Every women’s game at this year’s Rugby League World Cup will span 70 minutes rather than 80 in line with the NRLW, it’s been confirmed.
This autumn’s tournament will take place Down Under across Australia and Papua New Guinea, with the hosts officially being the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC).
The ARLC have had a proposal endorsed by the International Rugby League (IRL) board to adopt the NRLW Premiership rules.
Accordingly, technology such as the Video Review Bunker, Captain’s Challenge and Shot Clocks for scrums, goal-line dropouts and goal kicks (conversion attempts) can be adopted.
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The Match Review and Judiciary process will also follow the same guidelines as are in place in the NRL and NRLW, alongside HIA policy and on-field rules for trainers.
But the biggest takeaway from the rule confirmations is that each women’s game this autumn will span just 70 minutes.
This is in line with the standard in NRLW and Women’s Pacific Championships.
Australia’s Jillaroos are the holders of the Women’s Rugby League World Cup having won each of the last three instalments.
Their most recent success, in the delayed 2021 edition held in the UK in 2022, saw them beat New Zealand 54-4 in the final at Old Trafford to be crowned champions.
Since then, the Jillaroos have gone on to win the Women’s Pacific Championships in both 2024 and 2025 as well as thumping England 90-4 in a Test match in Las Vegas last March.
Elsewhere, the IRL board have also confirmed that Lebanon, who will compete in the Men’s Rugby League World Cup this autumn, will have a squad largely comprising of players based in the Southern Hemisphere.
This is due to a decision made not to send any domestic players to be involved in the tournament due to the war the country currently finds itself embroiled in.