# 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup

The 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup was the second World Cup fully sanctioned by the sports governing body the International Rugby Board (IRB). The tournament was held in Barcelona, Spain. The format was the same as the previous tournament and again 16 nations competed.
For the first time a pre-tournament qualification match took place to decide Asia's second representative but other than that all competitors took part by invitation. 14 of the 16 teams taking part were the same as in 1998 but two lowest ranked European teams (Sweden and Russia) were replaced by teams from Asia (Japan) and Oceania (Samoa).
The competition was won by defending champions, New Zealand.

## Match Officials

Referees:
* S Cortabarria (Spain)
* G De Santis (Italy)
* Nicky Inwood (New Zealand)

## Qualifier

* 15 December 2000
| Hong Kong | 0–62 | Japan |
* Aberdeen Park, Hong Kong

## Competition format

The format was the same as the previous tournament and again 16 nations competed. The teams were divided into four pools of four teams each, according to each team's seeding.
For the first set of matches the highest seeded team played the lowest seeded team while the two mid-seeded teams played each other. After the first round of matches the positions in each pool were recalculated with the winners of the first matches in first and second places, and the losers in third and fourth places. In the second set of matches, the top two teams and the bottom two teams from each pool played each other. The final pool standings were calculated from the results of these matches to give the final four positions in each pool.
The four top teams in each of the pools went forward to contest the World Cup title. The second placed teams from each pool play for 5th position (the Plate), the third place teams for 9th (the Bowl), and the fourth placed teams for 13th (the Shield). The four teams in each of these groups are reseeded to decide who plays who at this stage of the tournament.
The two winning teams from each of these 'semi-finals' then faced each other in the 'final', whilst the losing teams played each other.

## World Cup Tournament

Although not strictly speaking a knock-out as – in theory – a team losing a game on Day 1 could still qualify dependent on results on Day 2, in practice this was a complex tournament that is best understood by means of the following graphics. Note that this should not be taken to imply that the draw for any round of games was predetermined – each successive round was drawn using seedings and rankings based on previous matches:

### Cup (positions 1–4)

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool A | 13 May 2002 – Pool A | | | | | | |
| Germany | 0 | | | | | | |
| Germany | 0 | 17 May 2002 – Pool A | 17 May 2002 – Pool A | | | | | |
| New Zealand | 117 | 17 May 2002 – Pool A | 17 May 2002 – Pool A | | | | |
| New Zealand | 117 | New Zealand | 36 | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool A | 13 May 2002 – Pool A | | New Zealand | 36 | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool A | 13 May 2002 – Pool A | Australia | 3 | | | | |
| Australia | 30 | Australia | 3 | | | | |
| Australia | 30 | | | | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | | |
| Wales | 0 | | | | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | |
| Wales | 0 | | | | New Zealand | 30 | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool B | 13 May 2002 – Pool B | | | | | New Zealand | 30 | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool B | 13 May 2002 – Pool B | | | | France | 0 | |
| United States | 87 | | | | France | 0 | |
| United States | 87 | 17 May 2002 – Pool B | 17 May 2002 – Pool B | | | | | |
| Netherlands | 0 | 17 May 2002 – Pool B | 17 May 2002 – Pool B | | | | |
| Netherlands | 0 | United States | 9 | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool B | 13 May 2002 – Pool B | | United States | 9 | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool B | 13 May 2002 – Pool B | France | 21 | | | | |
| France | 31 | France | 21 | | | | |
| France | 31 | | | | | | | 25 May 2002 – Final | 25 May 2002 – Final |
| Kazakhstan | 12 | | | | | | | 25 May 2002 – Final | 25 May 2002 – Final |
| Kazakhstan | 12 | | | | | | | New Zealand | 19 |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool C | 13 May 2002 – Pool C | | | | | | | | New Zealand | 19 |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool C | 13 May 2002 – Pool C | | | | | | | England | 9 |
| England | 63 | | | | | | | England | 9 |
| England | 63 | 17 May 2002 – Pool C | 17 May 2002 – Pool C | | | | | | |
| Italy | 9 | 17 May 2002 – Pool C | 17 May 2002 – Pool C | | | | | | |
| Italy | 9 | England | 13 | | | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool C | 13 May 2002 – Pool C | | England | 13 | | | | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool C | 13 May 2002 – Pool C | Spain | 5 | | | | | | |
| Spain | 62 | Spain | 5 | | | | | | |
| Spain | 62 | | | | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | | | | |
| Japan | 0 | | | | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | 20 May 2002 – Semi-final | | | |
| Japan | 0 | | | | England | 53 | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool D | 13 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | | England | 53 | | | |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool D | 13 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | Canada | 10 | | 3rd Place final | 3rd Place final |
| Canada | 57 | | | | Canada | 10 | | 3rd Place final | 3rd Place final |
| Canada | 57 | 17 May 2002 – Pool D | 17 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | | 25 May 2002 – 3rd Place Final | 25 May 2002 – 3rd Place Final |
| Ireland | 0 | 17 May 2002 – Pool D | 17 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | | 25 May 2002 – 3rd Place Final | 25 May 2002 – 3rd Place Final |
| Ireland | 0 | Canada | 11 | | | | | France | 41 |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool D | 13 May 2002 – Pool D | | Canada | 11 | | | | | France | 41 |
| 13 May 2002 – Pool D | 13 May 2002 – Pool D | Scotland | 0 | | | | | Canada | 7 |
| Scotland | 13 | Scotland | 0 | | | | | Canada | 7 |
| Samoa | 3 | | | | | | | | |

