Rugby World Cup 2021 is heating up following a pulsating weekend of action on New Zealand’s North Island.
On the back of a record-breaking opening weekend, the race for a quarter-final spot cranked up on Saturday and Sunday as England, Canada and New Zealand sealed their passage to the last eight.
Australia and the USA also secured their maiden victories of the tournament while Fiji won their first Rugby World Cup match ever, leaving it late to beat South Africa.
It all means the final round of the pool stage is set up perfectly. Round three will kick-off at Northland Events Centre on Saturday and conclude at Waitakere Stadium on Sunday.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?
RWC 2021 got underway at Eden Park on Saturday as France ran out 40-5 winners against South Africa in Pool C.
Laure Sansus scored two tries for Les Bleues, while Gabrielle Vernier, Emilie Boulard, Caroline Drouin and debutant Joanna Grisez each crossed the whitewash. Nomawethu Mabenge scored the Springbok Women’s only try.
England ran in 14 tries to beat Fiji 84-19 in Saturday’s second match. Claudia Macdonald crossed the whitewash four times, while Amy Cokayne (twice), Abbie Ward, Helena Rowland, Zoe Aldcroft, Lydia Thompson (twice), Abby Dow, Leanne Infante and Connie Powell also scored.
Fiji, who only trailed 24-14 at half-time, scored three tries, through Alowesi Nakoci, Sesenieli Donu and Lavena Cavuru.
In the final match of day one, the Black Ferns recovered from going 17-0 down to beat the Wallaroos 41-17.
Tries from Bienne Terita (two) and Ivania Wong gave Australia a three-score lead after 28 minutes, but the hosts hit back before half-time through Joanah Ngan-Woo and Portia Woodman.
Woodman completed her hat-trick in the second half, while Awhina Tangen-Wainohu and Ruby Tui (twice) also scored.
On Sunday, the action switched to the Northland Events Centre in Whangārei, where Italy ran in four tries to beat the USA 22-10 in Pool.
The USA took the lead through Hallie Taufoou but went into half-time 7-5 behind following Vittoria Minuzzi’s converted try. Aura Muzzo and Jenny Kronish then traded efforts, before tries from Muzzo and Maria Magatti in the final quarter confirmed a bonus-point win for the Azzurre.
Canada lead the way in Pool B on points difference from Italy, after an Emily Tuttosi hat-trick helped them to a 41-5 win against Japan in Whangārei.
Paige Farries, Brianna Miller (twice) and Mikiela Nelson also crossed for the Canadians, while Japan’s sole riposte came in the sixth minute through Maki Takano.
The opening weekend of RWC 2021 drew to a close in dramatic fashion as Keira Bevan’s 86th-minute penalty gave Wales an 18-15 victory against Scotland in Pool A.
When Megan Gaffney crossed for her second, and Scotland’s third try of the match with less than two minutes remaining, the scores were tied at 15-15.
However, there was still time for the 14 players of Wales to march downfield and win the penalty that Bevan so calmly stroked through the posts.
READ MORE: WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE OPENING WEEKEND Round two
Scotland suffered a second narrow defeat in succession as Australia kicked-off round two with a 14-12 win in Whangārei.
The Wallaroos found themselves 12-0 down at half-time at the Northland Events Centre as Lana Skeldon’s ninth-minute score was supplemented by a penalty try.
However, Australia ran in two tries of their own in the second half, through Bienne Terita and Ashley Marsters, which crucially were both converted by Lori Cramer.
Marsters and fellow hooker Adiana Talakai were both sent off late on but the Wallaroos held on for a victory that moved them up to second in Pool A.
Next up in Whangārei, the USA ran in four second half tries to secure a bonus-point 30-17 win against Japan and kickstart their own RWC 2021 campaign.
Japan led 5-3 at half-time thanks to Megumi Abe’s early try and took a 10-8 lead early in the second half as Joanna Kitlinski and Hinano Nagura traded tries.
Alev Kelter, Elizabeth Cairns and Jennine Detiveaux each crossed the whitewash in a 15-minute period for the Women’s Eagles, however, to seal the bonus point and render Komachi Imakugi’s late try no more than consolation for the Sakura 15s.
Matchday three came to a close with a hard-fought 13-7 victory for England against France, which secured the Red Roses’ place in the quarter-finals.
Les Bleues lost Laure Sansus and Romane Ménager to injury in a gripping first half in which the Red Roses built a 10-0 lead thanks to Emily Scarratt’s 24th-minute try, which she converted, and a penalty.
Scarratt added her second penalty midway through the second half to give England a 13-0 lead. France responded soon after as Gaëlle Hermet dotted down but were unable to breach the Red Roses defence again.
On Sunday, Canada recovered from conceding in the opening minute to secure a bonus-point 22-12 defeat of Italy and their place in the quarter-finals.
Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi scored a stunning solo try with less than 60 seconds on the clock but Canada led at half-time thanks to tries from Paige Farries and Emily Tuttosi.
