Loughborough Lightning will be well represented in the inaugural WXV competition that get underway this weekend.
The new World Rugby event has been added to the fixture calendar with the intention to increase competitiveness, reach and impact of elite women’s rugby.
Lightning have contributed 13 players across five different countries for the event that is split into three different tiers.
WXV1 consists of six nations; hosts New Zealand, Australia, England, Canada, Wales and France.
Helena Rowland, Daisy Hibbert-Jones and Cath O’Donnell have been selected by the Red Roses, Carys Williams-Morris is in the Wales squad, and Sara Svboda is representing Canada.
The second tier WXV2 also consists of six nations; hosts South Africa, Scotland, Japan, Italy, USA and Samoa.
Rachel Malcolm, Helen Nelson, Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell and Chloe Rollie are all in the Scotland squad while Bulou Mataitoga, Kathryn Treder and Hallie Taufoou are representing USA.
There is a third tier (WXV3) which consists of Ireland, Kazhakstan, Spain, Kenya, Fiji and Columbia.
Below are all of the WXV1 / WXV2 fixtures (all times are BST) which involve nations who have Loughborough Lightning players selected in their squads...
- Friday 13 October: SCOTLAND v South Africa (3.30pm)
- Saturday 14 October: USA v Samoa (1pm)
- Friday 20 October: ENGLAND v Australia (7am) and USA v SCOTLAND (1pm)
- Saturday 21 October: CANADA v WALES (4am)
- Friday 27 October: ENGLAND v CANADA (7am) and SCOTLAND v Japan (1pm)
- Saturday 28 October: New Zealand v WALES (4am) and USA v Italy (4pm)
- Friday 3 November: Australia v WALES (6am)
- Saturday 4 November: France v CANADA (3am) and ENGLAND v New Zealand (6am)
