WXV2 champions Australia will open their 2025 Rugby World Cup campaign against Pacific neighbours Samoa in Manchester.

Last week, the Wallaroos were drawn in Pool A – next year’s so-called Pool of Death – alongside world number one England, ninth-ranked USA and Samoa.

Today, they’ve learned their scheduling fate with Australia set to launch their tournament on Saturday August 23 at Salford Community Stadium against the Manusina.

The Wallaroos will then tackle the Sione Fukofuka-coached USA Eagles on Saturday August 31 at York Community Stadium before a titanic pool clash with hosts England on Sunday September 7 at Brighton & Hove Stadium.

Speaking with rugby.com.au on Tuesday, Wallaroos prop Eva Karpani said her side would look to channel their WXV2 success into a massive 2025 for women’s rugby both in Australia and abroad.

“It’s going to be a tough draw, it was always going to be tough anyway,” Eva Karpani told.

“We had a pretty rough start to 2024 but we never stopped working and we never stopped believing. Every did their one percenters and came together as a team to get the result we did at WXV2 what they needed.

“It (Rugby World Cup 2025) is so exciting for womens’ rugby – the sport’s just increasing and for us it’s been super important for us to get those extra games under our belt this year.

“We’re getting more international games as the years go by – this year we had 10 Test matches – and we had more Super W players debuting for Australia than ever before.”

Australia’s Pool A will cross over with Pool B come finals. Should the Wallaroos progress as either winners or runners up, they’ll face one of Canada, Scotland, Wales or Fiji in a quarter final.

Wallaroos Rugby World Cup 2025 Pool A Fixtures

Saturday, August 23: Australia v Samoa at Salford Community Stadium (9:00pm AEST)

Sunday, August 31: Australia v USA at York Community Stadium (4:30am AEST)

Sunday, September 7: Australia v England at Brighton & Hove Stadium (2:00am AEST)