Everything you need to know about the opening round of WXV 2024

All eyes will be on Canada, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates this weekend as the second edition of WXV gets underway.

In the top level, England start their title defence against USA, before Canada meet France in a blockbuster encounter and Ireland make their WXV 1 debut against New Zealand.

Scotland, meanwhile, will hope to start where they left off in Cape Town last year and Spain and Fiji will have their eyes on silverware in WXV 3 having gone close in 2023.

With nine teams in the second and third levels also competing for the six remaining places at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 every match is sure to mean something.

WXV 2024 will be available to stream live and for free via RugbyPass TV, where there isn’t a local broadcast deal in place. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the opening weekend.

WXV 1

Sunday, 29 September 2024 (all matches BC Place, Vancouver)

USA v England – KO 12:30 local time (GMT-7)

Match headline: The lowest ranked nation in WXV 1 comes up against the defending champions as USA, eighth in the World Rugby Women’s Rankings, attempt to inflict only a second defeat in 49 matches on the Red Roses.

History: England have played USA 21 times previously, with the Women’s Eagles’ sole victory coming in their very first meeting, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 1991 final.

Rankings: USA would climb three places to fifth if they secure only their second ever win against the Red Roses. England cannot lose the number one spot.

Team news and stats will be available via the match centre

Canada v France – KO 15:45

Match headline: The hosts play for the first time since winning the World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2024 title, against a France side searching for consistency.

History: Canada won the corresponding fixture at WXV 1 2023, 29-20, their eighth victory in 17 meetings with Les Bleues and fifth in their last six.

Rankings: France will climb above their hosts with victory while both teams can end the weekend second if they win and Ireland avoid defeat against New Zealand.

Team news and stats will be available via the match centre

New Zealand v Ireland – KO 19:00

Match headline: WXV 3 2023 champions Ireland jump two levels and open their campaign against the six-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winners.

History: The Black Ferns have only played Ireland twice previously, their sole Women’s RWC pool stage defeat coming against them in 2014. New Zealand avenged that loss in Dublin two years later.

Rankings: A second defeat in this fixture would drop New Zealand to an all-time low of fourth while Ireland can climb to fifth.

Team news and stats will be available via the match centre

WXV 2

Friday, 27 September 2024 (all matches at DHL Stadium, Cape Town)

South Africa v Japan – KO 16:00 local time (GMT+2)

Match headline: The in-form hosts have lost only one match in 2024 but Japan have enjoyed some good results this year too and both may feel this is their best chance of securing a win.

History: The teams have met only twice previously, the Springbok Women’s two-test tour of Japan in July 2022 ending in a 1-1 series draw.

Rankings: Should South Africa win they would leapfrog their opponents and rise to equal their all-time high of 11th.

Team news and stats available via the match centre

Saturday, 28 September

Australia v Wales – KO 12:30

Match headline: Wales take on Australia for the second time in eight days following their historic warm-up win against the Wallaroos in Newport last Friday.

History: The first five meetings between the sides all took place at Rugby World Cups, with Australia winning each one. The Wallaroos claimed a sixth victory at WXV 1 last year before Wales earned their first win in dramatic fashion at Rodney Parade.

Rankings: Australia can equal their highest position of fifth with victory in Cape Town, depending on other results.

Team news and stats available via the match centre

Italy v Scotland – KO 15:00

Match headline: Defending champions Scotland take on the team they edged to the title on points difference in one of the ties of the round.

History: The Six Nations rivals know each other well having met on 25 occasions. Scotland won the last two, but the Azzurre had been victorious in 16 of the 23 matches played before that.

Rankings: Depending on the margin of victory and other results, a win for Italy could lift them to sixth and drop Scotland as low as ninth.

Team news and stats available via the match centre

WXV 3

Friday, 27 September 2024 (all matches at The Sevens Stadium, Dubai)

Spain v Madagascar – KO 19:00 local time (GMT+4)

Match headline: Madagascar play their first test outside of Africa against the team that pushed Ireland all the way in 2023.

History: Friday’s match will be the first ever meeting between the teams.

Rankings: Madagascar, the lowest ranked team in the competition, can climb one place to 24th with a win. That result would drop Spain to their lowest ever position of 14th.

Team news and stats available via the match centre

Saturday, 28 September 2024

Fiji v Hong Kong China – KO 18:00

Match headline: Fiji, the one team in WXV 3 to have qualified for Women’s RWC 2025, take on another of the competition’s debutants.

History: Hong Kong China won both of the two previous meetings. Zoe Smith scored 19 points in a 29-10 win for the Asian side in Lautoka in May 2019 and is part of the squad in Dubai.

Rankings: Fiji can move back up to 14th with victory, while a win for Hong Kong China could lift them to 15th, depending on the result of Samoa v Netherlands.

Team news and stats available via the match centre

Samoa v Netherlands – KO 20:30

Match headline: Netherlands play their first match in the competition while Samoa look for their maiden win in WXV with vital Women’s RWC qualification points up for grabs.

History: The teams’ only previous meeting came in Madrid in April 2013 as Samoa secured a 33-14 victory on their way to Women’s RWC 2014 qualification.

Rankings: Another win for Samoa would lift them above their opponents and potentially Hong Kong China too, depending on their result against Fiji. The Dutch must win by more than 15 points to improve on 16th.

Team news and stats available via the match centre