Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

WXV 3: Opening weekend team news as Spain, Fiji ring changes

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) Sarindra Sahondramalala of Madagascar, Linde van der Velden of The Netherlands, Pun Wai Yan of Hong Kong China, Sui Pauaraisa of Samoa, Karalaini Naisewa of Fiji and Laura Delgado of Spain pose for a photo during the Captain’s photocall ahead of WXV 3 2024 on September 24, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Madagascar will make their WXV 3 debut on Friday when they face Spain, who narrowly missed out on the 2023 title, in the United Arab Emirates at 19:00 local time (GMT+4).

ADVERTISEMENT

The action at The Sevens Stadium will continue on Saturday as Fiji take on another debutant, Hong Kong China (kick-off 18:00), before the Netherlands become the third team to play their first match in the competition, against Samoa at 20:30.

Get all the team news for the opening weekend of WXV 3 matches below as and when it drops.

Spain v Madagascar

Spain head coach Juan Gonzalez Marruecos has made seven changes to the team beaten by South Africa in their final warm-up match in Cape Town last week.

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

Register now for the ticket presale

Props Inés Antolínez and Sidorella Bracic form a new front row alongside hooker and captain Cris Blanco, while flankers Lía Piñeiro and María Calvo start either side of Gloucester-Hartpury number eight Carmen Castellucci.

In the backs, there are starts for scrum-half Anne Fernández de Corres and outside centre Claudia Cano.

Fixture
WXV 3
Spain Womens
83 - 0
Full-time
Madagascar Womens
All Stats and Data

Madgascar head coach Alain Randriamihaja has made one personnel and several positional changes to the side beaten 63-19 by Kenya in Nairobi last Friday.

The one personnel change comes in the pack where tighthead prop Fenitra Razafindramanga returns to the front row and lock Felana Rakotoarison drops out.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, there are three positional switches up front. Laurence Rasoanandrasana moves from hooker to number eight, while Nanou Razafializay wears two instead of three and Sarindra Sahondramalala moves into the second row from the base of the scrum.

Spain: 15. Claudia Peña, 14. Claudia Pérez, 13. Claudia Cano, 12. Zahía Pérez, 11. Clara Piquero, 10. Amalia Argudo, 9. Anne Fernández de Corres, 1. Inés Antolínez, 2. Cris Blanco (captain), 3. Sidorella Bracic, 4. Nadina Cisa, 5. Lourdes Alameda, 6. Lía Piñeiro, 7. María Calvo, 8. Carmen Castellucci.
Replacements: 16. Marieta Román, 17. María del Castillo, 18. Laura Delgado, 19. Elena Martínez, 20. Alba Capell, 21. Lucía Díaz, 22. Maider Aresti, 23. Martina Márquez.

Madagascar: 15. Tiana Razanamahefa, 14. Claudia Rasoarimalala, 13. Veronique Rasoanekena, 12. Valisoa Razanakiniana, 11. Zaya Fanantenana, 10. Marie Bodonandrianina, 9. Joela Mirasoa Fenohasina, 1. Mamisoa Rasoarimalala, 2. Nanou Razafializay, 3. Fenitra Razafindramanga, 4. Oliviane Andriatsilavina, 5. Sarindra Sahondramalala, 6. Sariaka Nomenjanahary, 7. Delphine Raharimalala, 8. Laurence Rasoanandrasana.
Replacements: 16. Miora Rabarivelo, 17. Nomenjanahary Rakotozafi, 18. Eleonore Rasoanantenaina, 19. Felana Rakotoarison, 20. Volatiana Rasoanandrasana, 21. Vonjimalala Ranorovololona, 22. Olivia Hanitriniaina, 23. Voahirana Razafiarisoa.

Fiji v Hong Kong China

Fiji head coach Mosese Rauluni has made nine personnel changes to the team that was beaten by WXV 3 rivals Netherlands last week.

