Thoughts on the one-sided results
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 9:27 am
This is the first world cup where we've got sides who've been professional for a few years, playing against amateurs largely lacking in centralised (WR) support.
Which makes it the equivalent of the 1999 men's world cup (also 4 pools of 4).
Which saw results like:
Pool A:
Scotland 43–12 Uruguay
South Africa 47–3 Spain
South Africa 39–3 Uruguay
Scotland 48–0 Spain
Pool B:
England 67–7 Italy
New Zealand 45–9 Tonga
New Zealand 101–3 Italy
England 101–10 Tonga
Pool C:
Fiji 67–18 Namibia
France 47–13 Namibia
Canada 72–11 Namibia
Pool D:
Samoa 43–9 Japan
Wales 64–15 Japan
Biggest score so far this RWC is England 92-3 Samoa; it took until 2011 before the men didn't beat that as a hammering (biggest score NZ 83 - 7 Japan), excluding purely amateur RWCs. I believe the men's record RWC score stands as Australia 142 - 0 Namibia from 2003.
Of course, none of this means that anyone has to enjoy the less-competitive matches; or the rugby itself that's on display. But please acknowledge that A] these mis-matches were all known beforehand, B] they are not unique to the women's game, and C] that the game is capable of growing beyond them.
Which makes it the equivalent of the 1999 men's world cup (also 4 pools of 4).
Which saw results like:
Pool A:
Scotland 43–12 Uruguay
South Africa 47–3 Spain
South Africa 39–3 Uruguay
Scotland 48–0 Spain
Pool B:
England 67–7 Italy
New Zealand 45–9 Tonga
New Zealand 101–3 Italy
England 101–10 Tonga
Pool C:
Fiji 67–18 Namibia
France 47–13 Namibia
Canada 72–11 Namibia
Pool D:
Samoa 43–9 Japan
Wales 64–15 Japan
Biggest score so far this RWC is England 92-3 Samoa; it took until 2011 before the men didn't beat that as a hammering (biggest score NZ 83 - 7 Japan), excluding purely amateur RWCs. I believe the men's record RWC score stands as Australia 142 - 0 Namibia from 2003.
Of course, none of this means that anyone has to enjoy the less-competitive matches; or the rugby itself that's on display. But please acknowledge that A] these mis-matches were all known beforehand, B] they are not unique to the women's game, and C] that the game is capable of growing beyond them.