The first Rugby World Cup for women was held in 1991, but it was not until the 1998 tournament that the tournament received official backing from the International Rugby Board (IRB, now World Rugby); by 2009, the IRB had retroactively recognized the 1991 and 1994 tournaments and their champions.
The first women's Rugby World Cup was held in 1991, but it wasn't until the 1998 tournament that the event received official support from the International Rugby Board (IRB, now World Rugby); by 2009, IRB had retrospectively recognized both the 1991 and 1994 tournaments and their champions.