Following the huge success of the men’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Japan last year, the women’s tournament in New Zealand next year is hoping to etch a significant milestone for the game.
The RWC 2021 will be the first tournament to adopt a gender-neutral naming approach after World Rugby announced last year that its flagship 15s and sevens RWC properties would no longer include gender in their titles, furthering its commitment to equality and brand consistency across its portfolio.
“We are proud that RWC has adopted a gender-neutral naming approach to its properties – a bold and important move – and we are looking forward to seeing this come to life following the unveiling of the tournament brand here in Auckland today,” said World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.
With the draw to be undertaken later this year, RWC 2021 matches will be played across three world-class venues – Waitakere Stadium, Whangarei’s Northland Events Centre and Auckland’s Eden Park.
The pool stage of the competition will be contested across three match days – Saturday 18, Thursday 23 and Tuesday 28 September – and will be hosted at Waitakere Stadium and Whangarei’s Northland Events Centre.
The quarter-finals, which are a new addition to the women’s competition for RWC 2021, will take place on Sunday 3 October at the same venues. Eden Park will host the semi-finals on Saturday 9 October before the bronze match and final on Saturday 16 October.
The dates for Rugby World Cup 2021 have been announced:
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) February 3, 2020
18 Sept – Pool matches
23 Sept – Pool matches
28 Sept – Pool matches
3 Oct – Quarter-finals
9 Oct – Semi-finals
16 Oct – Bronze match + FINAL https://t.co/DGqZbWsXmv #RWC2021 pic.twitter.com/WKlMXLMa9U
The tournament brand unveiled today was developed by World Rugby and New Zealand Rugby in close consultation with local cultural advisors. The RWC 2021 brand has the vitality and connectivity of the ocean’s waters at its heart and features the ‘Ngaru’ – a symbol of the ocean’s waves that surround New Zealand and the many shores that teams will travel from to compete in this ground-breaking tournament. Watch the brand video here.
“Women’s rugby is the single-biggest opportunity to grow the global game, and we are confident that New Zealand 2021 will be one of the great Rugby World Cups, attracting a new fan and player base for the sport.
“RWC 2021 follows a hugely successful 2017 event in Ireland which broke attendance and broadcast records, having a hugely positive impact on women’s rugby. Last year we successfully launched ‘Try and Stop Us’, a campaign that aims to drive increased participation and engagement among fans, audiences, players and investors in the women’s game.
“It is a privilege to be here in New Zealand and to see the huge amount of work that has already gone into ensuring this will be another spectacular tournament for the world’s best women’s teams,” said Beaumont.
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