Outgoing coach Gilbert says Netherlands have 'a lot of potential' after WXV Challenger run

Gareth Gilbert has hailed the Netherlands women’s team’s “lot of potential” as he prepares to step down following Saturday’s winner-takes-all WXV Global Series Challenger decider against Fiji at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground in Hong Kong.

The Netherlands arrived at the tournament with ambitions of boosting their World Cup qualification prospects and have delivered, defeating Samoa and Brazil in their opening two matches. Those results have moved the Oranje two places up the World Rugby rankings to 15th, with performances from the likes of Kika Mulling drawing attention.

“These three weeks have shown that there’s a lot of potential in the Dutch game,” Gilbert told reporters. “I think we’ll get more opportunities, which is justified. Hopefully they’ll get more support from World Rugby in terms of fixtures and opportunities, and also from our own rugby family in terms of support and sponsorship and getting behind the team, because they certainly are worth it and definitely deserve it.”

Saturday’s fixture will be Gilbert’s last in charge, bringing to a close a 16-year association with Rugby Nederland before he returns to South Africa to coach schoolboy rugby.

Fiji arrive in the decider having beaten Spain and Hong Kong China, and the fact that they also defeated Spain in the opening round has quietly improved the Netherlands’ qualification outlook. Five nations — Australia, Canada, England, France and New Zealand — have already secured places at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia. Eight further spots will be decided through regional competitions in 2027, with the two highest-ranked teams at the end of that global competition window also qualifying. The 2028 WXV Global Series Challenger will then serve as the Final Qualification Tournament.

For the Netherlands, reaching the 2029 World Cup would be a historic achievement. The team have not appeared at the tournament since Barcelona 2002, and multiple generations of players have come and gone without that changing.

Captain Linde van der Velden believes the squad’s confidence has grown markedly over the past three weeks of living and training together. “We’re all individually so strong, and I think sometimes we question ourselves,” she said. “We always want to be better, but actually, we’re here because we belong here. We have so much potential, and we should just put it out there and show it. I think the belief and the potential that we have could be something to remind ourselves of on the day: trust everyone around you and then just go for it.”