World Rugby has announced the pools for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, revealing that the two teams from the Pacific Islands will face tough challenges in England if they aim to advance to the knockout rounds.
Samoa has been placed in Pool A alongside the top-ranked hosts, England, along with Australia (ranked 5) and the USA (ranked 9). In Pool B, Fiji will compete against Canada (ranked 2), Scotland (ranked 8), and Wales (ranked 10).
Defending champions the Black Ferns are set to compete in Pool C, which also includes Ireland, Japan, and Spain. Pool D features France, Italy, South Africa, and Brazil, completing the 16-team lineup.
Each team will face all of their pool opponents over three weekends, with the top two teams based on competition points in each pool qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Samoa qualified for their first Women’s Rugby World Cup since 2014 by finishing third overall in the WXV 3 competition.
World Rugby will announce the fixtures for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, scheduled for August 22 to September 27, next Tuesday, October 22, through the tournament’s official website.
Sarah Massey, Managing Director of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, expressed excitement about the upcoming event, highlighting the importance of unveiling the match schedule, which will enable fans, host locations, and teams to begin their preparations for the tournament.