Bitila Tawake, Vika Matarugu and Ana Korovata form an all-new front row, while Mereoni Nakesa comes in at lock to partner Asinate Serevi. Sulita Waisega moves to openside flanker, meanwhile, and is joined in the back row by Nunia Delaimoala and captain Karalaini Naisewa.

ADVERTISEMENT

Scrum-half Evivi Senikarivi and fly-half Salanieta Kinita come into the back line, with Ivamere Nabura moving to inside centre alongside Adita Milinia. Luisa Tisolo comes in at full-back and lines up between Kolora Lomani and Repeka Adi Tove in the back three.

Fixture
WXV 3
Fiji Womens
38 - 3
Full-time
Hong Kong Womens
All Stats and Data

Winger Lucia Bolton will make her Test debut, while replacement front-row forward Shun Ka Lee will become Hong Kong China’s most-capped women’s player if called upon in Dubai.

Bolton’s inclusion is one of four personnel changes to the team that secured their place at the tournament with a 22-0 defeat of Kazakhstan in June.

Micayla Baltazar comes into the second row in place of sister Chloe, who is on the bench, while Jessica Ho is set for her first appearance since May 2023 at scrum-half and Sabay Lynam has been given the nod at full-back.

Replacement back Haruka Uematsu will win her first cap if called upon from the bench on Saturday, while Lee is in line to win a record 34th.

Fiji: 15. Luisa Tisolo, 14. Repeka Adi Tove, 13. Adita Milinia, 12. Ivamere Nabura, 11. Kolora Lomani, 10. Salanieta Kinita, 9. Evivi Senikarivi, 1. Bitila Tawake, 2. Vika Matarugu, 3. Ana Korovata, 4. Mereoni Nakesa, 5. Asinate Serevi, 6. Nunia Delaimoala, 7. Sulita Waisega, 8. Karalaini Naisewa (captain).
Replacements: 16. Keleni Marawa, 17. Salanieta Nabuli, 18. Tiana Robanakadavu, 19. Aviame Veidreyaki, 20. Alfreda Fisher, 21. Ema Adivitaloga, 22. Setaita Railumu, 23. Litiana Lawedrau.

Hong Kong China: 15. Sabay Lynam, 14. Chong Ka Yan, 13. Natasha Olson-Thorne, Gabriella Rivers, 11. Lucia Bolton, 10. Fung Hoi-Ching, 9. Jessica Ho, 1. Lau Nga Wun, 2. Tanya Dhar, 3. Kea Herewini, 4. Roshini Turner, 5. Micayla Baltazar, 6. Pun Wai Yan (captain), 7. Chan Tsz Ching, 8. Shanna Forrest.
Replacements: 16. Fion Got, 17. Tsang Hoi Laam, 18. Lee Ka Shun, 19. Chloe Baltazar, 20. Karen So, 21. Wan Tsz Yau, 22. Zoe Smith, 23. Haruka Uematsu.

Netherlands v Samoa

The Netherlands have made just two personnel and one positional change for their WXV debut from the team that beat Samoa’s Pacific Island neighbours Fiji.

Hooker Julia Morauw comes in for Anoushka Beukers, who starts on the bench, while in the backs, Pien Selbeck comes into midfield with Linneke Gevers shifting to outside centre and Isa Suzanne Annemijn Spoler dropping out of the squad altogether.

Fixture
WXV 3
Netherlands Womens
8 - 8
Full-time
Samoa Womens
All Stats and Data

Exeter Chiefs second row Linde van der Velden will captain the team.

Samoa head coach Ramsey Tomokino has made five changes to the side that lost the final match of the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship to Fiji in June.

Loosehead prop Ti Tauasosi and hooker Lulu Leuta come into the front row, while Ana-Lise Sio partners Easter Savelio at lock.

The other two changes come in the back three, where left winger Davina Lasini and full-back Drenna Falaniko are handed starts.

