The rugby community has reached a breaking point. This week, we are taking a different approach. USA Rugby has officially released a new Competition Eligibility Policy that strictly excludes trans women from the Women’s Division, and the fallout is felt deeply across our entire sport.

Between the exhaustion of systemic misogyny at home and the horror of war abroad, from Palestine and Ukraine to Sudan, the DRC, and the current strikes on Iran, the weight of the world is heavy.

Usually, this is where we would give you the rundown of the week’s scores, from the SVNS results in Nairobi to the Red Roses’ record-breaking ticket sales. But to be honest, it feels wrong to talk about goal lines when the lines of our own community are being redrawn to exclude our teammates.

For this week, we are skipping the normal news rundown to take a beat and acknowledge this reality. If you are exhausted, you are not alone.

Read the Full News Rundown (SVNS, Six Nations, WRU Legal Battles):

🔗 https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/03/02/usa-rugby-eligibility-fallout-and-the-wrus-legal-standoff-wrr-235/

Welcome to WRR 234 for February 16-22. This week, the internal crisis at the Welsh Rugby Union reached a boiling point as community clubs officially triggered an Extraordinary General Meeting to challenge the current leadership. In a major move for the professional game, New Zealand Rugby secured a landmark collective agreement that guarantees a 36.56% revenue share for athletes and introduces significant salary floors for Super Rugby Aupiki players. Stateside, Women’s Elite Rugby announced a game-changing broadcast deal with The Women’s Sports Network to stream every 2026 match for free. Domestic league leaders are currently asserting their authority across the globe, with Saracens reclaiming the top spot in England, Stade Toulousain holding firm in France, and El Salvador remaining perfect in Spain.

Get all the week’s women’s rugby news: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/02/23/wru-egm-triggered-and-wer-partners-with-the-womens-sports-network-wrr-234/

Welcome to WRR 233 for February 9 through February 15, 2026. This week we are celebrating a massive milestone for Argentina as they claim the SVNS 2 title in Nairobi and move to the top of the international standings. We also have a major update on the 2026 Pacific Four Series, which is set to bring world-class rugby to Sacramento, Kansas City, and Chicago before a historic finale on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. Domestically, we saw league titles clinched in Hong Kong and a record-breaking opening weekend in South Africa. Plus, we are gaining serious momentum on our 20th Anniversary 10K March as we close in on our first big gear drop.Read all the week's women's rugby news: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/02/16/argentina-crowned-in-nairobi-valley-rfc-clinch-hk-title-pac4-cities-confirmed-wrr-233/

Welcome to WRR 232 for February 2-8. This week we lead with New Zealand’s back to back sevens glory in Perth and the historic sell out in Nairobi as the SVNS 2 series prepares for a massive Valentine's weekend. On the international stage, a critical report from Jo Currie and BBC Sport details the emotionally damaging experiences of Scotland’s 2025 World Cup squad, while the Welsh Rugby Union faces a potential referendum. Domestically, leagues in Wales, Ireland, France, and Canada saw clinical shutouts as we celebrate 20 years of documenting the game and continue our 10K March and race to 287 against Maddison Levi.

Read more: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/02/09/black-ferns-sevens-rule-perth-and-nairobi-svns-2-sells-out-wrr-232/

Welcome to WRR 231 for January 26 through February 1. This week we celebrated twenty years of YSC Rugby, marking two decades of dedicated coverage for the women’s game. In international news, the Black Ferns Sevens dominated the Singapore SVNS to secure their third straight title, while the Wolfhounds became the first team to officially secure a Celtic Challenge playoff spot. We also celebrated a historic domestic milestone in Japan as Yokohama TKM claimed their first ever All Japan Women’s 15s Championship. Finally, we looked ahead to a landmark Anzac Day Test and marked the successful closing of the seed round for Women’s Elite Rugby in the USA.

Get all the women's rugby news for the week: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/02/02/black-ferns-sevens-rule-singapore-and-yokohama-tkm-claim-historic-title-wrr-231/

Welcome to WRR 230 for January 12-25. Before we jump into the news, we want to acknowledge the ongoing tragedy in Minneapolis. The recent fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents are unacceptable, and we stand with the community in calling for an end to this state-sanctioned violence against its own people.

In rugby news, South Africa made history by clinching the inaugural HSBC SVNS 3 title in Dubai, meaning they qualify for the upcoming SVNS 2 Series alongside runners-up Argentina, while Fijiana successfully defended their crown at the McDonald's Fiji Coral Coast 7s. In the 15s game, Gwalia Lightning surged to the top of the Celtic Challenge, and we honor the legendary career of referee Sara Cox following her retirement announcement. On the domestic front, the stage is set for an all-Kanto final in the All Japan Championship, while Uganda has locked in its 2026 Premiership dates and Italy’s Serie A Elite sees a new leader at the summit.

Get all the week’s women’s rugby news: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/01/25/svns-2-promotion-for-south-africa-argentina-and-wales-players-threaten-strike-wrr-230/

Welcome to WRR 229 for January 5-11. This week, we celebrate a historic sweep in Spain as Colina Clinic El Salvador secures the Iberian Cup to complete their quartet of major titles. We also look at a massive financial boost for Kenya's Olympic journey and the announcement of a landmark first-ever meeting between South Africa and the Black Ferns on South African soil. In the Celtic Challenge, the Wolfhounds continue to assert their dominance by remaining undefeated through three rounds of play. Finally, we round things out with league-leading performances in the USA, Japan, Italy, and Spain as clubs fight for playoff positioning in the second half of their seasons.Read all the women's rugby news for the week: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/01/11/wrr-229/

Welcome to WRR 228 for December 8 to January 4. And we’re back! After taking a few weeks off for the holidays, we have a massive catch-up episode for you. This week, we recap a historic sweep for Thailand at the SEA Games and the high-stakes qualification SVNS 3 battle ahead in Dubai. We also cover major coaching shifts as the Black Ferns and Scotland name new leadership, while Asia Rugby faces a provisional suspension from the World Rugby Council following an investigation into governance and financial failures. In domestic news, Stirling County were crowned champions in Scotland and we look ahead to a massive 2026 global calendar.Read more women's rugby news: https://scrumhalfconnection.com/2026/01/05/thailand-sweeps-sea-games-new-coaches-for-black-ferns-scotland-and-asia-rugby-suspended-wrr-228/