WXV2 – The Last Rites
All three games are here, Wales v Japan first; Australia v Scotland second; South Africa v Italy down below. The final pecking-order comes last.
Wales v Japan
The Sakura started with deft handling, led by Sachiko Kato, but a fluffed pass let Kayleigh Powell find a long boomer to touch.
Jaz Joyce had her first run, but, as before, the support wasn’t close enough.
Wales got things together to build a nice attack, Natalia John and Alisha Butchers prominent, but a dropped ball brought a disappointing halt. The pack put things right: they drove the Sakura back and, although they retrieved the ball, Nel Metcalfe charged a kick down and dived to score. 5-0
Confidence flowed through the Welsh; Keira Bevan angled a perfect box-kick into Metcalfe’s left corner. It made a nice change seeing the Welsh staff box animated with smiling faces. Delightful inter-passing let Bevan through for their second helping. 12-0
Within a quarter-hour Powell had proved her right to the 10 shirt. Then the question arose: why had she not been tried there for seven years.
The Sakura game depends heavily on avoiding simple errors. They built a decent attack, then dropped a pass and Metcalfe sent a grass-cutter into the red zone.
Just before the break Sisilia Tuipulotu peeled round the front of a line-out and the pack drove; Bethan Lewis had the final say. Oh no, she didn’t! Another TMO internvention: John had cleared a defender out of her path.
Half-time 12-0
The Sakura built a built a 14-phase move that took them to the Welsh line. Then JJ picked off an intercept and motored the length of the field unaccompanied. 19-0. Oh my, more like a 100-metre sprint for one!
The restart was aimed unwisely at Powell, and the game was back 40 metres downfield. It was all Cymru; good hands, then another Powell long-ranger. Could Ioan Cunningham believe his eyes?
Alisha Butchers latched on to an adroit tip-on, but the support couldn’t reach her. On 50 minutes Gwen Pyrs had to be replaced; she’d made any number of thundering drives to create chances.
But now Japan got their opening score: accurate handling pulled defences out of position, then a neat chip over the top saw Misaki Matsumura touch down. (19-5)
Two Welsh bodies were left on the ground in the process.
Brilliant work by Alex Callender and Lewis led to a near score, but a final pass didn’t reach Courtney Keight.
As the benches were emptied, Japan came more into the game. Hannah Bluck received a yellow for an awkward tackle (it remained yellow). Then Ayasa Otsuka was over the line, after a nice break by Jennifer Nduka. 19-10
Wales gained a much-needed victory, but they still proved unable to put an opposition away; no bonus-point.
For Japan Komachi Imakugi was very active, in the unusual double role of winger and first receiver-kicker.
Result: Wales 19 Japan 10
Player of the Match: Jasmine Joyce
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
Afterthought
We had a classic example of the language problem that I keep on harping about. Joyce was held, she got a knee to brush the floor for a split second. “Tackle, release!” But the Sakura didn’t, and Goldsmith may have realised why not. In the end she had to award the penalty. How were the Sakura forwards to know that knee had touched down?
It’s high time WR sorted this central matter out. How many expressions are rugby players meant to learn who don’t speak English? No wonder Otoka Yoshimura looked totally perplexed.
On the way to the next line-out Goldsmith gave a visual demonstration of what had happened. Now all was clear, but too late. No question of not knowing the Laws; the Sakura forwards had no way of sensing what had happened.
Wales
15 Jasmine Joyce 14 Carys Cox 13 Hannah Jones (captain) 12 Hannah Bluck 11 Nel Metcalfe 10 Kayleigh Powell 9 Keira Bevan 1 Gwenllian Pyrs 2 Carys Phillips 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu 4 Natalia John 5 Abbie Fleming 6 Alisha Butchers 7 Alex Callender 8 Bethan Lewis
16 Molly Reardon 17 Maisie Davies 18 Donna Rose 19 Georgia Evans 20 Kate Williams 21 Sian Jones 22 Robyn Wilkins 23 Courtney Keight
Japan
15 Sora Nishimura 14 Misaki Matsumura 13 Mana Furuta 12 Haruka Hirotsu 11 Komachi Imakugi 10 Ayasa Otsuka 9 Moe Tsukui 1 Sachiko Kato 2 Kotomi Taniguchi 3 Wako Kitano 4 Yuna Sato 5 Otoka Yoshimura 6 Masami Kawamura 7 Iroha Nagata (captain) 8 Seina Saito
16 Asuka Kuge 17 Manami Mine 18 Nijiho Nagata 19 Kyoko Hosokawa 20 Jennifer Nduka 21 Megumi Abe 22 Minori Yamamoto 23 Kanako Kobayashi
Australia v Scotland – A Nail-biter
The Wallaroos looked the dominant force from near the start. Scots were caught under rucks, then clever combinations worked the ball to Desiree Miller, and she was away. The Scots weren’t pulling big forwards down effectively. The consequence: give the ball to Maya Stewart and sit back and watch. 14-0
Faitala Moleka may prove to be the New Face of the tournament. Forget her 4/4 conversions; she slipped a delicate grubber through for Cecilia Smith to touch down, and the Aussies were almost out of sight. (21-0)
Scotland responded with a series of drives, and Leah Bartlett got them off the mark. Close to the break they drew closer: Coreen Grant fielded a clearance kick and ran a long way. Evie Gallagher offered Chloe Rollie the last touch.
