Previous editions

New Zealand are the most successful team in women’s Rugby World Cup history, having won the title on all five occasions when they have reached the final, in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2017. England have only failed to reach the title decider once – in 1998 when they finished third – but have only lifted the trophy twice, in 1994 and 2014. The only other team to be crowned champions are USA, the inaugural champions in 1991.

The 2017 edition in Ireland extended the reach of the game around the world, clocking up a total of 45 million video views, a total reach of more than 70 million through the five match days and more than 750,000 fans from 230 countries visiting the official website.

The tournament also left a lasting impact, positively changing perceptions with Nielsen research for World Rugby finding 71 per cent who followed RWC 2017 said their attitude towards women’s rugby became more positive since seeing coverage and two thirds agreeing they would take a greater interest in women’s rugby in general.

The final was the pinnacle of the tournament, watched by a peak TV audience of 2.65 million on ITV1 in the UK – the largest ever for a women’s Rugby World Cup final. The showpiece game of Ireland 2017 did not disappoint the viewing public, or the capacity 17,115 crowd packed inside a sold-out Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

All tournaments - at a glance

RWC 1991

Host nation: Wales

Dates: 6-14 April

Pool 1 – New Zealand, Canada, Wales
Pool 2 – France, Sweden, Japan
Pool 3 – USA, Netherlands, USSR
Pool 4 – England, Spain, Italy

Twelve teams took part in the inaugural tournament in hosts Wales, Canada, England, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, USA and the USSR with the teams split into four pools of three.

England, France, New Zealand and USA progressed to the semi-finals, but it was there that the challenges of Les Bleues and the Black Ferns ended. England led 6-3 at the break in the final at Cardiff Arms Park after Gill Burns converted a penalty try, but nothing could stop USA from claiming the country’s first – and last – major trophy since the men’s team won Olympic gold in 1924, as they reeled off 19 points without reply. 

 
RWC 1994

Host nation: Scotland

Dates: 11-24 April

Pool A – USA, Sweden, Japan
Pool B – England, Scotland, Russia
Pool C – France, Ireland, Scottish Students
Pool D – Canada, Wales, Kazakhstan

To avoid clashing with the men’s Rugby World Cup as the inaugural tournament had done in 1991, the second edition of the women’s event came just three years later in Edinburgh with Kazakhstan, Ireland and hosts Scotland making their Women's RWC debuts.

Amsterdam had been due to host, but when the Dutch pulled out Scotland stepped in with three months to go and even fielded a Scottish Students side to compensate for Spain’s withdrawal and keep the 12-team line-up.©

It was evident from early on that the 1991 finalists were again the teams to beat as USA and England duly cruised to another title decider. This time, however, England exacted revenge in a hugely entertaining contest, winning 38-23.

 
RWC 1998

Host nation: Netherlands

Dates: 1-16 May

Pool A – England, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden
Pool B – USA, Spain, Wales, Russia
Pool C – New Zealand, Scotland, Italy, Germany
Pool D – France, Australia, Kazakhstan, Ireland

Four years after originally intended, Amsterdam did host a 16-team tournament which saw first appearances for Germany and Australia and the returns of New Zealand and Spain after missing the 1994 event. 

New Zealand, led by their inspirational hooker Farah Palmer, quickly emerged as the biggest threat to previous winners USA and England as the trio were joined in the last four by Canada. 

Defending champions England had been ruthless in the pool stages, as had the Black Ferns with a record 134-6 defeat of Germany, to produce the semi-final everyone wanted to see. It was a one-sided affair, though, with the 44-11 win a sign of the domination New Zealand were beginning.

USA swept aside Canada equally impressively in the other semi-final but had no answer in the title decider, Vanessa Cootes scoring four of New Zealand’s eight tries in a 44-12 victory to ensure a third champion in as many tournaments.

