2021 in numbers: Statistics behind a thrilling year of women’s international rugby
As the clock ticks down to New Year’s Eve, we have run the rule over the past 12 months of women’s international sevens and 15s rugby to unearth some standout statistics.
England have dominated the test landscape, with coach Simon Middleton and second-row Zoe Aldcroft scooping World Rugby Awards, while the Black Ferns Sevens secured New Zealand’s first Olympic sevens gold medal.
These are the numbers behind what has been a brilliant year of women’s rugby…
2 – Isabel Arzuaga scored two tries and as many penalties as Colombia beat Kenya 16-15 in Nairobi in August to secure their place at the Rugby World Cup 2021 Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai in February.
3 – tries scored by Rhona Lloyd during the RWC 2021 Europe Qualifier to help Scotland claim second place and a trip to the Final Qualification Tournament.
Aldcroft. All Class. ⭐️
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) December 10, 2021
And the new Women's 15s Player of the Year in association with @Mastercard... @zoealdcroft_ | #WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/r0t3xShwKa
8 – World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard Zoe Aldcroft started all eight of England’s matches in 2021. Aldcroft captained the Red Roses for the first time during their 89-0 defeat of the USA in November, marking the occasion with a try.
10 – HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series matches Australia have won in a row since the Tokyo Olympic Games, winning back-to-back tournaments in Dubai.
14 – Anne-Cécil Ciofani, World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC, scored seven tries to help France qualify from the Olympic Repechage tournament and then added another seven at Tokyo Stadium as Les Bleues won the silver medal.
16 – points scored by Sophie De Goede as Canada beat USA twice in four days to win the inaugural World Rugby Pacific Four Series title.
18 – England finished 2021 on an 18-match winning run having recorded back-to-back record victories against the Black Ferns before beating Canada and the USA. Simon Middleton’s side also won the Women’s Six Nations in 2021.
39 – points scored by Emily Scarratt as England won the Women’s Six Nations, including five in the final as the Red Roses beat France 10-6.
40 – Fijiana Reapi Ulunisau top-scored at the Tokyo Olympic Games with eight tries and 40 points in six appearances. Ulunisau became the first Fijian to score four tries in one Olympic match and crossed the whitewash for the eighth and final time in the bronze medal victory against Great Britain.
68 – points scored by Sharni Williams as Australia began the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022 with back-to-back victories in Dubai.
79 – points scored by Italy as they won the RWC 2021 Europe Qualifier to book their ticket to the showpiece tournament in New Zealand. The Azzurre scored 12 tries in their three matches against Scotland, Ireland and Spain, while conceding only four.
96.26 – World Rugby Women’s Rankings powered by Capgemini rating points England will finish 2021 on. New Zealand are second on 88.58, with France third (88.43) and Canada fourth (88.15).
172 – points scored by New Zealand as they won the country’s first Olympic sevens gold medal. The Black Ferns Sevens scored 28 tries in six matches at Tokyo Stadium.
29,581 – fans watched the Barbarian Women’s 60-5 defeat of South Africa at Twickenham on 27 November, a new world record for a standalone women’s international.