Records and statistics of the Women's Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup records have been accumulating since the first Women's Rugby World Cup tournament was held in 1991, though these have only been officially sanctioned since 1998, with retroactive acknowledgement given to the two prior tournaments in 2009.^[1]

Tournaments

Ed.	Year	Host	First place game			Third place game			Num. teams
Ed.	Year	Host	Champion	Score	Runner-up	Third	Score	Fourth	Num. teams
1	1991	Wales	United States	19–6 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff	England	France	Shared^[2]	New Zealand	12
2	1994	Scotland	England	38–23 Edinburgh Academicals, Edinburgh	United States	France	27–0 Edinburgh Academicals, Edinburgh	Wales	12
3	1998	Netherlands	New Zealand	44–12 NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam	United States	England	31–15 NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam	Canada	16
4	2002	Spain	New Zealand	19–9 Olympic Stadium, Barcelona	England	France	41–7 Olympic Stadium, Barcelona	Canada	16
5	2006	Canada	New Zealand	25–17 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton	England	France	17–8 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton	Canada	12
6	2010	England	New Zealand	13–10 Twickenham Stoop, London	England	Australia	22–8 Twickenham Stoop, London	France	12
7	2014	France	England	21–9 Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris	Canada	France	25–18 Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris	Ireland	12
8	2017	Ireland^[3]	New Zealand	41–32 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast	England	France	31–23 Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast	United States	12
9	2021^[4]	New Zealand	New Zealand	34–31 Eden Park, Auckland	England	France	36–0 Eden Park, Auckland	Canada	12
10	2025	England	To be determined	Twickenham Stadium, London	To be determined	To be determined	Twickenham Stadium, London	To be determined	16
11	2029	Australia	To be determined			To be determined			16
12	2033	United States	To be determined			To be determined			16

Team records

Team Summaries

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Total top 4
New Zealand	6 (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021)	–	–	1 (1991)	7
England	2 (1994, 2014)	6 (1991, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021)	1 (1998)	–	9
United States	1 (1991)	2 (1994, 1998)	–	1 (2017)	4
Canada	–	1 (2014)	–	4 (1998, 2002, 2006, 2021)	5
France	–	–	7 (1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2021)	1 (2010)	8
Australia			1 (2010)		1
Wales	–	–	–	1 (1994)	1
Ireland	–	–	–	1 (2014)	1

Titles

Most titles won
Titles	Team	Tournaments
6	New Zealand	1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021
2	England	1994, 2014
1	United States	1991

Tournament win rate

Win rate	Team
75%	New Zealand
22%	England
11%	United States

Most semi-finals

App	Team	Tournaments
9	England	1991, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2021
8	France	1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2021
7	New Zealand	1991, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021
5	Canada	1998, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2021
4	United States	1991, 1994, 1998, 2017

Participating Nations

Team	1991	1994	1998	2002	2006	2010	2014	2017	2021	2025	2029	2033
Australia	–	–	5th	7th	7th	3rd	7th	6th	6th	Q	Q
Brazil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	e	Q
Canada	5th	6th	4th	4th	4th	6th	2nd	5th	4th	Q
England	2nd	1st	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	Q
Fiji	–	–	–	–	–	w	–	e	9th	Q
France	3rd	3rd	8th	3rd	3rd	4th	3rd	3rd	3rd	Q
Germany	–	w	14th	16th	–	e	–	–	–	–
Hong Kong	–	–	–	e	e	e	e	12th	w	e
Ireland	–	7th	10th	14th	8th	7th	4th	8th	e	Q
Italy	8th	w	12th	12th	–	e	e	9th	5th	Q
Japan	11th	8th	–	13th	e	e	e	11th	12th	Q
Kazakhstan	–	9th	9th	11th	11th	11th	12th	–	e	e
Netherlands	7th	w	13th	15th	–	e	e	e	e	e
New Zealand	3rd	w	1st	1st	1st	1st	5th	1st	1st	Q
Russia	11th^[a]	11th	16th	–	–	e	e	e	e	–
Samoa	–	–	–	9th	10th	e	11th	–	w	Q
Scotland	–	5th	6th	6th	6th	8th	e	e	10th	Q
South Africa	–	–	–	–	12th	10th	10th	–	11th	Q
Spain	6th	w^[b]	7th	8th	9th	e	9th	10th	e	Q
Sweden	10th	10th	15th	–	–	12th	e	–	–	–
United States	1st	2nd	2nd	5th	5th	5th	6th	4th	7th	Q		Q
Wales	9th	4th	11th	10th	–	9th	8th	7th	8th	Q

^ as Soviet Union
^ replaced by Scottish Students

Q = nation qualified for Final Tournament not yet played
w = nation withdrew from (final) Tournament
e = nation eliminated in qualifying stage and did not reach Final Tournament
– = nation did not enter competition.

