Twelve months ago the Women's European Trophy proved a
happy hunting ground for Sweden, the hosts causing an upset by
beating the more fancied Italy and Spain to qualify for the
Women's Rugby World Cup 2010.
Sweden's first World Cup appearance in 12 years is now
little more than 100 days away and four matches in the next eight
days at the European Trophy in France will provide them with some
invaluable game time in their preparations.
The freezing winter conditions in Sweden means that the
domestic season is only in its infancy, putting them behind their
European rivals also bound for the World Cup who have already had
the luxury of the Six Nations this year.
Sweden are the only one of the six European sides who will
contest the World Cup that will play in the Women's European
Trophy in the Alsace Lorraine region of France, and will open their
campaign against Russia on Saturday.
The hosts will field their A team with the Netherlands, Spain
and Belgium joining them in Pool A, with Germany and Italy the
other opponents for Sweden in Pool B with the top sides meeting in
the final on 15 May.
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"It is meant as preparation for the World Cup, but we
are also aware that the results are not necessarily going to show
what the World Cup will be," Stina Leijonhufvud, the new
President of the Swedish federation, told Total Rugby.
"Even if they will do in the odd game, we are still
early in our season now and we have to look forward to the World
Cup no matter what.
"The game is somewhat bigger in Sweden now [than when we
last played in the World Cup], but there is not that much
difference and some of the players are the same. The major
difference is that our qualification got media interest in Sweden
this time so it is much bigger now."
A former international until a knee injury ended her career a
couple of years ago, Leijonhufvud is hopeful Sweden can cause a
surprise or two at the World Cup when they will face Canada, France
and Scotland in Pool C.
"I hope they can at least improve their ranking, but I
know what a dedicated squad they are and they are both talented and
experienced so I hope they can throw in some surprising results.
Future challenges
"It depends how surprising the result … you never know
where that might lead. I don't expect them to end up at the top
of the standings, but somewhere in between."
Sweden will not only face Russia in the Women's European
Trophy over the next week but also Germany on Monday and then Italy
on Wednesday, the latter the side they beat at last year's
tournament to put them on the road to the Women's Rugby World
Cup.
While Leijonhufvud, like everyone involved with the national
team, is counting down the days to the World Cup in England, she is
also excited by the challenges that lie ahead of her in her new
role as President of the country's rugby federation.
"When our chairman of the last 14 years stepped down I
though I was the best option. Apparently others thought so
too," explained Leijonhufvud, only the fourth female to
currently hold such a position among the IRB's 117 Member
Unions.
"It wasn't a goal to be involved with the Union,
but, well, here I am. The key challenges we face are getting out
there and people knowing that the sport exists in Sweden.
"We have quite big distances in Sweden so we are aiming
to try to grow the sport more locally and around clubs and try to
spread from there, so rather than starting a club off far away, we
would start one fairly close so they can have games together and
work more regionally, particularly with the young.
"Before they only had youth tournaments a few times a
year, covering all of Sweden. Now they are trying to have a more
regular series locally which I think is important. I think working
with the schools, as we are doing, is also very important."
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