### Ranking matches 5–8

Teams knocked out in the Cup quarter-finals
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 |
| Australia | 17 |
| Australia | 17 | 25 May 2002 – 5th Place Final | 25 May 2002 – 5th Place Final |
| United States | 5 | 25 May 2002 – 5th Place Final | 25 May 2002 – 5th Place Final |
| United States | 5 | Australia | 30 |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | | Australia | 30 |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | Scotland | 0 |
| Spain | 16 | Scotland | 0 |
| Scotland | 23 | | |
| Scotland | 23 | 7th Place Final | 7th Place Final |
| | | 25 May 2002 – 7th Place Final | 25 May 2002 – 7th Place Final |
| | | United States | 23 |
| | | Spain | 5 |

### Ranking matches 9–16

Teams defeated in the first round of pool matches
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool A | 18 May 2002 – Pool A | | | |
| Germany | 0 | | | |
| Germany | 0 | 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | | |
| Wales | 77 | 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | |
| Wales | 77 | Wales | 35 | |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool C | 18 May 2002 – Pool C | | Wales | 35 | |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool C | 18 May 2002 – Pool C | Italy | 3 | |
| Italy | 30 | Italy | 3 | |
| Italy | 30 | | | | 24 May 2002 – 9th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 9th Place Final |
| Japan | 3 | | | | 24 May 2002 – 9th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 9th Place Final |
| Japan | 3 | | | | Wales | 14 |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool D | 18 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | | Wales | 14 |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool D | 18 May 2002 – Pool D | | | | Samoa | 17 |
| Ireland | 0 | | | | Samoa | 17 |
| Ireland | 0 | 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | | | |
| Samoa | 22 | 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | | | |
| Samoa | 22 | Samoa | 14 | | | |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool B | 18 May 2002 – Pool B | | Samoa | 14 | | | |
| 18 May 2002 – Pool B | 18 May 2002 – Pool B | Kazakhstan | 3 | | 11th Place Final | 11th Place Final |
| Netherlands | 10 | Kazakhstan | 3 | | 11th Place Final | 11th Place Final |
| Netherlands | 10 | | | | 24 May 2002 – 11th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 11th Place Final |
| Kazakhstan | 37 | | | | 24 May 2002 – 11th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 11th Place Final |
| Kazakhstan | 37 | | | | Italy | 3 |
| | | | | | Kazakhstan | 20 |

### Ranking matches 13–16

Teams defeated in the first round of the ranking matches for 9–16
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 |
| Germany | 0 |
| Germany | 0 | 24 May 2002 – 13th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 13th Place Final |
| Ireland | 18 | 24 May 2002 – 13th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 13th Place Final |
| Ireland | 18 | Ireland | 0 |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | | Ireland | 0 |
| 20 May 2002 | 20 May 2002 | Japan | 18 |
| Japan | 37 | Japan | 18 |
| Netherlands | 3 | | |
| Netherlands | 3 | 15th Place Final | 15th Place Final |
| | | 24 May 2002 – 15th Place Final | 24 May 2002 – 15th Place Final |
| | | Germany | 19 |
| | | Netherlands | 20 |

## Match details
### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Overall ranking |
| 1 | New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 3 | +150 | 6 | 1st |
| 2 | Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 36 | −3 | 4 | 8th |
| 3 | Wales | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 77 | 30 | +47 | 4 | 9th |
| 4 | Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 194 | −194 | 2 | 16th |
* 13 May 2002
| Germany | 0–117 | New Zealand |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 13 May 2002
| Australia | 30–0 | Wales |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 17 May 2002
| Germany | 0–77 | Wales |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 18 May 2002
| Australia | 3–36 | New Zealand |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Overall ranking |
| 1 | France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 21 | +31 | 6 | 4th |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 96 | 21 | +75 | 4 | 5th |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 41 | +8 | 4 | 11th |
| 4 | Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 124 | −114 | 2 | 14th |
* 13 May 2002
| United States | 87–0 | Netherlands |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 13 May 2002
| France | 31–12 | Kazakhstan |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 17 May 2002
| Netherlands | 10–37 | Kazakhstan |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 18 May 2002
| France | 21–9 | United States |
* Girona, Barcelona

