Finishing third in the 2023 Women's Six Nations would see Wales secure a spot competing against the best sides in the world in new competition WXV, which is launching later this year.
The 16-team, three-tier annual competition announced by World Rugby in 2021 is billed on “supercharging” women's 15-a-side rugby ahead of the expanded 16-team 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, for which the WXV will form a key part of the qualification process - as the top five ranked non-qualified teams at the end of WXV 2024 will qualify for the World Cup.
Last year, Wales had their best Six Nations finish in 13 years as victories over Scotland and Ireland secured them a third-place finish. Such a finish in this year's campaign would guarantee Wales a spot in the top tier of the new WXV tournament, which could see Wales play regular autumn rugby against the likes of England, New Zealand and France in preparation for the next World Cup.
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham did not downplay the significant impact that gleaning such an opportunity and potential World Cup insurance policy would reap on his squad.
“It's 100% something we're thinking about going into the Six Nations," Cunningham said. "If you get more exposure with the best teams in the world, like Canada, England, Black Ferns, France, the more exposure we get playing those teams, the more lessons we glean and we can get better. If we do really well in the Six Nations, it gives us the opportunity to compete in the top tier of the WXV where hopefully we will face those teams and that’s what we want as we prepare towards the next World Cup.”
Former Wales international turned commentator/pundit Philippa Tuttiett believes Wales’ performances in the upcoming Women's Six Nations could prove imperative in their bid to reach the 2025 World Cup, which is being staged in England.
“It definitely adds an extra dash of importance to this Six Nations for Wales,” she told WalesOnline. “The teams who finish in the top of the Six Nations get to play in the top tier of WXV. That third spot is going to be highly contested, more so than previously.”
The WXV function will essentially function as “mini World Cups", according to Tuttiett, and are set to take place during the men’s autumn international windows.
“Quite often the various women’s unions can’t afford to be flying around doing three-week tours so World Rugby has set this up, three tiers to it to give opportunities to the top 16 teams in the world,” Tuttiett said.
Tuttiett previously stated that this upcoming year represents an acid test of sorts for Wales, who recently announced that 25 players had been awarded full-time WRU contracts for this year.
“Wales are being given the best opportunity to be the best that they can be so it’s about them coming to the stage now,” Tuttiett said.
On the international stage, women’s rugby has found itself criticised for the disparity in competitiveness, with the game’s traditional powerhouses continuing to dominate. The WVX tier-system aims to address some of the imbalance, but the prospect of competing in the competition’s top flight would bring a raft of benefits.
The Women’s Six Nations tournament begins on Saturday, March 25, when Wales host Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park (2.15pm kick-off).
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