The Laurie O'Reilly Cup is the trophy competed for by the women's rugby union teams of Australia and New Zealand. The two nations met annually between 1994 and 1998, with New Zealand winning all games, often by significant margins, as a result of which the series fell into abeyance, but was revived in 2007.

History The Cup is named in honour of Laurie O’Reilly, New Zealand's first women's Selector and National coach who died in 1998. It was formerly known as the Laurie O'Reilly Memorial Trophy. It has been contested between New Zealand and Australia since its inception in 1994. The Black Ferns has won every fixture so far and are the current holders of the O’Reilly Cup with a total of 17 wins.

In 2018, the Black Ferns and the Wallaroos played both Tests as curtain-raisers to both Bledisloe Cup Tests in Sydney and Auckland. The crowd at the end of both women's Tests swelled to about 28,000. The women's double-header concept was deemed as a success by NZR CEO Steve Tew who is open to repeating the concept. For the equivalent match at Eden Park in 2016, also before the men's clash, the crowd size peaked at 12,500.

In 2020, All planned test matches for the Wallaroos were cancelled due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as was the September tour to New Zealand in 2021.

After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, it was confirmed that the competition would return. The Black Ferns hosted the first test and the Wallaroos the second test in 2022. The second match was played as a curtain raiser to the Wallabies and Springboks test in Adelaide. The Black Ferns won the first test in Christchurch and retained the O'Reilly Cup. They then won the series after winning the second test.

Results YearDate HomeScore Away Cup Winner VenueEvent19942 September0–37Sydney199522 July64–0Auckland199631 August5–28Sydney199716 August44–0Dunedin199829 August3–27Sydney200716 October21–10Cooks Gardens, Wanganui20 October29–12Wellington200814 October3–37Canberra18 October16–22Sydney20141 June38–3Rotorua International Stadium201622 October67–3Eden Park, Auckland26 October29–3QBE Stadium, Auckland201713 June44–17Rugby Park, Christchurch201818 August11–31ANZ Stadium, Sydney25 August45–17Eden Park, Auckland201910 August10–47Optus Stadium, Perth17 August37–8Eden Park, Auckland202220 August52–5Orangetheory Stadium27 August14–22Adelaide Oval202329 June0–50BrisbanePacific Four Series30 September43–3Waikato Stadium, Hamilton202425 May67–19North Harbour StadiumPacific Four Series14 July0–62Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane202510 May12–38McDonald Jones Stadium, NewcastlePacific Four Series12 July37–12Sky Stadium, Wellington202625 April5–40Sunshine Coast Stadium, Kawana Waters22 August 66–19Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

Matches VenuePlayedWon byDrawnTotal pointsAustraliaNew Zealand Australia 12 0 12 0 91 441 New Zealand 15 0 15 0 119 683Overall2702702101,124

See also

Women's international rugby union Australia–New Zealand sports rivalries Bledisloe Cup Rugby union trophies and awards

References