Netherlands: 15. Lieve Stallmann, 14. Kika Mulling, 13. Linneke Gevers, 12. Pien Selbeck, 11. Gaya van Nifterik, 10. Pleuni Kievit, 9. Esmee Ligtvoet, 1. Anouk Veerkamp, 2. Julia Morauw, 3. Nicky Dix, 4. Linde van der Velden (captain), 5. Inger Jongerius, 6. Elisabeth Boot, 7. Mariet Luijken, 8. Isa Prins.
Replacements: 16. Anoushka Beukers, 17. Sydney de Weijer, 18. Jara Bunnik, 19. Mhina de Vos, 20. Noah Demba, 21. Morgane Ter Cock, 22. Lisa Egberts, 23. Emma van Traa.

Samoa: 15. Drenna Falaniko, 14. Linda Fiafia, 13. Tyra Boysen, 12. France Bloomfield, 11. Davina Lasini, 10. Cassie Siataga, 9. Ana Afuie, 1. Ti Tauasosi, 2. Lulu Leuta, 3. Ana Mamea, 4. Easter Savelio, 5. Ana-Lise Sio, 6. Utumalama Atonio, 7. Sui Pauaraisa (captain), 8. Nina Foaese.
Replacements: 16. Avau Filimaua, 17. Denise Aiolupotea, 18. Tori Iosefo, 19. Sydney Niupulusu, 20. Joanna Fanene Lolo, 21. Saelua Leaula, 22. Harmony Vatau, 23. Lutia Col Aumua.

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 35 | Six Nations Round 2 Review

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

Second round of the Men's Six Nations | Whistle Watch

Harlequins vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 51 minutes ago
'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

Sorta “rent a comment” kinda guy really.

Haha yep another great way to say it.


Look I actually agree with the guy, he might have heard something said and seeing as he loves to make a spotlight, and be in it, he decided/mistakenly came up with this headline grabber?


Despite what I already said was the actual idea for the topic he mistook, I think, at this particular moment, there are plenty of situations people should be sticking. I’m OK with the Dmac situation if its just until Stevenson and Etene start sharing the Fullback job. I’m OK with Barrett being left at 15 and Perofeta being given the job to displace Plummer (easy task for him imo) as the first five (with the ABs in mind). But pretty much all the others, like your suggestions, they are far off optimal understanding of their core positions so should be trying to specialize for a couple of years. Think Ioane and Proctor, one or the other, not trying to get both on. Barrett or ALB/Higgins/Lam, Sititi and Sotutu at 8, Finau/Haig/all the 6’s injured or gone etc.


From Razors perspective, of a coach on the limit of what can be achieved, he wants to a balance of core and niche. Having players able to cover situations when your down a man, through card or because he’s lying on the ground, you want your players to be adaptable. Does this mean he’d like them to learn that adaptable by playing other positions fully, like for a whole game in another position, or just as in terms of their skills sets. Because if you apply what I suggested Razor was referring to as “four” positions, wingers can be very useful in other roles like a carrying 12, or a pilferring 7, let alone benefit from a tight relationship and understand of what a 13 is trying to do for them.


This concept applies to pretty much every single position. Take your(my) Lock example, theyre now lifters, they can (size and shape allowing) ruck and maul like the front row, run like a back and offload like a basketballer. Many recent young locks of of this rangy razzle dazle variety.


Personally I really like and think that adding versatility is inevitable with the amount of training and really early highperformance skill/athleticism work they get through. Max Hicks looked interesting as a 2m beanpole playing openside in France, PSDT showing the frame is certainly viable (as apposed to the typical 6 playing lock), opensides really need a running/carry side to their play these days and could easily play in midfield. Halfbacks are starting to play standing up straight rather than low to the ground, how cool would it have been if the Hurricanes had decided to retain Preston by switching Roigard to 10 for this season? Like Leroy Carter they’re already good wingers with the right pace. I do really see the back three players staying were they are for the most part though, unless theyre special players like Dmac.

33 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING England A forced into fly-half switch ahead of Ireland date England A forced into fly-half switch ahead of Ireland date
Search