2002
Held in Barcelona, this time New Zealand travelled as clear favourites for another 16-team Rugby World Cup.
"Our victory four years ago was a great achievement for women's rugby, but we want to go that step further." - Farah Palmer, New Zealand
For the first time, some pre-event qualifiers were held in advance, determining who would take part. In the championship, there was a dream debut for Samoa, who beat Ireland early on. New Zealand cruised to the final where they would face England at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.
Some 8,000 turned out to watch the Black Ferns successfully defend their crown with a 19-9 victory as their performances continued to leave everyone in their wake.
