A much-improved Wales overcame the Springbok Women to kick off their WXV Global Series campaign in style in Cardiff. Italy followed suit with a convincing victory over Japan, before England and Canada played out a dramatic draw in a relentless and breathless repeat of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 final.
France then overcame their own indiscipline and a half-time bus blaze to come from behind and beat Australia in Aix-en-Provence, and New Zealand ensured their first international at Edinburgh's Hive Stadium ended in a convincing victory.
Wales 50 - 19 South Africa
Wales proved too strong for South Africa, delivering one of their best first-half performances in recent years to secure a convincing 50-19 win and kick off their WXV Global Series campaign in impressive fashion.
After Kate Williams made a successful jackal inside Welsh 22, the hosts stepped up and 11 phases later, Courtney Knight pierced the line to score the opening try. Freya Bell added the extras.
Wales kept the momentum going and landed a second finish before the 10-minute mark, starting with a terrific jackal by Kelsey Jones. From a lineout, Lisa Neumann found a way to breach the Springbok Women's defence, and two plays later prop Sisilia Tuipulotu powered from the ruck to extend the hosts' lead to 14-0, thanks to another conversion from Bell.
The Springbok Women had several chances to narrow the gap but failed to make the most of two five-metre lineout driving mauls. However, their powerful scrum overturned possession and, from close range, scrum-half Felicia Jacobs dived over to get her side on the board.
It wouldn't be enough to sting Wales. Sean Lynn's side quickly recovered from the restart, and Lisa Neumann kicked it deep, with Amy Williams giving chase. The winger caught the ball and fell inches from the whitewash, allowing Seren Lockwood time and space to score her team's third. To the Boks' dismay, Lindelwa Gwala was sin-binned following a tackle from an offside position moments before the try was scored.
Maisie Davies, Jones and Neumann followed next, with Wales going to the break up 38-5. The only downside for the Welsh side was Lockwood's early departure with injury. For South Africa, the scoreline wasn't the only issue: Danelle Lochner was initially shown a yellow card five minutes before half-time, but it was ultimately upgraded to a red card.
Wales picked up where they left off after the break, with Wales celebrating beneath the posts as prop Tuipulotu crossed for her second try. The visitors had their best period of the match, producing two sensational plays that ended in tries from Maria Tshiremba and Maceala Samboya.
As the Welsh showed a few signs of fatigue, the Springbok Women took the opportunity to control possession, looking for a way back into the contest. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough to pin down the hosts, who regained momentum and added their 8th finish of the evening when Alex Callender reached the try line after a sensational carry from winger Williams.
Nothing changed until the final whistle, with Wales earning their second win under Sean Lynn. Special mentions to Keira Bevan, who, playing in an unfamiliar position, orchestrated ambitious attacking lines that kept Wales constantly on the front foot, while Williams, Callender, Tuipulotu and Neumann looked impressive throughout.
Italy 55 - 21 Japan
The colourful city of Fontanafredda provided a bright backdrop as Italy claimed a 55-21 win over Japan, building their success on a fast start in the opening five minutes. The Azzurre quickly capitalised on their first entry on the opposition's 22, with Emma Stevanin sending a stunning long cross-kick for Aura Muzzo to capture it high before grounding the ball to give Italy a five-point lead.
The Italians kept the pressure on and scored their second, this time from lock Alessandra Frangipani, who only needed to crash over after a cunning short pass from number eight Francesca Sgorbini. D'Inca punted a successful conversion, claiming the two extra points.
Shortly after, Japan made their first breakthrough: after an almost unstoppable driving maul that fell just a few metres from the line, the Sakura finally scored their opening try through flanker Nami Asari. The visitors scored again immediately after the restart, and this time the driving maul wasn't going to be denied, with hooker Asuka Kuge grounding the ball. With Maiko Nishi slotting both conversions, Japan took the lead after the first quarter.
But the hosts, feeling inspired by the massive support echoing in the Stadio Omoro Tognon, bounced back and mounted a 17-point comeback with tries from Alyssa D'Inca, Vittoria Vecchini and Giordana Duca. Japan was frequently outmatched by the Azzurre's handling speed and menacing pace, allowing the locals to reach half-time winning 31-14.
Italy needed only six minutes after the break to increase their advantage. The hosts showed patience and composure through a series of phases before Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi burst into space out wide and raced over in the corner, marking her 50th cap with a try.
Italy kept their composure and added 17 more points from finishes by back-rowers Francesca Sgorbini and Margherita Tonellotto and winger Aura Muzzo, plus a conversion landed by Beatrice Rigoni. Japan played the final 10 minutes with 14 players as Jennifer Nduka was sin-binned for a high tackle.
However, the hosts also saw Natascia Aggio yellow-carded for an illegal tackle, forcing her to watch the rest of the game from the sidelines. The Sakura got another consolation try when lock Masami Kawamura powered over the line. A much-needed victory sees Italy begin their WXV Global Series 2026 campaign on a positive note, with the 55-21 win over Japan providing momentum ahead of next week's clash with South Africa in Fontanafredda.
England 26 - 26 Canada
Canada’s tighthead prop DaLeaka Menin scored a brace as England’s long winning run came to an end in Exeter – but they remain unbeaten in 40 matches after an entertaining, all-action match against Canada ended in a draw.
The two sides went into the break at Sandy Park tied at 19-19 after a pulsating 40 minutes of rugby in which both sides were not afraid to move the ball quickly and challenge the opposition defence, scoring three tries each – and having one more apiece chalked off.
