Any hopes Cymru might have had of completing an unbeaten tour were firmly squashed in Sydney.
The weather at the North Sydney Oval was reminiscent of a South Wales valley; pools of water everywhere. But the Wallaroos adapted far better.
Welsh analysts will pick up on the many failings of Sean Lynn’ s side, but I noticed several of the old favourites:
1. Fallibility at the line-out; Carys Phillips missed her targets time and again.
2. Slow recycling, feet not well placed to ensure an easy clear-out.
3. First receivers taking the ball from a standing start, then running straight at defenders, rather than seeking a weak shoulder.
4. Ball lost on contact.
5. Backs, largely starved of ball, unable to create space.
And so on.
They had several chances early on, but the closest they got was a “held up” over the line – not the first this year.
Their best moment came when the backs built a nice move going right. Jasmine Joyce-Butchers saw open country and was over; a nice reward for her 50th cap.
Keira Bevan’s kick came back off a post.
Sadly that try was to prove their only success of the game.
The Wallaroos had already made their mark, and the half-time score 21-5 didn’t bode well.
Lynn will be concerned by Wales’ second-half showing. No points scored, and the few good positions they gained were butchered by carelessness or a poor option.
Sicilia Tuipulotu was a classic case. After a sudden turnover, instead of feeding her starving backs outside her, she drove ahead blinkered, and Wales lost another prize possession.
The last ten minutes saw almost 100% Aussie possession. Ashley Marsters, coming off the bench today, added two late tries to turn the screw even tighter.
Result: Australia 36 Wales 5
Teams:
AUSTRALIA
15 HALSE 14 STEWART 13 FRIEDRICHS 12 POMARE 11 MILLER 10 MOLEKA 9 WOOD 1 POHIVA 2 AMOSA 3 O’GORMAN 4 LEANEY 5 LEONARD 6 DUCK 7 CHANCELLOR (captain) 8 TUINAKAUVADRA
16 NADEN 17 KAVOA 18 NGAUAMO 19 FERNANDEZ 20 MARSTERS 21 MORGAN 22 HINDS 23 ELLIS
WALES
15 METCALFE 14 JOYCE- BUTCHERS 13 COX 12 KEIGHT 11 NEUMANN 10 POWELL 9 BEVAN 1 G. PYRS 2 PHILLIPS 3 TUIPULOTU 4 CRABB 5 FLEMING 6 K. WILLIAMS (co-captain) 7 LEWIS 8 CALLENDER (co-captain)
16 REARDON 17 MAISIE DAVIES 18 SCOBLE 19 A. PYRS 20 EVANS 21 MEG DAVIES 22 DALLAVALLE 23 RICHARDS
Afterthoughts
Wales had a worrying moment early on. Alex Callender suffered a leg injury and hobbled off. She is a key player, and we all wish her a speedy recovery.
This was the most ambitious tour of all the 16 qualifiers for thr RWC. The Welsh management would have far preferred a ‘learning loss’ in Brisbane, then a heartening win in Sydney, to send them home full of hope.
By contrast Jo Yapp will be delighted with her team’s showing. Like Lynn, she made plentiful changes.
Her next job is to sort out the ideal partnerships and combinations available across the squad.
