Wales, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands all emerged victorious in their contests, while Ireland and Scotland fought hard but fell short of a win.
But who were the star performers of round 2? And what team looked the mightiest of all?
An offloading roaring performance to overcome Samoa
The Women’s Rugby Europe Championship title holders have bounced back after last week’s defeat, claiming a 61-21 win over Samoa in a contest where they were the deserved winners.
With Claudia Peña Hidalgo and Anne de Corrés back in the starting line-up, Spain quickly got under the posts after a sensational play capped off by Claudia Pérez.
Valentina Pérez, Anne Fernández de Corrés, Alba Capell and Victoria Rosell followed, and Spain landed a cascade of tries thanks to a vicious, beautiful and incisive offloading game that completely disrupted the Samoan defence.
With the forward pack humming, Las Leonas kept the pressure on and found the way forward four more times before the break. Even as Samoa regained some of their past strength in the second half, it wasn’t enough to take the win from Spain, who celebrated their first win of the campaign.
Spain will next face Brazil on 26 September, in the final match of their WXV Global Series Challenger campaign.
Dutch determination instrumental to holding Brazil off!
A resolute and determined ironclad defence in the last 10 minutes managed to hold the Netherlands 2-point lead over Brazil, with Gareth Gilbert’s side leaving the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground with a 17-15 win.
After an impressive performance against Samoa, the Netherlands were looking to extend their winning streak, but on the other side was another team equally determined to come out on top: the Yaras.
The South American nation were the first to take the lead after a swift play, pushing the Oranje deep and unlocking the way forward. After a handful of attempts, winger Kika Mulling found space out on the wing and sprinted triumphantly to the try-area.
Lock Inger Jongerius was next in the scoring line, overpowering the opposition defence to ground the ball in the corner.
With Brazil dominating the scrum, the Dutch worked tirelessly to win the driving maul battle, as it was key not only to score their third five-pointer, but also to hold tight when Brazil was just two points from overtaking the score.
With the clock in the red, all the Netherlands had to do was hold firm, throw themselves into every tackle and wait for their opponents to make a mistake. The error eventually came, allowing the Dutch to seal and celebrate another hard-fought win, heading strong into round 3, where they will meet Fijiana next Saturday.
©World Rugby
England and Canada with an all-timer
In a captivating rematch of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final, England and Canada played out a gripping 26-26 draw before a thrilled Salford Stadium crowd.
England tried to set the game's direction through their fierce forward pack, but the Canadians, led by DaLeaka Menin, Lizzie Gibson and Sophie de Goede, pushed back and kept finding ways to counter the opposition’s every move.
With the game going to the break with a 19-point tie, fans were on the edge of their seats, waiting to find out who would come out victorious. However, in the end, neither side could break the deadlock, despite Canada coming agonisingly close to securing what would have been a remarkable victory.
Wales produce a huge home performance
Sean Lynn’s second win since he became Wales head coach finally happened with the locals claiming a 50-19 win against their South African opponents after a remarkable performance in their own backyard.
With Keira Bevan running the backline from the fly half position, Wales quickly built an unassailable lead that the visiting team was never able to chip away at. The Welsh front-row trio all bagged tries with Sisilia Tuipulotu celebrating her first brace since becoming a Test Match operator.
At the break Wales were already holding a 38-5 and would further extend it in the following 40 minutes from tries scored by Tuipulotu and Alex Callender.
Brighter days may be on the horizon for Wales, and all eyes will now turn to their next challenge, a meeting with the USA next Saturday.
Les Bleues overcome the Wallaroos and a 13-players deficit
France had to dig deep to come out of a serious predicament against the Wallaroos, as Les Bleues not only trailed 19-12 at half-time, but also stepped into the second half with just 13 players after Ambre Mwayembe and Cloe Corre were sent off.
Thankfully, Pauline Bourdon Sansus and Gaby Vernier course-corrected what seemed like a disastrous performance, with France clawing back from a 12-point deficit to leave Stade Maurice David with a 29-26 win.
Despite receiving two red cards and three yellow cards, France once again demonstrated that anything is possible when they channel their focus in the right direction.
Black Ferns too much for Scotland to handle
Scotland had a tough day at the office as they were powerless to counter the Black Ferns' top-level physicality and stunning lethal handling, with the visitors earning a 66-14 win.
The former Rugby World Cup champions quickly drew the line by scoring two tries in under eight minutes, while the hosts struggled to stop the opposition.
Although Scotland scored twice before the break, both through Eve Gallagher, the Black Ferns responded with four additional tries to take a 38-14 advantage into half-time.
In the second half, the New Zealanders went in search of more tries, adding four by the final whistle and leaving Scotland with a 66–14 victory.
Azzurre deliver a show against Japan
Italy secured an emphatic 55-21 victory over Japan in Pordenone, delivering a spirited performance that should boost their confidence in the weeks ahead.
Italy outmatched Japan thanks to a well-combined effort between the forward pack and backline, enough to give them a 31-14 lead at the break.
Aura Muzzo, Francesca Sgorbini and Vittoria Minuzzi put on a show, slicing the Sakura defence with precision and sprinting power.
Little changed after the break, as Italy maintained their intensity and fitness levels, crossing for four more tries before the final whistle.
They will now welcome South Africa next Saturday, which is expected to be one of the most entertaining clashes of round 3.
Eagles manage to bounce back in the last 20 minutes
Ireland were stunned at home by a relentless USA side that overcame a 19-point deficit to win 40-36.
Scott Bemand’s Ireland put on a good show in the opening half, scoring four tries and looking comfortable in the lead, while the North American visitors managed to reach the whitewash only twice.
With Aoife Wafer and Erin King performing at a high level, it seemed the locals were headed for a win, bsut everything changed from the 50th minute. The USA ramped up their efforts, and with Ireland conceding several infringements, the Women’s Eagles eventually went from 31-12 to 38-31 to the locals' dismay.
A late try from Dorothy Wall wasn’t enough to overturn the result, with the USA guests taking an inspiring win from their trip to Dublin.
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By Francisco Isaac