Half-time 21-12
For a spell, everything clicked for the Scots. Anne Young was in charge as the pack drove over. Helen Nelson missed a kick in front. 21-17
The next sequence saw everything go wrong; the Scots conceded penalties, and Siokapesi Palu drove through tackles to cross the line. But like many before her, she couldn’t ground the ball. The game developed rapidly: as Stewart made another thrust for the line, Emma Orr’s tackle was too high. A yellow turned into yet another red. Despite that handicap the Scots hammered at the line. When the ball went wide, Francesca McGhie stepped beautifully past the last defender. The lead had changed! (21-22)
A tenth Scottish penalty let Moleka kick three points (24-22).
Worse still, McGhie was shown yellow, so I could type 15 v 13 once again.
Yet till 20 seconds before time the Scots were only two points behind. A sort of poetic justice took over and Ash Marsters was on the end of the final drive to the line.
Many wingers have made headlines over the past three weeks, but Stewart must be granted a leading place. Her running has proved devastating.
Some stats: 4 tries each; 4 conversions by Moleka, 1 by Nelson. 1 penalty (Moleka). Cards: 2 yellows (Palu and McGhie; 1 red (Orr)
Result: Australia 31 Scotland 22
Player of the Match: Maya Stewart
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
Teams
Australia
15 Caitlyn Halse, 14 Maya Stewart, 13 Georgina Friedrichs, 12 Cecilia Smith, 11 Desiree Miller, 10 Faitala Moleka, 9 Layne Morgan, 1 Bridie O’Gorman, 2 Tania Naden, 3 Eva Karpani, 4 Kaitlan Leaney, 5 Michaela Leonard, 6 Siokapesi Palu, 7 Ashley Marsters, 8 Tabua Tuinakauvadra
16 Tiarna Molloy, 17 Sally Fuesaina, 18 Alapeta Ngauamo, 19 Atasi Lafai, 20 Lucy Dinnen, 21 Samantha Wood, 22 Trilleen Pomare, 23 Lori Cramer
Scotland:
15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Coreen Grant, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden, 1 Leah Bartlett, 2 Lana Skeldon, 3 Elliann Clarke, 4 Eva Donaldson, 5 Sarah Bonar, 6 Rachel Malcolm, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 8 Evie Gallagher
16 Elis Martin, 17 Anne Young, 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Louise McMillan, 20 Jade Konkel, 21 Caity Mattinson, 22 Meryl Smith, 23 Lucia Scott
South Africa v Italy
The Boks showed the power of their pack early. A line-out drive advanced a good 35 metres to over thr try-line, but the referee had called “Use it!” – such are the intricacies of the current Laws. Babalwa Latsha put her side ahead with another drive. 7-0
The Azzurre overcame that shock, and, helped by a yellow for Chumisa Qawe, Silvia Turani did a Latsha. (7-5) as the break approached, Italy at last took the lead. Michela Sillari, on the right wing, stepped inside and over. 7-10
Even better, Turani broke off an advancing maul and thrust the ball down with glee. 7-17
The gap closed as Aseza Hele made a sudden break to the line. (12-17) it closed completely as a fluent back move set Ayanda Malinga free to glide over. (19-17) One of the biggest crowds we’ve seen roared with delight. The match turned into one of the most dramatic of the series, and there have been a few. Hele was shown yellow for another high tackle.
Rigoni was asked to pot at goal. 19-20. Then the Boks offended at a scrum and Rigoni repeated the dose. (19-23)
The game remained on a knife-edge right to the close. The Boks built a 15-phase move to get the crucial score; the ball finished in touch.
Chance played its role: the ball bounced this way, not that, but Bok infringements cost them dear – not for the first time. Nanni Raineri may well ask why his team couldn’t pull away near the end. But they had to overcome the might of that Bok pack.
Result: South Africa 19 Italy 23
Player of the Match: Silvia Turani
Referee: Precious Pazani (Zim)
Teams
South Africa
15 Eloise Webb 14 Nomawethu Mabenge 13 Zintle Mpupha 12 Chumisa Qawe 11 Ayanda Malinga 10 Nadine Roos 9 Tayla Kinsey 8 Sizophila Solontsi 7 Catha Jacobs 6 Lusanda Dumke 5 Vainah Ubisi 4 Nolusindiso Booi (captain) 3 Babalwa Latsha 2 Lindelwa Gwala 1 Yonela Ngxingolo
16.Micke Gunter 17 Sanelisiwe Charlie 18.*Nombuyekezo Mdliki 19 Danelle Lochner 20 Sinazo Mcatshulwa 21 Aseza Hele 22 Unam Tose 23 Byrhandrè Dolf
*uncapped
Italy
15 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14 Aura Muzzo, 13 Michela Sillari, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Francesca Granzotto, 10 Veronica Madia, 9 Sofia Stefan (captain), 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Vittoria Vecchini, Laura Gurioli, 3 Sara Seye, 4 Valeria Fedrighi 5 Giordana Duca, 6 Beatrice Veronese, 7 Alissa Ranuccini, 8 Francesca Sgorbini
16 Laura Gurioli, 17 Emanuela Stecca, 18 Gaia Maris, 19 Alessandra Frangipani, 20 Elena Errichiello, 21 Emma Stevanin, 22 Sara Mannini, 23 Beatrice Capomaggi
Final table Pts
Australia 15
Scotland 9
Italy 8
South Africa 8
Wales 5
Japan 3
