Laurie O'Reilly Cup

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox sports league

| name = O'Reilly Cup

| title = O'Reilly Cup

| current_season =

| upcoming_season = 2025 Laurie O'Reilly Cup

| sport = Rugby union

| founded = {{start date and age|1994}}

| teams = 2

| countries = {{ruw|Australia}}
{{ruw|New Zealand}}

| gov_body =

| champion = {{ruw|New Zealand}}

| champ_season = 2024

| most_champs = {{ruw|New Zealand}} (15 titles)

}}

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.{{cite web |date=2014-09-02 |title=What's up with JJ? |url=http://www.allblacks.com/News/25840/whats-up-with-jj- |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429083124/http://allblacks.com/News/25840/whats-up-with-jj- |archive-date=2015-04-29 |website=www.allblacks.com}}{{cite web |date=2014-06-02 |title=Evans happy with Black Ferns first match |url=http://www.allblacks.com/News/25204/evans-happy-with-black-ferns-first-match |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606042913/http://www.allblacks.com/News/25204/evans-happy-with-black-ferns-first-match |archive-date=2014-06-06 |website=www.allblacks.com}}{{Cite web |last=Rattue |first=Chris |date=2005-08-05 |title=Anna Richards sick of retirement questions |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10339433 |website=NZ Herald.co.nz}}

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.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-22|title=31 years since first official New Zealand women’s team took to the field|url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/31-years-since-first-official-new-zealand-womens-team-took-to-the-field/|access-date=2022-02-08|website=allblacks.com|language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-26 |title=All Blacks and Black Ferns announce bumper international home Test schedule |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-and-black-ferns-announce-bumper-international-home-test-schedule/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} It was formerly known as the Laurie O'Reilly Memorial Trophy.{{Cite web |date=2020-08-22 |title=How Laurie O’Reilly’s ‘larger than life’ passion for rugby helped women’s game soar |url=https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2021/news/581331 |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=www.rugbyworldcup.com |language=en}} 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.{{cite web |date=27 August 2018 |title=Bledisloe Cup Japan fixture could suffer after All Blacks win series |url=http://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/24487106/bledisloe-cup-japan-fixture-suffer-all-blacks-win-series |access-date=6 February 2019 |work=ESPN Scrum}}

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.{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Brittany |date=17 August 2021 |title=Rugby Australia risk losing some of their best talent to NRLW |url=https://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_/id/32091935/rugby-australia-risk-losing-some-their-best-talent-nrlw |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210916211852/https://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_/id/32091935/rugby-australia-risk-losing-some-their-best-talent-nrlw |archive-date=16 September 2021 |website=ESPN}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-02 |title=Black Ferns confirmed to play Australia in Adelaide for Laurie O'Reilly Cup test |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300578167/black-ferns-confirmed-to-play-australia-in-adelaide-for-laurie-oreilly-cup-test |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-01 |title=2022 eToro Rugby Championship fixtures confirmed |url=https://wallabies.rugby/news/2022-etoro-rugby-championship-fixtures-confirmed-202251 |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=wallabies.rugby |language=en}} The Black Ferns won the first test in Christchurch and retained the O'Reilly Cup.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-20 |title=Wallaroos walloped by Black Ferns in eight-try romp at Christchurch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/20/wallaroos-walloped-by-black-ferns-in-eight-try-romp-at-christchurch |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2022-08-20 |title=Wallaroos outclassed in heavy defeat to Black Ferns |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-20/rugby-union-australia-wallaroos-go-down-to-new-zealand/101354380 |access-date=2022-08-27}}{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Joseph |date=2022-08-20 |title=Black Ferns retain O'Reilly Cup after flattening lacklustre Wallaroos 52-5 in Christchurch |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300666682/black-ferns-retain-oreilly-cup-after-flattening-lacklustre-wallaroos-525-in-christchurch |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=Stuff |language=en}} They then won the series after winning the second test.{{Cite web |last=Burnes |first=Campbell |date=2022-08-27 |title=Black Ferns made to work hard in Adelaide |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-made-to-work-hard-in-adelaide/ |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-27 |title=Black Ferns come from behind to defeat Wallaroos |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/08/27/black-ferns-come-from-behind-to-defeat-wallaroos/ |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=1 News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Shannon |first=Kris |date=2022-08-27 |title=Work to be done: Black Ferns not at their best in scrappy win |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-black-ferns-not-at-their-best-in-scrappy-win-over-australia/4JIFGKQAQSH6NOCDTTYYJ3GEPA/ |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}

Results

class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
style="width:5%" |Year

! style="width:12%" |Date

! style="width:11%"|Home

! style="width:5%" |Score

! style="width:11%"|Away

! style="width:11%"|Cup Winner

! Venue

!Event

1994

|2 September

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|0–37

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Sydney

|

1995

|22 July

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|64–0

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Auckland

|

1996

|31 August

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|5–28

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Sydney

|

1997

|16 August

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|44–0

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Dunedin

|

1998

|29 August

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|3–27

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Sydney

|

rowspan="2" |2007

|16 October

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|21–10

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Cooks Gardens, Wanganui

|

20 October

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|29–12

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Wellington

|

rowspan="2" |2008

|14 October

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|3–37

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Canberra

|

18 October

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|16–22

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Sydney

|

2014

|1 June

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|38–3

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Rotorua International Stadium

|

rowspan="2" |2016

|22 October

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|67–3

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Eden Park, Auckland

|

26 October

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|29–3

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|QBE Stadium, Auckland

|

2017

|13 June

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|44–17

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Rugby Park, Christchurch

|

rowspan="2" |2018

|18 August

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|11–31

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|ANZ Stadium, Sydney

|

25 August

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|45–17

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Eden Park, Auckland

|

rowspan="2" |2019

|10 August

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|10–47

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Optus Stadium, Perth

|

17 August

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|37–8

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Eden Park, Auckland

|

rowspan="2" |2022

|20 August

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|52–5

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Orangetheory Stadium

|

27 August

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|14–22

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Adelaide Oval

|

rowspan="2" |2023

|29 June

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|0–50

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Brisbane

|Pacific Four Series

30 September

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|43–3

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

|

rowspan="2" |2024

|25 May

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|67–19

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|North Harbour Stadium

|Pacific Four Series

14 July

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|0–62

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

|

rowspan="2" |2025

|10 May

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|align=center|TBD

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|TBD

|McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

|Pacific Four Series

12 July

|{{Nwrut|New Zealand}}

|align=center|TBD

|{{Nwrut|Australia}}

|TBD

|Sky Stadium, Wellington

|

Matches

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
rowspan=2|Venue

!rowspan=2|Played

!colspan=2|Won by

!rowspan=2|Drawn

!colspan=2|Total points

align=center|{{ruw|Australia}}

!align=center|{{ruw|New Zealand}}

!Australia

!New Zealand

align=left|{{flagicon|Australia}} Australia

| 10

| 0

| 10

| 0

| 62

| 363

align=left|{{flagicon|New Zealand}} New Zealand

| 13

| 0

| 13

| 0

| 100

| 580

Overall

!23

!0

!23

!0

!162

!943

See also

References