WXV 2024 – What we know with 100 days to go

The second edition of WXV kicks off in 100 days, with the first round starting on September 29.

Competition for all three levels will take place on the same weekends (September 27 – October 12), with Canada hosting WXV 1 in Vancouver, South Africa hosting WXV 2 in Cape Town and Dubai hosting WXV 3.

WXV 1 will be played at BC Place and Langley Event Centre, WXV 2 at DHL Stadium and Athlone Stadium, and WXV 3 at The Sevens Stadium.

With 100 days to go, all 18 teams have qualified for WXV, with only Wales and Spain yet to determine their level in a play-off match.

Inaugural WXV 1 winners England will join Canada, New Zealand, France, Ireland and the US at the top level, with Ireland, who won WXV 3 last year, and the US, who will compete in WXV 2 in 2023, both make their debut at the highest level.

Last year’s WXV 2 winners Scotland return to Cape Town for a second year and are once again joined by South Africa, Japan and Italy. Australia drop from WXV 1 after their last-place finish in the Pacific Four Series, with the line-up completed by the winners of the Wales-Spain play-off on June 29.

WXV 3 also returns to the same destination for a second year, this year with Fiji, Hong Kong, China, Madagascar, Netherlands and Samoa already on the roster, joined by the loser of the Wales-Spain play-off.

This year’s WXV offers the additional prize of qualifying for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup for six teams yet to secure their place.

Teams that will compete for the six RWC places are: Scotland, Italy, Australia, Wales, Spain, Hong Kong, China, Madagascar, Netherlands and Samoa.

Since Japan and South Africa have already qualified for RWC 2025, four spots will be allocated to the remaining WXV 2 teams, two of which are up for grabs in WXV 3.

With Fiji having already qualified as a result of their Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship title, it will be all to play for the remaining five teams in WXV 3 to finish on top position and take the two remaining spots.

Qualification – how each team secured their WXV place

WXV 1

England* – Guinness Women’s Six Nations Champions

Canada* – Rugby Pacific Four Series World Champions

France* – Six Nations runners-up

New Zealand* – Second place in the Pacific Four Series

Ireland* – Six Nations third place

USA* – Pacific Four Series third place

WXV 2

Scotland – Six Nations fourth place

Italy – Six Nations fifth place

South Africa* – Rugby Africa Women’s Cup Champions

Japan* – Winners of the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship

Australia – Pacific Four Series fourth place

TBD – Wales vs Spain winner

WXV 3

Fiji* – Winners of the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship

Hong Kong China – Second place in the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship

Madagascar – Second place in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup

Netherlands – Winner of a play-off with 2023 WXV 3 last place Colombia

Samoa – Second place in the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship

TBD – Loser of Wales vs Spain

*already qualified for RWC 2025