Sports events do not come much bigger than World Cups, global exhibitions of the very best athletes giving everything to help their countries win. In women’s rugby union, however, the chance for players to represent their countries hasn’t always been available. In 1991 the first international meeting of its kind was held, but this tournament was “unofficial”, receiving no support or legitimacy from the International Rugby Board (IRB). Fewer than 4,000 fans watched the USA defeat England in the final. However, just 3 years later, the top women’s sides organised the another edition; although the tournament was held once again under the cloud of IRB indifference, the appetite for a women’s rugby union World Cup was cemented.
Fast-forward to the 2021 Rugby World Cup, and things could not look much more different. Today, World Rugby sanctions and supports the competition, and the tournament has been rebranded to exclude references to gender, in an effort to gain parity with men’s rugby. All of this could not have happened without the pioneers of those early editions in the 1990s.
Although it has been delayed by a year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 Rugby World Cup is now approaching - it will take place between 7 October and 12 November 2022, just over 20 years since the first ever women’s rugby World Cup. The event itself is being staged in New Zealand for the first time, and the first match tickets are becoming available. If you like the sound of seeing thrilling rugby clashes between the best in the business, whilst also being a part of a historic and vital sporting event, then look no further!
Opening Match Day Passes are on sale now, and they give you the chance to see 3 curtain-raising fixtures in either host city, Auckland or Whangārei. In Auckland, the iconic Eden Park will host South Africa v France, Fiji v England, and Australia v New Zealand, all on Saturday 8 October. At Whangārei’s Northland Events Centre on Sunday 9 October, USA v Italy, Japan v Canada, and Wales v Final Qualifier Winner will all be on offer. The beauty of the Opening Match Day Passes is that, even if you have to “fly-half” the way around the world to get to New Zealand, there will be 3 fantastic matches waiting for you in the same stadium, on the same day. What better way to shake off the jet-lag?
Each city’s Pass is available in 2 seating categories, General Admission Seating, and Reserved Seating, and there are discounted child tickets, as well as standard adult prices. General Admission Seating tickets permit you to take a seat anywhere in the General Admission sections, whilst Reserved Seating tickets grant you a seat in a prime viewing location, with the exact seat number based on your time of purchase. Prices in Auckland start from just NZD $20.60 (GBP £10.80) for an adult in General Admission Seating, and NZD $10.30 (GBP £5.40) for the equivalent ticket in Whangārei - an absolute steal for such a massive event!
Click here for more information on the 2021 Rugby World Cup.