And they were still tied at 26-26 as an equally enthralling second period entered the final quarter and fans braced for a ferocious final 20 minutes.
Canada’s number eight Lizzie Gibson had been first on the board, powering over in the sixth minute of the match after a patient series of attacks from close range.
But the visitors’ lead did not last long. As England’s forwards folded repeated attacks on Canada’s line, Zoe Harrison spotted Claudia Moloney-MacDonald hovering with intent out wide. One long pass later, and the winger was over in the corner.
Menin – later named player of the match following an 80-minute performance in a relentless match – scored the first of a personal double soon after. More patient attack following a lineout deep in England territory got Canada close and the front row was unstoppable from a metre out.
As, five minutes later, was Red Roses’ loosehead Hannah Botterman, who twisted and forced her way over next to the posts to level the scores.
Both Moloney-MacDonald and Asia Hogan-Rochester had what would have been brilliant touchdowns chalked off before the England winger carved an Emily Scarratt-patented line for her second of the day to take the home side into the lead for the first time.
Last week, Australia became the first side in six years to lead the Red Roses at the break – Canada could not quite manage to repeat that trick, but Menin’s second on the stroke of half-time meant the two sides went in level. The first half had flown by.
Hooker Bryony Field scored her second test try in just her second international to give England the lead again 14 minutes what had already built into an equally intense second period. But Canada were far from done. Out of nowhere the inspirational Sophie de Goede charged up the wing and released Olivia Apps to score the try that brought them level again on the hour.
With less than 10 minutes to play, England were camped on Canada’s line, loading and reloading under penalty advantage. But the visitors’ defence held firm. The two sides had played one another to a standstill, and neither had the energy for one final winning effort. A draw was the fairest result. But it was the least wanted one. But it sets up October's two remaining WXV Global Series matches between the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 finalists perfectly.
France 29 - 26 Australia
Teani Feleu’s third international try five minutes from time completed a remarkable comeback for an indisciplined France as they came from behind to beat Australia in dramatic fashion, despite picking up five cards and at one point being temporarily reduced to 11.
Feleu, playing in her preferred centre position, burst through the Australian defence’s soft shoulder to score the crucial try as Les Bleues’ lived up to captain Pauline Bourdon Sansus’s on-camera halftime promise.
“We’re making a comeback – we’re not giving up! It’s up to us to get back on track,” Bourdon Sansus had told French broadcaster France 2 at the break of a dramatic encounter, when her side were - somehow - just seven points adrift of their opponents.
Referee Holly Wood had dished out cards to four France players in the space of five first-half minutes. Prop Ambre Mwayembe was the first to go off for a dangerous tackle in the lead up to Australia’s first try, for booker Brittany Merlo. A bunker review upgraded Mwayembe’s sanction to a 20-minute red.
Four minutes later, in quick succession, flanker Léa Champon and winger Léa Murie were both yellow carded for high tackles – reviews this time held the yellow sanction. And second-row Cloé Correa was shown a straight red for putting her hands in the face of an Australian player in a maul.
With Les Bleues down to 11, replacement hooker Tania Naden – on for Merlo, who had suffered a concussion – scored Australia’s second, and full-back Caitlyn Halse added their third shortly before the half-hour.
As the first half drew to a close and France slowly returned to 14 players, they scored twice through Anaïs Grando and Émilie Boulard to cut Australia’s lead to seven points at the interval.
The Wallaroos started quickest after a delayed restart because of a bus fire just outside the ground – Piper Duck extended their lead with nine minutes of the second-half played.
France thought they had cut the deficit again when Elisa Riffoneau went over a few minutes later, but replays showed she dropped the ball over the line. But captain Pauline Bourdon Sansus would not be denied moments later, sniping over after Boulard had got to within a metre.
With less than 25 minutes left on the clock, Australia found themselves down to 14, when second-row Michaela Leonard was sin-binned for a high tackle – it would stay yellow on review. France’s Charlotte Escudero followed Leonard to the sidelines a few minutes later, the fifth player to be sanctioned for another high tackle. Her card, too, was not upgraded.
Riffoneau’s second, with 13 minutes left, pulled France back to within two points before Feleu’s touchdown settled the match.
Scotland 14 - 66 New Zealand
New Zealand claimed their second WXV Global Series win in a week as they proved too strong and too slick for a dogged Scotland in their first international in Edinburgh.
The Black Ferns scored six tries in the first half at Hive Stadium and a further four in the second – with tighthead Mo’omo’oga Palu bursting clear from 15m out to get the scoring started with barely two minutes on the clock.
Second-row Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu joined her tight-five team-mate on the scoreboard six minutes later, powering over from close range after great work by her front-row colleagues to get close.
Scotland’s Evie Gallagher narrowed the deficit with the first of her two first-half touchdowns early in the second quarter. But it wasn’t long before New Zealand were back on the attack.
Wing Justine McGregor streaked clear to finish off a move that swept from left to right after 26 minutes, flanker Elinor-Plum King benefited from a Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a break three minutes later, and fellow loose forward Layla Sae consolidated their advantage with five minutes left on the first-half clock, shortly after Gallagher’s second.
And there was still time before the break for Amy Du Plessis to add her name to the scoresheet.
They got back into the scoring habit early, replacement Amarante Sititi scoring two minutes after the restart. Scrum-half Tara Turner added five more points three minutes later to bring up New Zealand’s half-century of points and Sae scored her second before the second half was 10 minutes old.
Dogged Scotland defence stemmed the flood of points – but they could not prevent Alena Saili touching down with the clock in the red to complete the scoring.