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Overall ranking |
| 1 | England | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 14 | +62 | 6 | 3rd |
| 2 | Spain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 13 | +54 | 4 | 6th |
| 3 | Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 66 | −27 | 4 | 12th |
| 4 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 92 | −89 | 2 | 15th |
* 13 May 2002
| England | 63–9 | Italy |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 13 May 2002
| Spain | 62–0 | Japan |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 17 May 2002
| Italy | 30–3 | Japan |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 18 May 2002
| Spain | 5–13 | England |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Overall ranking |
| 1 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0 | +68 | 6 | 2nd |
| 2 | Scotland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 14 | −1 | 4 | 7th |
| 3 | Samoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 13 | +12 | 4 | 10th |
| 4 | Ireland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 79 | −79 | 2 | 13th |
* 13 May 2002
| Canada | 57–0 | Ireland |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 13 May 2002
| Scotland | 13–3 | Samoa |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 17 May 2002
| Ireland | 0–22 | Samoa |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 18 May 2002
| Canada | 11–0 | Scotland |
* Girona, Barcelona

### Overall ranking

Teams were ranked according to the following criteria:
* Most match points
* Best points difference (points scored for minus points scored against)
* Best tries difference (tries scored for minus tries scored against)
* Best penalty kick difference (penalty kicks scored for minus penalty kicks scored against)
* Most points scored for
* Most tries scored for
* Most penalty kicks scored for
* Original Tournament seeding.
This resulted in the following ranking:
Semi-finals :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Ranking |
| 1 | New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 3 | +150 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0 | +68 | Semi-finals |
| 3 | England | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 14 | +62 | Semi-finals |
| 4 | France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 21 | +31 | Semi-finals |
| 5 | United States | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 96 | 21 | +75 | 5th–8th |
| 6 | Spain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 13 | +54 | 5th–8th |
| 7 | Scotland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 14 | −1 | 5th–8th |
| 8 | Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 36 | −3 | 5th–8th |
| 9 | Wales | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 77 | 30 | +47 | 9th–12th |
| 10 | Samoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 13 | +12 | 9th–12th |
| 11 | Kazakhstan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 41 | +8 | 9th–12th |
| 12 | Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 66 | −27 | 9th–12th |
| 13 | Ireland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 79 | −79 | 13th–16th |
| 14 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 92 | −89 | 13th–16th |
| 15 | Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 124 | −114 | 13th–16th |
| 16 | Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 194 | −194 | 13th–16th |

## Play-offs
### 13th–16th

* 20 May 2002
| Germany | 0–18 | Ireland |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 20 May 2002
| Japan | 37–3 | Netherlands |
* Girona, Barcelona

### 9th–12th

* 20 May 2002
| Wales | 35–3 | Italy |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 20 May 2002
| Samoa | 9–3 | Kazakhstan |
* Girona, Barcelona

### 5th–8th

* 21 May 2002
| Australia | 17–5 | United States |
| | http://www.worldrugby.org/match/11737 | |
* Girona, Barcelona
* 21 May 2002
| Spain | 16–23 | Scotland |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona

### Semi-finals

* 21 May 2002
| New Zealand | 30–0 | France |
* Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona
* 21 May 2002
| Canada | 10–53 | England |
* Girona, Barcelona

## Finals
### 15th/16th

* 24 May 2002
| Germany | 19–20 | Netherlands |
* Zaragoza

### 13th/14th

* 24 May 2002
| Ireland | 23–3 | Japan |
* Girona, Barcelona

### 11th/12th

* 24 May 2002
| Italy | 3–20 | Kazakhstan |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona

### 9th/10th

* 24 May 2002
| Wales | 14–17 | Samoa |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona

### 7th/8th

* 25 May 2002
| Spain | 5–23 | United States |
* Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona

### 5th/6th

* 25 May 2002
| Australia | 30–0 | Scotland |
* Girona, Barcelona

### 3rd/4th

* 25 May 2002
| France | 41–7 | Canada |
| Tries: Nathalie Amiel (2) Dalphine Plantet (2), Annabel Donnadieu, Clotilde Flaugère Con: Estelle Sartini (2) Pen: Estelle Sartini | | Try: Julie Foster Con: Kelly McCallum |
* Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

### Final

* 25 May 2002
| England | 9–19 | New Zealand |
| Pen: Shelley Rae (2) Drop: Shelley Rae | | Tries: Monique Hirovanaa, Cheryl Waaka Pen: Tammi Wilson (3) |
* Olympic Stadium, Barcelona
* 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup winners
* New Zealand Second title

## Final table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | New Zealand | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 202 | 12 | +190 |
| 2 | England | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 138 | 43 | +95 |
| 3 | France | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 93 | 58 | +35 |
| 4 | Canada | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 85 | 94 | −9 |
| 5 | Australia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 63 | 54 | +9 |
| 6 | Scotland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 53 | −12 |
| 7 | United States | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 137 | 26 | +111 |
| 8 | Spain | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | 66 | +17 |
| 9 | Samoa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 56 | 30 | +26 |
| 10 | Wales | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 126 | 50 | +76 |
| 11 | Kazakhstan | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 72 | 58 | +14 |
| 12 | Italy | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 121 | −76 |
| 13 | Japan | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 58 | 95 | −37 |
| 14 | Ireland | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 97 | −79 |
| 15 | Netherlands | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 180 | −147 |
| 16 | Germany | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 232 | −213 |