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The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promotes and runs the sport, organises international matches for the England national team, and educates and trains players and officials.
The New Zealand women's rugby union team, called the Black Ferns, represents New Zealand in women's international rugby union, which is regarded as the country's national sport. The team has won six out of nine Women's Rugby World Cup tournaments.
The USA Women's National Team XVs represents the United States in women's international rugby union. The team was officially formed in 1987 and is nicknamed the Eagles.
The Wales women's national rugby union team first played in 1987. Wales plays in the Women's Rugby World Cup and the Women's Six Nations Championship.
The England women's national rugby union team, commonly known as the Red Roses, represents England in women's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Women's Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on a total of 20 out of 29 occasions – winning the Grand Slam 18 times and the Triple Crown 24 times – making them the most successful side in the tournament's history, helped by their status as the only fully professional women's team in 2019. They won the Women's Rugby World Cup in 1994 and 2014, and have been runners-up on six other occasions. Their current permanent head coach, as of October 2023, is John Mitchell.
The Canada women's national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union competitions. They are overseen by Rugby Canada, the governing body of rugby union in Canada.
The Ireland women's national rugby union team represents Ireland in international women's rugby union competitions such as the Women's Six Nations Championship and the Women's Rugby World Cup. They have also represented Ireland in the FIRA Women's European Championship. Ireland won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. In 2013 they also achieved both a Triple Crown and Grand Slam. They finished fourth in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup after defeating New Zealand in the pool stages. Ireland hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. The team was originally organised by the Irish Women's Rugby Football Union. However, since 2009, it has been organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union.
Rhian Emilie Wilkinson is a Canadian professional soccer coach and former player, who currently coaches the Wales women's national team. She was previously the head coach of Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), where she led the team to the 2022 NWSL Championship.
Stacey Bridges is a rugby union player from the United States. She made her debut for the United States on 10 August 2009. She represented the Eagles at the 2010 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup's; she was a first alternate during the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, training and traveling with the team. She played for 2 years with the USA U-20's. In her senior year of high school she was also an alternate for regionals in powerlifting.
The English women's national rugby sevens team has competed in the Hong Kong Women's Sevens tournaments since 1997. England are also one of six teams announced by the International Rugby Board as "core teams" that will compete in all four rounds of the inaugural IRB Women's Sevens World Series in 2012–13. England won the bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Joseph Oliver Launchbury is an English rugby union lock. He represents England at international level and previously played for the under-18s and under-20s before making his Test debut in 2012. Launchbury plays mainly in the second row but is also comfortable as a blindside flanker.
Top-level rugby league in 2013 centred on Australasia's 2013 NRL season and Super League XVIII. High-profile representative competitions included the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and the 2013 State of Origin series.
Rochelle "Rocky" Clark, is an English rugby union player for Saracens. She represented England at the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup tournaments.
Tamara Louise Taylor is an English female rugby union player, who captained England in the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship. She was the 2017 RPA Player of the Year when she was one of only three women who had made more than 100 appearances for her country. She is currently the fourth most capped England women's rugby union player of all time.
Sarah Alice Hunter is an English rugby union coach and retired player. She represented England at four Rugby World Cups. At the 2021 Rugby World Cup, Hunter received her 138th international cap, passing Rochelle Clark to become England's all-time most capped rugby player.
Katherine Elizabeth "Kat" Merchant is an English female rugby union player who represented her country 58 times and scored 44 tries.
Marlene Marie Packer is an English rugby union player for Saracens and England women. She was part of the winning 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup squad.
Lydia Bee Thompson is a member of the England Women's Rugby Team having made her debut in 2012. At club level, she plays for Worcester Warriors Women.
Amber Victoria Reed is an English rugby union player. She won the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup as a member of England's squad and was selected for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup squad. She currently also plays for Bristol Bears.
Sophie Spence is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Spence represented Ireland at the 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. Spence was a member of the first Ireland teams to defeat England and New Zealand. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. Spence is a British Nigerian who qualified to represent Ireland through her mother, who was originally from Lisburn, County Antrim.
References
- ↑ ChronSport (16 May 2013). "Kim Oliver retires from international rugby with England Women" . Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ↑ Bath Rugby (13 September 2012). "New Community Coach". Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ↑ Arthritis Research UK. "Sports Ambassadors" . Retrieved 30 July 2014.
