# 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup

The 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup was the first world cup fully sanctioned by the International Rugby Board (IRB) and the third Women's Rugby World Cup in history. The tournament took place in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands and was the first women's world cup held outside of the United Kingdom.
The tournament saw a record 16 teams compete and heightened media attention. There was no qualification process, teams taking part by invitation from the IRB. New Zealand defeated the United States 44–12 in the final.
Several matches in the tournament were filmed for television and a one-hour TV highlights programme was produced by IMG. These recordings are held as part of the IRB's World Cup Archive.

## Pool stages
### Pool A

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Ladder |
| England | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 147 | 6 | +141 | 2nd |
| Canada | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 79 | −57 | 8th |
| Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 51 | 16 | +35 | 10th |
| Sweden | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 119 | −119 | 15th |
* 1 May 1998
| Netherlands | 7–16 | Canada |
* Amsterdam
* 2 May 1998
| England | 75–0 | Sweden |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Canada | 6–72 | England |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Netherlands | 44–0 | Sweden |
* Amsterdam

### Pool B

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Ladder |
| United States | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 16 | +106 | 3rd |
| Spain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 6th |
| Wales | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 101 | 35 | +66 | 9th |
| Russia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 167 | −160 | 16th |
* 2 May 1998
| Spain | 28–18 | Wales |
* Amsterdam
* 2 May 1998
| Russia | 0–84 | United States |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Spain | 16–38 | United States |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Russia | 7–83 | Wales |
* Amsterdam

### Pool C

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Ladder |
| New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 210 | 6 | +204 | 1st |
| Scotland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 84 | −47 | 7th |
| Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 11th |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 168 | −157 | 14th |
* 2 May 1998
| Germany | 6–134 | New Zealand |
* Amsterdam
* 2 May 1998
| Italy | 8–37 | Scotland |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| New Zealand | 76–0 | Scotland |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Germany | 5–34 | Italy |
* Amsterdam

### Pool D

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Ladder |
| France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 14 | +19 | 4th |
| Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 10 | +19 | 5th |
| Kazakhstan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 29 | −11 | 12th |
| Ireland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 33 | −27 | 13th |
* 2 May 1998
| France | 23–6 | Kazakhstan |
* Amsterdam
* 2 May 1998
| Australia | 21–0 | Ireland |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Australia | 8–10 | France |
* Amsterdam
* 5 May 1998
| Ireland | 6–12 | Kazakhstan |
* Amsterdam

## Bowl

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| Netherlands | 18 | | | |
| Netherlands | 18 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | |
| Ireland | 21 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | |
| Ireland | 21 | Ireland | 20 | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | Ireland | 20 | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | Italy | 5 | |
| Italy | 51 | Italy | 5 | |
| Italy | 51 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Russia | 7 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Russia | 7 | | | | Ireland | 10 |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | | | Ireland | 10 |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | | Kazakhstan | 26 |
| Kazakhstan | 47 | | | | Kazakhstan | 26 |
| Kazakhstan | 47 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| Sweden | 5 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| Sweden | 5 | Kazakhstan | 18 | | | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | Kazakhstan | 18 | | | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | Wales | 13 | | Third place | Third place |
| Wales | 55 | Wales | 13 | | Third place | Third place |
| Wales | 55 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Germany | 12 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Germany | 12 | | | | Italy | 10 |
| | | | | | Wales | 12 |

### Quarter-finals

* 9 May 1998
| Netherlands | 18–21 | Ireland |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| Germany | 12–55 | Wales |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| Kazakhstan | 47–5 | Sweden |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| Italy | 51–7 | Russia |
* Amsterdam

### Semi-finals

* 12 May 1998
| Ireland | 20–5 | Italy |
* Amsterdam
* 12 May 1998
| Kazakhstan | 18–13 | Wales |
* Amsterdam

### 11th/12th place

* 15 May 1998
| Italy | 10–12 | Wales |
* Amsterdam

### Final (9th place)

* 15 May 1998
| Ireland | 10–26 | Kazakhstan |
* Amsterdam

## Shield

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam |
| Netherlands | 61 |
| Netherlands | 61 | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Russia | 0 | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Russia | 0 | Netherlands | 67 |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | Netherlands | 67 |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | Germany | 3 |
| Sweden | 18 | Germany | 3 |
| Germany | 20 | | |
| Germany | 20 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| | | Russia | 3 |
| | | Sweden | 23 |

