Rugby · Level 10: Professional · Sub-level 10.5
The Women's Game Today
10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown
Women's rugby at the top runs through the World Cup, first held in Wales in 1991, when the USA won. The early tournaments were recognised officially only later; England took their first title in Scotland in 1994, and the 1998 event was held in Amsterdam. New Zealand's Black Ferns then won in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017 and 2021, with the Belfast final of 2017 and the pandemic-delayed 2021 tournament, won 34-31 at Eden Park in 2022. England's Red Roses, with RFU contracts and players such as Scarratt and Hunter, won again in Paris at France 2014 and lifted their third title at home in 2025, beating Canada 33-13 at Twickenham before 81,885 people, a record crowd.
The Women's Six Nations began in 2002 with Spain as the sixth team, who played until 2006 and were replaced in 2007; France won that first edition, England later had a long run of titles, and since 2022 the championship has had a standalone window. WXV adds three tiers, WXV 1, 2 and 3, for sixteen teams in the autumn window. Professional and semi-professional leagues have grown: PWR in England, which replaced the Premier 15s, Élite 1 in France, Super W in Australia and the Farah Palmer Cup in New Zealand.
The facts below cover these competitions, the Pacific Four of Australia's Wallaroos, New Zealand, the USA's Women's Eagles and Canada, stars and officials such as Cocksedge, De Goede, Maher, Kabeya and Davidson, and the growing crowds and coverage.
Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.
Test 1The early World CupsTake a test
Wales 1991.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
USA 1991.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Recognised officially later.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Scotland 1994.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England's first title.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Amsterdam 1998.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A platform.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1991, 1994, 1998, 2002.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
1991, 1994, 1998.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Cardiff 1991.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 2The Black FernsTake a test
1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Black Ferns.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1998 to 2010.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Delayed by the pandemic.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
34-31 at Eden Park.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Eden Park.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Belfast final.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Four of the six.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
6, 3, 1.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Eden Park 2022.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 3The Red RosesTake a test
Red Roses.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Three titles.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
In Paris.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
France 2014.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
RFU contracts.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Scarratt.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Hunter.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1994, 2014, 2025.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Lost to New Zealand each time.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Paris 2014.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 4The 2025 World CupTake a test
England 2025.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England beat Canada.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
33-13.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England 33, Canada 13.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Twickenham.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
81,885.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Beating France.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Gold, silver, bronze, fourth.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Largest to smallest.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
33-13.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 5The Women's Six NationsTake a test
With Spain as the sixth team.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
France 2002.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Spain, 2002-2006.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Replacing Spain.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A standalone window.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England's long run of titles.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Growth.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
2002, 2007, 2022.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Most to fewest.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Spring championship.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 6WXVTake a test
WXV.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
WXV 1, 2 and 3.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Sixteen teams.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Beating New Zealand in their last match.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Regional results.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Autumn window.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
More competitive tests.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Top to bottom.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Yearly, yearly outside World Cups, four-yearly.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Three tiers.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 7The leaguesTake a test
PWR.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Premier 15s.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Élite 1.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Super W.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The Farah Palmer Cup.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Better preparation.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A global market.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Club to country.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
France, Australia, New Zealand.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
PWR.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 8Stars and officialsTake a test
Cocksedge.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
De Goede.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Maher.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Kabeya.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Davidson.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Role models.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Two stages.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Canada, England, New Zealand.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Many, two, one.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Davidson.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 9Crowds and coverageTake a test
81,885.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Growth.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Big demand.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Investment.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Growth audience.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Records.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Smallest to largest.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Commercial growth.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Record crowds.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 10The Pacific FourTake a test
Pacific Four.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Regular tests.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
2014 and 2025.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Depth and investment.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Qualification route.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Wallaroos.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Women's Eagles.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Australia, New Zealand, then North America (USA, Canada).
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
4, 6, 16.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Pacific Four.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Questions people ask
- When was the first Women's Rugby World Cup?
- In Wales in 1991, with the final in Cardiff, and the USA won. The early tournaments were recognised officially only later.
- How many World Cups have the Black Ferns won?
- Six: 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017 and 2021. The 2021 final was delayed by the pandemic and played at Eden Park in 2022, a 34-31 win.
- Who won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup?
- England beat Canada 33-13 at Twickenham in the final. It was the Red Roses' third title, after 1994 and 2014.
- What is the record crowd for a women's rugby match?
- 81,885, at the 2025 World Cup final at Twickenham.
- When did the Women's Six Nations start?
- In 2002, with Spain as the sixth team until 2006 before another side replaced them in 2007. Since 2022 it has been played in its own window.
- What is WXV in women's rugby?
- An international competition in the autumn window, with sixteen teams split into three tiers, WXV 1, 2 and 3. It brings more competitive tests.
- What is the Pacific Four Series?
- A tournament for Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada that gives them regular tests and a qualification route.
Sources
World Rugby handbooks and coaching material, union and competition records; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered Laws belong to the Laws category.
- General rugby union reference100