Pools Confirmed for Women's Rugby World Cup 2021

The pools have been confirmed for the women's Rugby World Cup 2021 with less than 10 months until the ninth edition of the tournament kicks off in Auckland on 18 September 2021.

Reigning champions New Zealand are set to face Australia, Wales and the Final Qualification Tournament Winner in Pool A.

Pool B sees Canada set to face USA for the first time in the pool stages of a Rugby World Cup alongside Europe 1 and Asia 1.

Rugby World Cup 2017 runners-up England are drawn in Pool C alongside bronze medallists France, South Africa and Fiji, who are set to make their Rugby World Cup debut.

Seven teams qualified directly for RWC 2021 courtesy of a top-seven finish at the last tournament in Ireland in 2017, defending champions New Zealand, runners-up England, bronze medallists France, losing semi-finalists USA, Canada, Australia and Wales.

Fiji and South Africa confirmed their places through the regional qualification process back in 2019, via the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship.

The remaining three places will be filled by a qualifier from Asia and Europe together with the winner of the Final Qualification Tournament, a first for a women’s Rugby World Cup, offering a second opportunity for teams to qualify.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont, said, “New Zealand 2021 will be one of the great Rugby World Cups. It will be a celebration of the host nation, of world-class rugby and women in rugby and it will play a huge role in inspiring more women, girls and boys to get into rugby. Today marks an important step towards that ambition. It is the day that the teams and fans have been waiting for with great anticipation, the moment the tournament truly comes alive and the final preparations begin in earnest. 2021 will be a golden year for women in rugby with the Olympics and collectively we are ready to convert that opportunity into impactful and sustainable momentum for the women’s game and the growth of the sport as a whole.”

The Rugby World Cup 2021 match schedule has not yet been announced.

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