Most appearances

App	Team(s)
9	Canada, United States, England, France
8	Wales, New Zealand
7	Ireland, Australia
6	Spain, Scotland, Kazakhstan

4 teams have appeared in every World Cup; Canada, England, France and the United States.
A number of teams withdrew from the 1994 competition after the IRB (now World Rugby) withdrew support, including hosts Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Further the dissolution of the USSR led to separate Kazakhstan and Russian sides participating.

Points

Most overall points by teams using pool scoring system
Pool Points	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	W%	TB	LB
178	New Zealand	39	36	0	3	1,794	320	+1,474	92.31	32	2
174	England	44	36	1	7	1,567	467	+1,100	81.82	26	2
144	France	44	30	0	14	1,167	495	+672	68.18	20	4
127	Canada	45	25	2	18	1,082	730	+352	55.56	19	4
124	United States	42	26	0	16	1,306	681	+625	65.00	19	1

Last updated: 29 April 2025

Most points by a team in a single match, and winning margin
Points	Team	Opponent	Score	Winning Margin	Tournament
134	New Zealand	Germany	134–6	128	1998
121	United States	Japan	121-0	121	1994
121	New Zealand	Hong Kong	121-0	121	2017
117	New Zealand	Germany	117-0	117	2002
111	United States	Sweden	111-0	111	1994

Player records

Points

Most overall points
Rank	Name	Team	Points	Tries	Con.	Pen.	Tournaments
1	Emily Scarratt	England	175	8	39	19	2010, 2014, 2017, 2021
2	Kelly Brazier	New Zealand	115	10	25	5	2010, 2014, 2017,
3	Magali Harvey	Canada	112	10	19	8	2014, 2017
4	Portia Woodman-Witcliffe	New Zealand	100	20	0	0	2017, 2021
5	Tammi Wilson	New Zealand	99	10	14	7	1998, 2002

Key: Con = Conversions. Pen = Penalties. Drop = Drop Goals.

Most points in one tournament
Rank	Name	Team	Points	Tournament
1	Emily Scarratt	England	70	2014
2	Annaleah Rush*	New Zealand	68	1998
3	Anne-Mieke van Waveren	Netherlands	65	1998
3	Portia Woodman	New Zealand	65	2017
5	Kendra Cocksedge	New Zealand	62	2017

* There exists a conflict in World Rugby points totals for the 1998 tournament and the tournament website suggesting 73 points for Annaleah Rush. This table defers to the World Rugby total.

Most points in a match by a player
Rank	Name	Team	Opponent	Points	Tournament
1	Magali Harvey	Canada	Hong Kong	41	2017
2	Portia Woodman	New Zealand	Hong Kong	40	2017
3	Kendra Cocksedge	New Zealand	Hong Kong	31	2017
3	Amy Westerman	United States	Japan	31	1994
5	Krista McFarren	United States	Sweden	30	1994
5	Tammi Wilson	New Zealand	Germany	30	1998

Appearances

Most appearances
Rank	Name	Team	Appearances	Tournaments
1	Gillian Florence	Canada	23	1994-2010
2	Donna Kennedy	Scotland	22	1994-2010
2	Anna Richards	New Zealand	22	1998–2010

Tries

Most overall tries
Rank	Name	Team	Tries	Tournaments
1	Portia Woodman-Witcliffe	New Zealand	20	2017–2021
2	Sue Day	England	19	1998–2006
3	Patty Jervey	United States	16	1991–2002
3	Jennifer Crawford	United States	16	1991–1998
5	Nicola Crawford	England	15	1998–2006

Most tries in one tournament
Rank	Name	Team	Points	Tournament
1	Portia Woodman	New Zealand	13	2017
2	Jennifer Crawford	United States	10	1994
3	Sue Day	England	9	2002
Minke Docter	Netherlands	1998	9
4	Nicola Crawford	England	8	1998
Vanessa Cootes	New Zealand	1998	8

