Irish Women Seeded Tenth For World Cup

Ireland captain Sarah Jane Belton

Phillip Doyle’s Ireland side have been seeded tenth of twelve competing nations for the 2006 Women’s Rugby World Cup finals in Edmonton, Canada.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has confirmed the seedings, pools and match schedule for the elite tournament, which will take place next autumn.

The Irish, who beat Wales in last season’s Six Nations to qualify for the World Cup, have been drawn in Pool B and will face third-seeded France on August 31, the United States on September 4 and South Africa, who are seeded eleventh, on September 8 in the preliminary stages.

The event, which will showcase the women’s game as the fastest growing women’s team sport in the world, will be played from August 31 through to September 17, 2006.

The final will take place at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

The New Zealand Black Ferns are once again favourites to take the trophy home, having won the 2002 title in Barcelona, Spain. Four years ago, Ireland finished 13th overall of sixteen nations, thanks to wins in their final games over Germany (18-0) and Japan (23-3).

Meanwhile, the 2005/06 IWRFU Interprovincial Championship gets under way tomorrow (Saturday). Reigning champions Munster, who have won the title for the past four seasons, begin with a home tie against Ulster at Shannon RFC’s Coonagh ground (2.30pm), while Leinster clash with Connacht at Old Belvedere RFC, Dublin (2.00pm).

2006 WRWC Seedings:

(1) New Zealand (Champions, 2002 WRWC), (2) England (Runners-Up, 2002 WRWC), (3) France (Third, 2002 WRWC), (4) Canada (Fourth, 2002 WRWC), (5) Scotland, (6) United States, (7) Australia, (8) Spain, (9) Kazakhstan, (10) Ireland, (11) South Africa, (12) Samoa