Sara Kaljuvee and Tuttosi added further scores after the break before Elisa Giordano gave the Azzurre something to cheer with a try in the final two minutes.
There was much to celebrate for the majority of the sold-out Waitakere Stadium as hosts New Zealand ran in 10 tries to beat Wales 56-12 in Auckland.
Chelsea Bremner, Portia Woodman (two), Sylvia Brunt (two), Maia Roos, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Krystal Murray, Mastercard Player of the Match Ruahei Demant and Ruby Tui each crossed the whitewash for the Black Ferns.
Wales’ replies came from Ffion Lewis on the stroke of half-time and Sioned Harries.
History was made in the final match of round two as Fiji secured a first-ever Rugby World Cup win, securing a nail-biting 21-17 defeat of South Africa at Waitakere Stadium.
Fijiana led 14-7 at half-time as Ilisapeci Delaiwau and Akanisi Sokoiwasa scored either side of Zintle Mpupha’s try for the Springbok Women.
South Africa levelled the score when Aseza Hele touched down and then took the lead when Libbie Janse van Rensburg landed a penalty with less than two minutes to go. However, there was still time for Fiji to break upfield and score the match-winning try through Karalaini Naisewa.
READ MORE: WHAT WE LEARNED FROM ROUND TWO WHEN WILL THE THIRD ROUND BE PLAYED? The next round of RWC 2021 fixtures will be played on 22 October and 23 October at the Northland Events Centre in Whangārei and Auckland’s Waitakere Stadium.
Saturday’s action will kick off at 14:15 local time (GMT+13) when Australia and Wales meet in Pool A, with the winner guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals.
Hosts New Zealand then take on winless Scotland in Pool A before France face Fiji in Pool C, with a guaranteed quarter-final spot the prize for the victor.
On Sunday, winless Japan meet Italy in Pool B at 12:45 local time (GMT+13) in the opening match at Waitakere Stadium.
The action continues with a North American derby between Pool B leaders Canada and the USA, while the pool stage will come to a close when England take on South Africa in Pool C.
WERE THE TEAMS GIVEN AN OFFICIAL WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND? Yes. On Monday, 3 October, the 12 competing teams, match officials and global rugby family were officially welcomed to the country by Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor-General of New Zealand, at a ceremony in Auckland.
Kiro said: “It’s an honour to welcome rugby’s finest wāhine toa (women champions) from around the world to Aotearoa (New Zealand) for this hugely anticipated Rugby World Cup.
“I know the wonderful communities in Auckland and Whangārei will get behind the games and make this a World Cup to remember.”
Hosted by broadcaster Rikki Swannell, the ceremony began with an official cultural welcome to the teams, before the captain of each side and a representative of the match officials was invited onto the stage and presented with a participation medal and cap.
New Zealand co-captain Ruahei Demant said: “It’s a huge honour for us to host this tournament, it’s very special. Thinking back to 2011 when we hosted the men’s World Cup and how much that inspired the nation, we hope that this World Cup can do the same for many New Zealanders and that our country can get out and support the teams.”
England captain Sarah Hunter said: “It’s special to be here. We’ve been waiting a long time and the welcome we’ve had has been absolutely incredible. Hearing that over 30,000 fans are coming to watch on the opening day is incredible and thanks to the work that’s gone on in New Zealand to get behind this tournament so we can showcase just how ready we are to play. Every team is ready to go and we can’t wait for that opening day on Saturday.”
Fiji captain Sereima Leweniqila said: “We are grateful to be here. It has been a journey, we’ve been through some tough times just to be here so we are just grateful and ready to get out there.”
WHERE IS RWC 2021 BEING PLAYED? RWC 2021 kicked off at the iconic Eden Park on 8 October, when South Africa played France in Pool C. Following that match, England faced Fiji before cross-Tasman rivals New Zealand and Australia brought the curtain down on matchday one.
Attention then switched to the Northland Events Centre the following day and the stadium in Whangarei will host nine matches during the pool stage and the first two quarter-finals on 29 October.
Six pool stage matches will be played at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland, which will also stage the second two quarter-finals on 30 October.
Both semi-finals on 5 November and the bronze final and final a week later will all be played at Eden Park.
HOW MANY TEAMS HAVE QUALIFIED? Seven teams made sure of their place in New Zealand with their performance at RWC 2017, including the hosts, who won the tournament in Belfast.
Runners-up England, France, the USA, Canada, Australia and Wales also made sure of qualification in Ireland.
Four further teams – Japan, Fiji, Italy and South Africa – booked their tickets to New Zealand through regional qualifying, while Scotland became the 12th and final nation to confirm their place when they won the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai earlier this year.
HOW WILL RWC 2021 BE WON? The 12 competing nations have been drawn into three pools, with the pool-stage matches being played across six matchdays between 8-23 October.
Whoever finishes first and second in each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the two best third-placed teams.
The quarter-finals will be played on 29 and 30 October, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals, which will both be played at Eden Park on 5 November.
Seven days later, the eyes of the rugby world will once again be on the famous stadium in Auckland as the destiny of the trophy is decided.
