WXV 2024: Round two in numbers

The race for WXV 2024 silverware and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification took shape across an intriguing second round of action.

In Canada, the hosts set up a winner-takes-all finale against England after the two sides maintained their 100 per cent starts to the tournament.

Scotland and Australia will play for the WXV 2 crown in South Africa, meanwhile, as they overcame Japan and the Springbok Women respectively in round two.

Spain remain top of the WXV 3 standings in the United Arab Emirates, where Samoa also put themselves within touching distance of a ticket to Women’s RWC 2025 by beating Fiji.

Here are some of the most telling statistics behind those storylines.

WXV 1

England’s back three dazzled against the Black Ferns as Jess Breach, Ellie Kildunne and Abby Dow combined for 230 metres carried in their victory on Sunday.

Breach, who scored a hat-trick in round two, and Kildunne are now tied at the top of the try-scorers list across all three levels with four apiece and they will hope to add to their tallies against hosts Canada this weekend.

For the second week in a row, the Red Roses scored nine tries and that means they have crossed the whitewash as many times as they did in the entirety of the inaugural tournament (18).

However, as only two of those were converted the defending champions may feel they missed an opportunity to run up a record score against the Black Ferns. Had four more conversions gone over, England would have eclipsed the 56 points they managed against their great rivals three years ago.

Canada stand between John Mitchell’s side and a second successive title following a hard-fought 21-8 defeat of Ireland on Saturday.

Precisely how tough that match was is evidenced by the number of dominant tackles that were made during the 80 minutes. Courtney Holtkamp, Julia Omokhuale and Dorothy Wall each finished the match with four.

France were also required to dig deep as they recorded their first victory of the tournament. Gabrielle Vernier and Madoussou Fall each completed a WXV 1 round two-high 21 tackles.

USA try-scorer Rachel Johnson made 27 carries while the Women’s Eagles combined for 512 post-carry metres, more than any other team across all three levels last weekend.

WXV 2

It’s fair to say Australia winger Desiree Miller enjoyed herself against South Africa last weekend.

The Wallaroos flyer carried 11 times for a gargantuan 236 metres, making six line-breaks in the process and scoring her side’s fourth try.

In arguably the most open match of the weekend, there were 20 line-breaks in all with Australia making an impressive 449m post-carry.

The Springbok Women weren’t far behind either, making 371m and almost staging an improbable comeback.

Defences were rather more stringent in the opening match of the round as Italy edged to a nail-biting 8-5 defeat of Wales.

Welsh flanker Alex Callender made more carries than any other player in the second level last weekend (18) but was restricted to 31 metres by an impressive Azzurre rearguard action.

The top nine tacklers in the match were all Italian, Sara Seye leading the charts with 19 as the Azzurre completed 93 per cent of the 201 they attempted.

Scotland will play Australia in a winner-takes-all finale on Saturday, but coach Bryan Easson will hope his side can tighten up their discipline.

The defending champions conceded 14 penalties, second only to Madagascar (17) across all three levels in the second round and will know they cannot afford a repeat against the Wallaroos.

WXV 3

Hong Kong China enjoyed a round-high share of possession (62 per cent) in their historic victory against Madagascar, more than half of which came in their opponents’ 22 as they ran in six tries.

Perhaps more surprising, though, was the work in defence that Madagascar’s ‘all-court’ approach to the game necessitated.

Hong Kong China made more tackles (165) than their opponents (157), while their two flankers, captain Wai Yan Pun and Shanna Forrest, each completed a round-high 24 tackles.

Samoa will finish their third-level campaign against Madagascar on Friday, and they warmed up for that with an impressive victory against Fiji.

Manusina made 498 post-carry metres against their Pacific rivals, while number eight Joanna Fanene Lolo beat seven defenders and was ably assisted by Cassie Siataga (six) and try-scorer Linda Fiafia (five).

Spain, meanwhile, made it two wins from two in Dubai as fly-half Amalia Argudo made four line-breaks on her way to a game-high 128 metres with ball in hand.

Las Leonas full-back Claudia Peña Hidalgo wasn’t far behind as she made 122m from a third-level round-high 18 carries.

In defence, the six dominant tackles completed by Alba Capell – added to three from Zahia Perez – go some way to explain how they kept the Dutch scoreless.