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Latest News
WR_RWC 2021_Family Reunion_Welcome home_1920x1080

Rugby World Cup 2021

Match-day tickets go on sale for Rugby World Cup 2021 as fans urged to join the ‘Family Reunion’

With 100 days to go, rugby fans from all over the world can now buy their tickets to rugby’s much anticipated ‘family reunion’ at Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand.
Wed 29 June, 2022
· 3 min read
CANON 2021 2023

Rugby World Cup

Canon joins the Rugby World Cup commercial family for New Zealand 2021 and France 2023

World Rugby and Canon have announced an extension of their association that will see the leading technology brand become a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand and Official Imaging Supplier of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.
Mon 27 June, 2022
· 3 min read
Women's Rugby World Cup 1991 - USA celebrate

Rugby World Cup

Selling cucumbers, sleeping on the floor and sending invites over fax: The origins of the first women’s Rugby World Cup

Deborah Griffin, World Rugby Council representative and co-organiser of the first ever women’s Rugby World Cup, explains the trials and tribulations behind organising the first tournament 31 years ago.
Sun 26 June, 2022
· 7 min read
New Zealand v USA - 2022 Pacific Four Series

Rugby World Cup 2021

Rugby World Cup 2021: Who and when the Pacific Four Series teams will play in New Zealand

Following an exciting World Rugby Pacific Four Series we take a look at the pool stage fixtures to see what awaits Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA.
Thu 23 June, 2022
· 3 min read
WRWC 2017 Aya Nakajima 8/8/2017

Coaching Internship Programme

Aya Nakajima excited to continue her journey with Rugby World Cup 2021 Coaching Internship Programme

We caught up with the former Japan second-row, who will travel to New Zealand as part of the Sakura 15s coaching staff.
Mon 20 June, 2022
· 3 min read
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05:56 mins

Match Highlights - Scotland v Colombia

RWC 2021 Final Qualification Tournament
Fri 25 February, 2022
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12:29 mins

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It all comes down to this! 🏉 Colombia face Scotland as both sides battle it out to secure a place at #RWC2021 Who will get the final Rugby World Cup ticket? 🎟️ #LastChanceToDream 💭
Thu 24 February, 2022
Coaching Internship Programme
Wednesday 01 June, 2022
· 3 min read

Four coaches join Coaching Internship Programme

Presented By
Launched in September 2020, the Rugby World Cup 2021 Coaching Internship Programme (CIP) is already paying dividends.
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Whitney Hansen’s (main picture) recent promotion to assistant Black Ferns coach sends out a hugely positive message to the latest group of Rugby World Cup 2021 coaching interns of the possibilities available to them moving forward.

Now their respective countries have confirmed their qualification for the tournament in New Zealand, Lailanie Burnes (Fiji), Michela Tondinelli (Italy), Aya Nakajima (Japan) and Claire Cruikshank (Scotland) will join the initiative first launched by World Rugby back in September 2020.

All four have previously experienced the Rugby World Cup as players – as far back as the inaugural tournament in 1991 in Tondinelli’s case – but can now look forward to seeing how events unfold through a different pair of eyes as interns in their respective national coaching set-ups.

🗣️ "I’m excited to go on a year-long journey of helping to prepare a team for a World Cup campaign."

Former #RedRoses player @AmyRTurner2 has been selected for the @WorldRugby coaching internship programme 🙌

Find out more 👇#RWC2021 #UKCoachingWeek2020

— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) September 18, 2020

Burnes: an inspiration on and off the field

Trailblazer Burnes founded the first-ever women’s rugby club in Fiji, and many of its players can be found in the Fijiana squad. As the team’s former captain, Burnes played an active part in securing Fijiana qualification for their first-ever Rugby World Cup but now she has chosen to influence the team from the sidelines after taking the decision to hang up her boots.

Tondinelli is looking forward to a fourth Rugby World, the previous three having come in 1991, 1998 and 2002 as a player. “I hope to learn as much as possible from this programme,” Tondinelli said. “Comparing myself with the other coaches and different rugby cultures will be fantastic.”

Rio Olympian Nakajima appeared at the 15s Rugby World Cup in Ireland the following year as a second-rower and continues to play at club level while furthering her coaching career. A self-confessed lineout “nerd”, Nakajima will be responsible for the area of the game that leads to more tries than any other while in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, a knee injury sustained at Rugby World Cup 2006 restricted Cruikshank’s international career to five Scotland caps. During rehab, Cruikshank tried her hand at coaching for the first time, helping the junior teams at her club, Murrayfield Wanderers, and hasn’t looked back since, gaining international experience with the Sweden women’s national team.

In addition to Hansen, Inge Visser (Australia), Maria Gallo (Canada), Amy Turner (England), Laurian Johannes-Haupt (South Africa), Kate Daley (USA), Sophie Spence (Wales) and Celine Allaimat and Gaëlle Mignot (both France) have developed their leadership skills through the programme.

Climbing the coaching ladder

For all of the interns, Rugby World Cup 2021 is an invaluable opportunity to further their coaching education, especially Hansen now that her role is very much ‘hands-on’.

The Christchurch native is part of a new-look Black Ferns coaching team headed up by former All Blacks coach, Wayne Smith. Manawatu’s Wesley Clarke is a fellow assistant coach with a wealth of experience, while world-renowned scrum guru, Mike Chron, and Rugby World Cup-winning coach, Graham Henry, will impart their knowledge in supporting roles.

Like Hansen, Canadian Gallo is currently assistant coach of the country’s women’s national team, while Australia’s Visser is going places after being accepted onto the inaugural Women’s Sport Leadership Academy for High Performance Coaches.

England’s Turner is another visibly reaping the benefits of the Coaching Internship Programme, which was designed to support the development of female coaches in line with the target to have women fill at least 40 per cent of all coaching roles at Rugby World Cup 2025, hosted by England.

Since becoming one of the first participants in the CIP, the former police officer has worked with World Rugby Coach of the Year 2021 Simon Middleton and his Red Roses coaching staff during a period of almost unprecedented success for the team.

Due to the postponement of Rugby World Cup 2021 by 12 months, Turner has juggled the internship with her responsibilities as England women’s U20 coach, working with potential stars of the future – ones she may coach one day as head coach of the Red Roses if her career continues to take an upward trajectory.

The same applies to Johannes-Haupt who became the first female to take charge of a South African national team when she was appointed as the Women’s U20 coach last May.

Rugby World Cup 2021 promises to be a tournament that creates new memories on a number of levels, not least for the coaching interns involved.

Related News
Maria Gallo of Canada at RWC 2006

RWC 2021

Maria Gallo: a fearless ambassador for the women’s game

Former Canada winger and assistant women’s 15s coach, Maria Gallo, hopes World Rugby’s Coaching Internship Programme will help eradicate the misconception in some quarters that rugby is “a man’s world”.
Mon 21 September, 2020
· 4 min read
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