Cymru v Spain
This was an entertaining, hard-fought game played for high stakes, a place in the World Cup and in WXV2. The losers would be condemned to the lowest of the three tiers.
To be consistent I ought to call Spain ‘Sbaen’, but I don’t want to appear too conversant with the Welsh language.
Early on Cymru showed a lot of invention, powerful forward thrusts, coupled with testing lines picked by the midfield. On three minutes the first beneficiary was Alex Callender, accepting an inside off-load from Beth Lewis to catch defenders on their weak shoulders. She was over to the left of the posts. Keira Bevan added the extras. (7-0)
Spain made their first entry into the hosts’ 22 when Alisha Butchers conceded an offside penalty.
An initial drive faltered as Spanish forwards lost their footing, but they retained possession and drove right to the line. Callender saved the situation with a jackal.
From there Cymru tried a repeat of the Try of the Tournament, in other words, the Dow special against Canada, after England spread the ball left from behind their own line, and Claudia Macdonald danced and spun a long pass to her opposite winger. Only now, Aurélie Groizeleau spotted a forward pass, and Cymru were back on their 5-metre line. Enterprise can come at a cost.
The Welsh nearly paid for the error. Another hard lesson: if the opposing No 8 can retrieve the ball, a pack driving forward at the set-scrum is vulnerable. Carmen Castellucci could, and she was twice involved as las Leonas attacked again. In a strange sequence of repeats, Cymru regained possession through… Callender! The Player of the Match already? That’s a bit early.
Lleucu George hoisted her first searching kick. Sure enough it was fumbled, and Spanish players in front fell offside. A series of dangerous Welsh phases saw the point of attack switching constantly. When Abbie Fleming reached over the line, the Spanish defence had done well enough for the TMO to be called in for his first adjudication. Result: try! (14-0)
Spain are a fine side. They went straight back on attack; the backs danced and weaved, the forward drove and off-loaded. But their weaknesses showed they were pinged once more for holding on. I don’t need to tell you who was responsible.
Back came las Leonas. They built patiently, recycled efficiently and gained a reward when Carys Cox stuck an arm out to intercept a threatening pass. She was given a 10-minute rest in the shade.
But Cymru had fallen off-side as well, so on the quarter-mark the impressive Amalia Argudo got her team on the board from in front. (14-3)
When a kick-through is deflected, the game offers unpredictable excitement. Now Spain were the beneficiaries: Argudo sliced through the Welsh defence and grubbed ahead as the last defender approached. She had to go to ground to gather the ball as it halted on the 5-metre line and was caught. But the support was there, and Ines Antolinez was granted the try as Groizeleau had an off-side penalty in mind anyway. (14-10)
On the half-hour Spain built a wonderful attack that showed why they defeat all their European rivals with such ease. They ran, passed, recycled, drove and repeated, till the Welsh were pinned on their line again. No white-line fever here. Finally the ball whipped out to the right-wing, where Claudia Perez finished the job with a flourish.
That set the cat amongst the pigeons (14-15) but at least Cox was restored to proceedings.
As if practising for Wimbledon the next day, spectators’ necks were at once stretched the other way. The Welsh pack drove at the line, and Butchers came up with the goods. (21-15)
Spain responded at once. An excellent drop-out saw Lisa Neumann forced into touch as she tried to net the ball and return it with interest. Cymru paid the price.
A quite outstanding set-move from the line-out saw Claudia Pena again set free and she danced her way over the line. Once more the conversion proved too tesiing for Argudo. Would it prove costly? (21-20)
After the 40, it was good to see both sides wanting to go on attacking; only a minor error allowed the referee to call a halt.
Half-time: 21-20. Some game!
Cunningham must have suggested more forward domination. It worked; a line-out drive put the Spaniards on the back foot. When the ball spread wide, Cox stepped neatly inside to exploit a lack of cover, and she was over. (28-20)
Back on attack, Bevan stood ready to tap on the 5, but Groizeleau issued a warning to Alba Vinuesa (now the captain) after two consecutive infringements. Another kick to the corner. Spain did outstandingly well to resist thrusts by Tuipulotu, then more by other hungry forwards. In the course of this bombardmant a Spaniard leapt backwards out of the melee, holding her leg. A physio was close by. Even with that handicap las Leonas held out. Finally Groizeleau signalled ‘held up’, and no more offsides had been conceded. It was almost like scoring at the other end.
Ah! But then, a second call for TMO assistance. Decision overturned. Try Butchers, converted well by Bevan (35-20)
Fitness was beginning to tell. Two Leonas went down in turn with cramp. Yet the visitors were back on the Welsh 5-metre line. Another chance went begging as Beth Lewis claimed the ball.
The comeback was a lovely move by the Welsh. George sent out a long looper, Jenny Hesketh accelerated and delayed her pass perfectly to give Cox another try. Spain could still gain some small credit for forcing the winger to feint inside before squeezing in by the flag; (40-20)
With ten minutes left, yet another unwise kick ahead led directly to a try by Hesketh. Spain were tiring; even a penalty kick to touch by Argudo was scuffed. Till then, she had played thorughly well.
Now a perfect high cross-kick from Robyn Wilkins found Cox so alone she might have been on a desert island. That was her hat-trick. (52-20)
Spain were still attacking for all they were worth as the game finished. Now to find a means to give them a better chance of narrowing the European gap. Cymru had their cherished place at the World Cup; Sbaen are condemned to WXV3 again.
Result: Cymru 52 Spain 20
Teams
Cymru: 15 Jenny Hesketh, 14 Lisa Neumann,13 Hannah Jones (captain), 12 Kerin Lake, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan, 1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, Abbie Fleming, 4 Georgia Evans, 5 Abbie Fleming, 6 Alisha Joyce-Butchers, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bethan Lewis
Bench: 16 Molly Reardon, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Kate Williams, 20 Gwennan Hopkins, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Robyn Wilkins, 23 Courtney Keight
Spain: 15 Claudia Perez 14 Claudia Pena 13 Alba Vinuesa 12 Zahia Perez 11Clara Piquero 10 Amalia Argudo 9 Lucia Diaz 1 Ines Antolinez 2 Marieta Roman 3 Laura Delgado (captain) 4 Monica Castelo 5 Lourdes Almeda 6 Nerea Garcia 7 Alba Capell 8 Carmen Castellucci
Bench: 16 Nuria Jou 17 Maria del Castillo 18 Sidorella Bracic 19 Anna Puig 20 Maria Calvo 21 Lia Pineiro 22 Maider Aresti 23 Martina Marquez
Officials
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
Assistants: Holly Wood (RFU), Adèle Robert (BEL)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Afterthoughts
Recent events in Wales have pointed up the severe financial difficulties facing the union. Abi Tierney has announced her 5-year strategy for setting Welsh rugby back on its feet, but critics have queried the costings. Nor are they alone. Scotland is suffering the same problems.
I mention these facts as they impinge directly of the fate of the women’s squads. They can hardly be expected to advance when the vital support systems are not in place. New national training centres are an asset, but with the majority of the their top players based in England, neither nation can expect to produce the results they and their supporters desire.
Several Spanish players might attract the attention of PWR coaches, if they haven’t already. I look forward to seeing how World Rugby and/or the 6N board can advance their cause.
There was an enthusiastic, carefree crowd in the sunshine, but a 2,436 attendance must be considered disappointing for so vital a match.
