Spain clinched the WXV 3 title and secured their qualification for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup with a thrilling 10-8 win over the Vodafone Fijiana team in the United Arab Emirates.
Fijiana’s full-back Luisa Tisolo had a crucial opportunity to equalize in the match’s closing moments but her conversion attempt went wide, allowing the jubilant Spanish team to celebrate their victory.
Samoa also celebrated, having qualified for their first Women’s Rugby World Cup since 2014 after defeating Madagascar 46-15 to secure at least second place in the tournament.
In another match, the Netherlands finished their first tournament on a high note, defeating Hong Kong China 33-3 to secure third place.
In the matchup between Samoa and Madagascar, the underdog African team briefly took the lead with a try from Claudia Rasoarimalala. However, Samoa quickly responded with a conversion from Cassie Siataga after scoring their own try. Despite facing two yellow cards in the first half, Samoa extended their lead through penalties and subsequent tries, ultimately dominating the match.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands, whose hopes for the Women’s RWC 2025 had already ended, performed superbly against Hong Kong China. They took an early lead with tries from Linneke Gevers and Gaya van Nifterik, and despite a late penalty from Hong Kong China, the Netherlands continued to build their dominance, securing a penalty and additional tries to conclude their campaign on a high note.
In the final match, Spain and Fiji fought fiercely for the title. Fiji opened the scoring with a penalty from Tisolo, but Spain took control of the game, culminating in a try from Alba Capell, which was converted by Zahia Perez. A late penalty kick from Perez proved essential as Fiji’s last-minute try fell short due to a miss from Tisolo.