### Semi-finals

* 12 May 1998
| Netherlands | 61–0 | Russia |
* Amsterdam
* 12 May 1998
| Germany | 20–18 | Sweden |
* Amsterdam

### 15th/16th place

* 15 May 1998
| Russia | 3–23 | Sweden |
* Amsterdam

### Final (13th place)

* 15 May 1998
| Netherlands | 67–3 | Germany |
* Amsterdam

## Cup

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| England | 30 | | | |
| England | 30 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | |
| Australia | 13 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | |
| Australia | 13 | England | 11 | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | England | 11 | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | New Zealand | 44 | |
| New Zealand | 46 | New Zealand | 44 | |
| New Zealand | 46 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Spain | 3 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Spain | 3 | | | | New Zealand | 44 |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | | | New Zealand | 44 |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | | | United States | 12 |
| France | 7 | | | | United States | 12 |
| France | 7 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| Canada | 9 | 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | | |
| Canada | 9 | Canada | 6 | | | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | | Canada | 6 | | | |
| 9 May – Amsterdam | 9 May – Amsterdam | United States | 46 | | Third place | Third place |
| United States | 25 | United States | 46 | | Third place | Third place |
| United States | 25 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Scotland | 10 | | | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Scotland | 10 | | | | England | 31 |
| | | | | | Canada | 15 |

### Quarter-finals

* 9 May 1998
| Australia | 13–30 | England |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| Scotland | 10–25 | United States |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| Canada | 9–7 | France |
* Amsterdam
* 9 May 1998
| New Zealand | 46–3 | Spain |
* Amsterdam

### Semi-finals

* 12 May 1998
| England | 11–44 | New Zealand |
* Amsterdam
* 12 May 1998
| Canada | 6–46 | United States |
* Amsterdam

### 3rd/4th place

* 16 May 1998
| Canada | 15–31 | England |
* Amsterdam

### Final

* 16 May 1998
| New Zealand | 44–12 | United States |
* Amsterdam

## Plate

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam |
| Australia | 17 |
| Australia | 17 | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Spain | 15 | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| Spain | 15 | Australia | 25 |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | | Australia | 25 |
| 12 May – Amsterdam | 12 May – Amsterdam | Scotland | 15 |
| France | 7 | Scotland | 15 |
| Scotland | 27 | | |
| Scotland | 27 | Third place | Third place |
| | | 15 May – Amsterdam | 15 May – Amsterdam |
| | | Spain | 22 |
| | | France | 9 |

### Semi-finals

* 12 May 1998
| Australia | 17–15 | Spain |
* Amsterdam
* 12 May 1998
| France | 7–27 | Scotland |
* Amsterdam

### 7th/8th place

* 16 May 1998
| France | 9–22 | Spain |
* Amsterdam

### Final (5th place)

* 16 May 1998
| Australia | 25–15 | Scotland |
* Amsterdam
* 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup winners
* New Zealand First title

## 1998 Top scorers

| Pos. | Name | Team | Tries | Conv | Pen | Points |
| 1 | Annaleah Rush | New Zealand | 5 | 21 | 2 | 73 |
| 2 | Anne-Mieke v Waveren | the Netherlands | 6 | 13 | 3 | 65 |
| 3 | Jos Bergman | USA | 3 | 8 | 8 | 55 |
| 4 | Tracey Comley | Wales | 4 | 15 | 1 | 53 |
| 5 | Tammi Wilson | New Zealand | 7 | 8 | 0 | 51 |
| 6 | Minke Docter | the Netherlands | 9 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 7 | Nicky Brown | England | 8 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 8 | Realtine Shrieves | Ireland | 0 | 2 | 11 | 38 |
| 9 | Louisa Wall | New Zealand | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 9 | Vanessa Cootes | New Zealand | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 11 | Alfiya Tamayeva | Kazakhstan | 1 | 11 | 2 | 33 |