REIGNING CHAMPIONS AND hosts New Zealand will face Australia in a highly-anticipated opening night clash at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in September.
With Ireland’s pathway unclear as of now as Adam Griggs’ side look to seal their spot, the tournament’s schedule was released last night.
Auckland’s Eden Park will play host to a triple-header on Saturday, 18 September, with the Black Ferns and their neighbours, the Wallaroos, topping the billing after the meetings of France and South Africa, and England and debutants Fiji.
The hosts — who have won five of the eight World Cups to date, the last played on these shores in 2017 — will be hoping for a bumper crowd at the 44,000-seater stadium to kick proceedings off on a high.
Earlier in the day, Ireland could be involved should they qualify via the European qualifiers; the top European nation yet to seal their place at the 12-team, one-month competition, is due to do battle with the United States — semi-finalists last time out — at Northlands Events Centre.
Should Griggs’ side qualify down that route, they’ll then face an Asian team yet to seal their place, and Canada, in their other Pool B showdowns.
Ireland were due to compete in the European qualifier tournament against Scotland, Italy and a qualifier — either Russia or Spain — in December, but that was postponed and no date has been put in place since.
Another opportunity comes should they reach the final of the qualifier tournament and lose. They would advance to a final qualification tournament against the runners-up from Oceania, Asia and the winners of a play-off between Kenya and Colombia.
In that case of qualification, Ireland would face Wales, Australia and New Zealand in Pool A at the World Cup.
Eden Park, venue for the men’s final in 1987 and 2011, will also stage the semi-finals on Saturday, 9 October, and the final, and bronze final, on Saturday, 16 October.
With serious momentum building in New Zealand, the hope is that attendance record at a Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament will be broken.
Very exciting to see the schedule for the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) January 28, 2021
Now for Ireland to seal their spot! Here's hoping for some clarity on the calendar soon. https://t.co/b3wcX3CTZ9
“With less than eight months to go until Rugby World Cup 2021 kicks off in New Zealand, anticipation and excitement is really starting to build for fans and players worldwide,” World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said.
“There is a very real, unstoppable momentum building behind the rise of women in rugby now and 2021 will be a year like no other, providing a unique opportunity to continue to accelerate the growth and profile of the sport, as women’s rugby rightly is set to own centre stage this year.”
“We are so proud in New Zealand to be hosting the biggest women’s sporting event in the world this year,” Tournament Director Michelle Hooper added.
“It will give fans a taste of the excitement from the first kick-off and have them hooked to attend or watch every match of the tournament, in a schedule that promises to deliver an action-packed and intense competition, super-charging the women’s game globally and firing up and inspiring fans around the globe.”
New Zealand will also co-host the 2023 women’s soccer World Cup with Australia, where Vera Pauw’s Ireland will bid to reach a first-ever major tournament.
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