 
RWC 2002

Host nation: Spain

Dates:  12-26 May

Pool A – New Zealand, Australia, Wales, Germany
Pool B – France, USA, Kazakhstan, Netherlands
Pool C – England, Spain, Italy, Japan
Pool D – Canada, Scotland, Samoa, Ireland

Spain were the next hosts of a tournament that would set new standards of excellence in terms of skill and fitness. Samoa enjoyed a dream debut with a 22-0 win over Ireland, but England and New Zealand appeared destined for the final.

The Olympic Stadium in Barcelona provided a fitting backdrop for a final screened live in the middle of the night in New Zealand. The 8,000 crowd in the stands were treated to a blend of tactical awareness, gritty forward play and attacking rugby as the Black Ferns successfully defended their crown with a 19-9 victory.

 
RWC 2006

Host nation: Canada

Dates:  31 August – 17 September

Pool A – New Zealand, Spain, Kazakhstan
Pool B – England, Australia, Ireland
Pool C – France, USA, South Africa
Pool D – Canada, Scotland, Samoa

RWC 2006 broke new ground as the first tournament held outside of Europe, South Africa making their debut in Canada as the bar was raised once more by the 12 teams. It was the usual suspects in the semi-finals with France and Canada unable to prevent another New Zealand-England final.

New Zealand’s backs had taken women’s rugby onto a new level with the triumvirate of Amiria Marsh, Stephanie Mortimer and Claire Richardson in particular impressive throughout. The final was another close affair, only settled when Marsh scored in the dying minutes for a 25-17 win to give Black Ferns captain Palmer the perfect send-off.

 
RWC 2010

Host nation: England

Dates:  20 August – 5 September

Pool A – New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Wales
Pool B – England, Ireland, USA, Kazakhstan
Pool C – France, Canada, Scotland, Sweden

England welcomed the world in 2010 and invested heavily in preparations, hoping to avoid a third successive final loss to New Zealand. There were some upsets along the way with Ireland beating USA and South Africa edging Wales, while Australia made the semi-finals for the first time.

The final, played before a packed Twickenham Stoop, was a nail-biting affair and one that went right down to the wire. New Zealand had three yellow cards, but with one converted try apiece it was Kelly Brazier’s penalty that proved the difference and secured a fourth successive crown.

 
RWC 2014

Host: France

Dates:  27 July – 19 August

Pool A – England, Canada, Spain, Samoa
Pool B – Ireland, New Zealand, USA, Kazakhstan
Pool C – France, Australia, Wales, South Africa

The penultimate women’s edition of Rugby World Cup was played in the French capital and saw one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history as Ireland ended New Zealand’s 20-match unbeaten run in the tournament with a 17-14 victory, one which meant the Black Ferns missed out on the semi-finals for the first time.

Ireland joined hosts France, England and Canada in the semi-finals with a first-time finalist guaranteed. Canada became only the fourth side to reach the final after a wonder try from Magali Harvey against hosts France, but it was England who were crowned champions, 20 years on from their last triumph after a 21-9 win.

RWC 2017

Host nation: Ireland

Dates: 9-26 August

Pool A – New Zealand, Canada, Wales, Hong Kong
Pool B – England, USA, Spain, Italy
Pool C – France, Ireland, Australia, Japan

Ireland played host to the most recent edition of Rugby World Cup as Hong Kong became the 20th nation to grace the showpiece event and Japan returned for the first time in 15 years. Each side would end the pool stage in Dublin winless, however, as New Zealand, England, USA and France qualified for the semi-finals. The hosts, who had wowed fans three years earlier, were beaten 21-5 by Les Bleues in the Pool C decider and would finish the tournament eighth.

RWC 2017 headed north to Belfast for the knockout stages as the Kingspan Stadium hosted the semi-finals and final. England proved too strong for France, while New Zealand overpowered USA to set up a fourth RWC final between the sides. A record 17,115 fans watched on as a hat-trick from Player of the Match Toka Natua secured a fifth title for the Black Ferns.