Six Nations Women's U21 Series
| Current season, competition or edition: 2026 Six Nations Women's U21 Series | |
| Formerly | Six Nations Women's U20 Summer Series (2024–2025) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Rugby union |
| Founded | 2024 |
| First season | 2024 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Countries | |
| Most recent champion | France (2025) |
| Most titles | France (2 titles) |
| Official website | www |
The Six Nations Women's U21 Series (formerly the Six Nations Women's U20 Summer Series) is an annual international rugby union competition featuring the under-21 women's national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. The tournament serves as a development pathway for young players progressing to senior international rugby.[1]
History
The competition was established in 2024 as the Six Nations Women's U20 Summer Series, with the inaugural edition hosted in Parma, Italy in July 2024.[1] The tournament was created to provide competitive international experience for emerging players and strengthen the pathway to the senior Women's Six Nations Championship teams.[2]
In January 2026, the Six Nations announced a significant restructure of the competition. The tournament was rebranded as the Six Nations Women's U21 Series and underwent a format change.[3] The age limit was raised to predominantly feature players under 21, with teams permitted to select a limited number of players up to age 23. This change was designed to make the pathway to international honours more accessible and better align with player development needs.[3]
The competition has proven successful in developing players, with 14 graduates from the inaugural 2024 tournament earning senior international caps during the 2025 Women's Six Nations Championship.[4]
Format
2024–2025: Festival format
The first two editions of the tournament (2024 and 2025) followed a week-long festival format, with all six teams competing in a single host location. The 2024 edition took place in Parma, Italy, while the 2025 edition was held at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Wales.[2]
All matches were streamed live on the Six Nations YouTube.[2]
2026–2027: Home and away format
Beginning in 2026, the format evolved to feature a mix of home and away fixtures, with teams playing either two home fixtures and one away, or vice versa.[5] This format change was designed to replicate the training week and travel elements of the Women's Six Nations, preparing players for senior international rugby.[5]
Eligibility
While the tournament predominantly features players age 21 or younger, teams are permitted to select a limited number of players up to the age of 23.[3]
Tournament winners
| Year | Host(s) | Winner | Runner-up | Third place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Parma | France | Italy | England | [6][7] |
| 2025 | Ystrad Mynach | France | England | Ireland | [8][9] |
| 2026 | N/a |
See also
- Women's Six Nations Championship
- Six Nations Under 20s Championship
- Women's international rugby union
References
- ^ a b "Six Nations Rugby Introduces First Ever U-20 Women's Summer Series". Irish Rugby. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "Six Nations Summer Series fixtures announced". Scottish Rugby. 26 November 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "New Women's U21 Six Nations Tournament Announced". Irish Rugby. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ "Six Nations Women's Summer Series Returns For Second Edition". Irish Rugby. 21 May 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b "England's 2026 Six Nations Women's U21 series fixtures confirmed". England Rugby. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ "2024 Women's U20 Six Nations Summer Series". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Match England 21 v France 72 - 14/07/2024". Six Nations Rugby. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ "2025 Women's U20 Six Nations Summer Series". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "U20 Six Nations Women's Summer Series a major success for Caerphilly". Wales247. 30 July 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.