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 17: Maya Stewart of Australia scores a try during the 2024 Pacific Four Series match between Australia Wallaroos and USA at AAMI Park on May 17, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification will be decided across three competitions over the next 10 days and you can watch the action unfold with RugbyPass TV.

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The equation facing Australia in North Harbour this Saturday could not be simpler: beat their hosts for the first time and tickets to England 2025 and WXV 1 2024 in Canada are theirs.

Lose or draw and it will be USA taking the remaining spot from the World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2024, alongside champions Canada and New Zealand.

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Meanwhile, Japan are one victory from confirming their place at Women’s RWC 2025 and WXV 2 2024, while Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea begin their qualification journey on Friday.

In Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) on Saturday, Saracens have the chance to lay down a marker for the end-of-season play-offs as they welcome league leaders Gloucester-Hartpury to StoneX Stadium.

Fortunately, all that action and more is available to stream live and for free on RugbyPass TV.

Date with destiny for Wallaroos

The 2024 Pacific Four Series draws to a close in North Harbour on Saturday, and Australia know they must make history against New Zealand if they are to qualify for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 and WXV 1 2024.

Defeat to the USA last Friday dented the Wallaroos’ hopes of playing in the top level of WXV this year and securing their ticket to England 2025 at the earliest opportunity.

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Fixture
Pacific Four Series
New Zealand Womens
67 - 19
Full-time
Australia Womens
All Stats and Data

Crucially, though, the Wallaroos picked up two bonus points from the 32-25 loss, meaning they will leapfrog USA in the final standings if they earn a first-ever Test victory against the Black Ferns this weekend.

They will come up against wounded hosts on Saturday, however, after New Zealand suffered a maiden defeat against Canada last weekend to cede the title to the North Americans.

It was the first time the Black Ferns had lost a Pacific Four Series match and although Patricia Maliepo’s late try earned the bonus point that gave them a place in this year’s WXV 1 tournament, they will want to end their campaign on a winning note.

Black Ferns fans can take heart from the fact they won last year’s two O’Reilly Cup matches by an aggregate of 93-3 and the hosts have scored at least 40 points in four of their previous five Tests against the Wallaroos.

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All the action is available to stream for free via RugbyPass TV except where there is a local broadcast deal in place (Canada, New Zealand and USA).

Saturday, 25 May

03:05 BST (GMT+1) – New Zealand v Australia, North Harbour Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

Sarries welcome unbeaten Circus to town

Two weeks before the PWR play-offs are due to begin, fans will get an opportunity to watch the current top two go head-to-head in north London.

Gloucester-Hartpury ensured they would finish the regular season top of the table last weekend as they won their 15th match out of 15, running in nine tries to beat Trailfinders Women 59-12 at Kingsholm.

The Circus are now 80 minutes from an unbeaten league season and the champions will be determined to leave StoneX Stadium with an 18th successive PWR victory.

Fixture
PWR
Saracens Women
33 - 31
Full-time
Gloucester-Hartpury Women RFC
All Stats and Data

Saracens, though, are a team in form and know that victory would secure a home semi-final against either Exeter Chiefs or Bristol Bears the following weekend.

Sarah McKenna was the star of the show last Sunday, scoring a hat-trick of tries to help Saracens to a resounding 57-7 defeat of Exeter at Sandy Park.

Another big result this weekend against the champions would lay down a considerable marker for the upcoming play-offs.

All the action is available to stream for free via RugbyPass TV except where there is a local broadcast deal in place (UK, Ireland, Canada and USA).

Saturday, 25 May

12:00 BST (GMT+1) – Saracens v Gloucester-Hartpury, StoneX Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

World Cup tickets up for grabs in Asia, Oceania

Samoa will begin their Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship title defence on Friday as they compete with Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea for Women’s RWC 2025 and WXV 3 2024 qualification.

Cassie Siataga was the Manusina heroine last year, scoring all of her side’s points as they edged to a 19-18 victory against Fiji to claim the title and their place at WXV 2 in South Africa.

Samoa will get their 2024 campaign underway against Papua New Guinea at Sunnybank Rugby Club in Brisbane on Friday after Fiji and Tonga have opened the tournament.

Fiji will then play Papua New Guinea before Samoa take on Tonga next Wednesday. The tournament concludes on Sunday, 2 June and the final day will again be headlined by the meeting between Manusina and Fijiana.

Whoever finishes the tournament top of the table will book their ticket to England 2025. Due to Samoa finishing bottom of the inaugural WXV 2 standings, the champions and runners-up will both compete in the third level in Dubai this September and October.

Meanwhile, Japan can secure their place at Women’s RWC 2025 when the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship 2024 continues in Hong Kong.

The Sakura 15s were grateful for two tries in the final 10 minutes as they secured an opening round 29-12 victory against Hong Kong China on Wednesday.

It means they will qualify for both England 2025 and WXV 2 2024 if they beat Kazakhstan at King’s Park Sports Ground on Monday.

All the action from Brisbane and Hong Kong is available to stream live and for free worldwide on RugbyPass TV.

Friday, 24 May

08:30 BST (GMT+1) – Fiji v Tonga, Sunnybank Rugby Club – WATCH LIVE HERE

10:30 BST (GMT+1) – Samoa v Papua New Guinea, Sunnybank Rugby Club – WATCH LIVE HERE

Monday, 27 May

12:00 BST (GMT+1) – Japan v Kazakhstan, King’s Park Sports Ground – WATCH LIVE HERE

Wednesday, 29 May

08:30 BST (GMT+1) – Fiji v Papua New Guinea, Sunnybank Rugby Club – WATCH LIVE HERE

10:30 BST (GMT+1) – Samoa v Tonga, Sunnybank Rugby Club – WATCH LIVE HERE

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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