Most tries in a match by a player
Rank	Name	Team	Opponent	Tries	Tournament
1	Portia Woodman	New Zealand	Hong Kong	8	2017
2	Krista McFarren	United States	Sweden	6	1994
3	Magali Harvey	Canada	Hong Kong	5	2017
	Maria Gallo	Canada	Spain		2006
	Vanessa Cootes	New Zealand	Germany		2002
	Patty Jervey	United States	Netherlands		2002
	Sue Day	England	Italy		2002
	Vanessa Cootes	New Zealand	United States		1998
	Nicola Crawford	England	Sweden		1998
	Pamela Irby	United States	Sweden		1994
	Amy Westerman	United States	Japan		1994
	Patty Jervey	United States	Japan		1994

Conversions

Most overall conversions
Rank	Name	Team	Conversions	Tournaments
1	Emily Scarratt	England	39	2010–2021
2	Kendra Cocksedge	New Zealand	28	2010–2021
3	Kelly Brazier	New Zealand	25	2010–2017
4	Annaleah Rush	New Zealand	21	1998–2002
5	Magali Harvey	Canada	19	2014–2017

Most conversions in one tournament
Rank	Name	Team	Conversion	Tournament
1	Kendra Cocksedge	New Zealand	23	2017
2	Annaleah Rush	New Zealand	21	1998
3	Tracey Comley	Wales	15	1998
3	Emily Scarratt	England	15	2014
5	Anna Schnell	Canada	14	2010

Penalty goals

Most overall penalties
Rank	Name	Team	Penalties	Tournaments
1	Emily Scarratt	England	19	2010–2021
2	Realtine Shrieves	Ireland	14	1994–1998
3	Jos Bergman	United States	11	1994–1998
4	Moira Shiels	Canada	10	1998–2002
5	Ashleigh Hewson	Australia	9	2010–2017
5	Paula Chalmers	Scotland	9	1998–2006

Most penalties in one tournament
Rank	Name	Team	Penalties	Tournament
1	Realtine Shrieves	Ireland	11	1998
2	Emily Scarratt	England	10	2014
3	Jos Bergman	United States	8	1998
	Moira Shiels	Canada		1998
	Ashleigh Hewson	Australia		2014

Drop goals

Only 5 drop goals have been recorded at Women's Rugby World Cups:

Most overall drop goals
Rank	Name	Team	Drop Goals	Tournament
1	Carla Negri	Italy	1	1991
	Amanda Bennett	Wales		1991
	Shelley Rae	England		2002
	Paula Chalmers	Scotland		2006
	Elinor Snowsill	Wales		2014

Sources

Rugby World Cup Women’s Stats Archive^[5]

References

^ "IRB press release". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013.
^ A third place match was played – won by France, probably by 3–0. However, the game can only be considered as "unofficial" as it was not part of the original tournament plan, and the result was not recorded in any official tournament reports. The game is also not included in NZRFU international records.
^ Was played in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom).
^ Taking place in 2022.
^ "Rugby World Cup Women's Stats Archive". Archived from the original on 19 June 2025.

[5] s Soviet Union

[6] replaced by Scottish Students

[1] "IRB press release". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013.

[2] A third place match was played – won by France, probably by 3–0. However, the game can only be considered as "unofficial" as it was not part of the original tournament plan, and the result was not recorded in any official tournament reports. The game is also not included in NZRFU international records.

[3] Was played in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom).

[4] Taking place in 2022.

[7] "Rugby World Cup Women's Stats Archive". Archived from the original on 19 June 2025.

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Women's Rugby World Cup
Tournaments	Wales 1991 Scotland 1994 Netherlands 1998 Spain 2002 Canada 2006 England 2010 France 2014 Ireland 2017 New Zealand 2021 England 2025 Australia 2029 United States 2033
Qualifying	1991 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2017 2021 2025 2029 2033
Finals	1991 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2017 2021 2025 2029 2033
Squads	1991 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2017 2021 2025 2029 2033
Statistics	1991 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2017 2021 2025 2029 2033
Overview	Qualification
Overall records
Related articles	Women's World Rugby Festival 1990
Notes: No qualifiers between 1991–1998; by invitation only. 2002 & 2006 Only had qualifiers for Asia, everyone else were by invitation only.

Tournaments

Team records

Team Summaries

Titles

Tournament win rate

Most semi-finals

Participating Nations

Most appearances

Points

Player records

Points

Appearances

Tries

Conversions

Penalty goals

Drop goals

See also

Sources

References