Women's World Cup director defends one-sided pool games as part of growth

The director of the Women's Rugby World Cup defended a string of one-sided pool matches on Monday, saying lopsided scorelines are part of the sport's development as the tournament expanded to 16 teams for the first time.

The group stage concluded Sunday, with seven of the top eight sides in the world rankings advancing to the quarter-finals. The expansion produced some heavy results: eight of 24 group matches were decided by 50 points or more, and the widest margin came when hosts England beat Samoa 92-3.

"We are saying goodbye to eight amazing teams," competition director Yvonne Nolan said. "The World Cup is about more than knockouts and finals, but about growing the game. They have inspired a whole new wave of fans, and on the rugby side they have shown they are ready to step up." Nolan added that supporters rarely complain about high-scoring matches. "No-one ever says there are too many tries," she said. "Avid fans might want more arm wrestles, but I want a bit of everything."

Nolan pointed to specific examples of both the gap and the progress visible at the tournament. Debutants Brazil lost all three of their pool matches by at least 60 points but managed to score in every game, while Fiji recorded their first-ever World Cup victory with a 28-25 win over Wales.

The director said tournament organisers will outline plans next week to provide more competitive opportunities for lower-ranked nations between World Cups. "If we expect teams to turn up only every four years we will not see change," Nolan said. "We have seen where opportunities exist, teams can make changes and improvements quickly."

Quarter-final matchups begin this weekend, with defending champions New Zealand set to face South Africa, the lowest-ranked team remaining at 12th in the world. Top-ranked England, regarded by many as tournament favourites, will meet Scotland, a side that has faced domestic contract disputes and uncertainty over recent months.

Organisers highlighted robust spectator interest despite some one-sided games: more than 245,000 fans attended the group-stage fixtures. Nolan said attendance figures and engagement indicate the tournament is reaching new audiences even when matches are uneven, and that exposure on the world stage can accelerate development for emerging nations.

The expansion to 16 teams was intended to widen participation and help grow the sport globally. While the group-stage results underscored competitive disparities, tournament officials and national unions have pointed to the exposure and experience for smaller programmes as a necessary step toward narrowing gaps in future cycles.

Coaches and players from the eliminated teams praised the tournament experience, citing the value of international competition and the profile the event brings to rugby at home. Tournament organisers have said upcoming announcements will include initiatives aimed at increasing playing opportunities and support structures to help emerging nations improve between World Cups.

The knockout rounds will now determine the champion, while organisers and national bodies begin assessing measures to balance competitive integrity with the wider goal of global growth in women's rugby.