Women's Rugby World Cup director defends one-sided matches
Competition director Yvonne Nolan defends lopsided results at the Women's Rugby World Cup, saying fans relish seeing plenty of tries.
One-sided matches at the Women’s Rugby World Cup reflect the sport’s growth, says competition director Yvonne Nolan.
Group stage dominance
The group stage wrapped up on Sunday, with seven of the top eight teams in the world advancing to the quarter-finals. The tournament’s expansion to 16 sides led to some lopsided scorelines, including England’s 92-3 win over amateur Samoa and eight matches decided by 50 points or more.
Emerging nations make their mark
Debutants Brazil lost all three games by at least 60 points but managed to score in every outing, while Fiji recorded their first-ever World Cup win with a 28-25 victory over Wales. Nolan said these results highlight the need for more competitive opportunities between World Cups.
Looking ahead to the knockouts
Quarter-final matchups feature world number 12 South Africa against perennial champions New Zealand, and top-ranked England facing Scotland. Nolan added: “Fans never complain about too many tries; they want a bit of everything.”
The expansion has delivered both thrilling tries and clear signs of the sport’s widening global reach.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
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