Rugby-Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland to stage inaugural WXV 1 tournament

"We hope to see fans reignite the passion they showed for rugby and women's sport during the Rugby World Cup and to re-create the unique and exciting atmosphere that captured the imagination of the rugby world," New Zealand Rugby Board Deputy Chair Dame Farah Palmer said in a statement.

Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland will host the inaugural WXV 1 women's tournament later this year, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said on Monday. The top tier of the three-tier global women's tournament will see England, France and Wales take on the top three teams from the Pacific Fours competition, which is being contested by New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

WXV 1 will begin in Wellington on Oct. 20-21, head to Dunedin on Oct. 27-28 and finish up in Auckland on Nov. 3-4, meaning there will be some overlap with the men's World Cup in France from Sept. 8-Oct. 28. "We hope to see fans reignite the passion they showed for rugby and women's sport during the Rugby World Cup and to re-create the unique and exciting atmosphere that captured the imagination of the rugby world," New Zealand Rugby Board Deputy Chair Dame Farah Palmer said in a statement.