Big Worries for Cymru
After some unfamiliar line-ups yesterday for European viewers, there were three much better known today. And the Wallaroos had played Cymru only last week in Newport. Here’s the first game.
Australia v Wales
A second quirk of the scheduling: the two sides demoted from WXV1 started proceedings in Cape Town on Saturday morning.
It didn’t start well for the Wallaroos: Caitlyn Halse, the teenage full-back didn’t catch the kick-off cleanly; Wales exerted the early pressure.
But on the quarter-hour Australia were right back in the game. A wonderful series of off-loads, plus a fend from Stewart like a knock-out blow brought them a penalty five metres out. Layne Morgan went straight over, but from the wrong spot. Again they looked to be over, but Clara Munarini had said ‘use it’, and they hadn’t.
Another oustanding Aussie move gave Maya Stewart the chance to show her penetration. Another penalty was tapped by Morgan, this time legally, and she shot over the line. 5-0
The game was wonderfully open, both sides freeing the ball and looking for the wide spaces, but the Aussies were more fluent. A penalty against them proved costly: from a 5-metre line-out Carys Phillips scored behind a powerful drive.
A wonderful attack by combined Welsh forces was marred right on the line with a hopeful off-load that couldn’t be accepted. Munarini was standing well in goal when she made the decision.
Wales paid heavily for this error. As the clocked ticked around to 40, the Wallaroos built another formidable attack. Eva Karpani struck the final blow, fending off tackles as she strode over.
Half-time:10-5
Wales restarted well. They were close to the line when another unnecessary infringement stopped them short: this time obstruction.
The Aussie pack blasted a scrum and triumphed, but the game kept see-sawing. Wales attacked, but an inaccurate pass by Lleucu George set them back on their line. Only a last-moment turnover saved the day.
Once more it was Karpani bundling her way over the line, but somehow Welsh defences got at least a fingernail under the ball. A moment later they offended again, just outside their 22. No surprise that Moleka was asked to pot the three points. 13-5
As the 3/4 mark approached, Oz were dominating the scrums, and Wales could question how they had not managed to sort that Tuipulotu visa out.
The two gold-and-green wingers had been very prominent. Now Morgan was favouring them, especially on the blind-side.
A pass from Bevan reached George at boot level, possession too easily lost. Fine driving and off-loading up front led to quick hands behind for Stewart to scamper over. Cramer converted. 20-5 That was the vital bonus-point secured.
Another try followed at once. Tabua Tuinakauvadra, always prominent, made a barrelling run, and Moleka was on the end of another defence-splitting move. 25-5
The Aussie staff-box was a joy to behold, and, unlike others we saw today, there were actually women present, note the plural. It was only now that Cunningham made multiple changes; too late?
The Wallaroos weren’t done. Fine inter-passing by the backs saw Cramer sprint away to the left corner. 30-5
Molly Reardon, having just thrown in wonky to a line, compounded Welsh problems by making a shoulder-to-head contact. Yellow card. With seven minutes left, her game was done.
Things got even worse for Cymru. Stewart was allowed to run mile upon mile past flapping hands to reach the line. It started from the cleanest of line-outs, then a neat inside pass from Moleka.
That made 27 unanswered points in one half.
Result: Australia 37 Wales 5
Player of the Match: Faitala Moleka
Teams
Australia:
15 Caitlyn Halse 14 Maya Stewart 13 Georgina Friedrichs 12 Trilleen Pomare 11 Desiree Miller 10 Faitala Moleka 9 Layne Morgan 1 Bridie O’Gorman 2 Tania Naden 3 Eva Karpani 4 Kaitlyn Leaney 5 Michaela Leonard (captain) 6 Siokapesi Palu 7 Ashley Marsters 8 Tabua Tuinakauvadra
16 Tiarna Molloy 17 Lydia Kavoa 18 Alapeta Ngauama 19 Atasa Lafau 20 Lucy Dinnen 21 Natalie Wright 22 Cecilia Smith 23 Faitala Moleka
Wales:
15 Jenny Hesketh 14 Jasmine Butchers-Joyce 13 Carys Cox 12 Kerin Lake 11 Nel Metcalfe 10 Lleucu George 9 Keira Bevan (captain) 1 Gwenllian Pyrs 2 Carys Phillips 3 Donna Rose 4 Natalia John 5 Georgia Evans 6 Alisha Butchers-Joyce 7 Kate Williams 8 Bethan Lewis
16 Molly Reardon, 17 Abbey Constable 18 *Jenni Scoble 19 Abbie Fleming 20 Alex Callender 21 Sian Jones 22 Kayleigh Powell 23 Hannah Jones
*uncapped
Bella McKenzie was a late withdrawal, replaced by Faitala Moleka at 10.
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
Afterthoughts
Both squads must be a nightmare for the coaches to manage. They are capable of wonderful combined movements, but errors apply the brakes far too often. Perhaps it’s the coaches‘ fault after all.
Cymru managed to lose a game they had won just a few days earlier at home. All the old doubts about their management arise again, but I’ll leave solutions to Abby Tierney and the Welsh board.
Jo Yapp had every right to look delighted with events. The Wallaroos have found victory an elusive target recently, but today’s performance showed their immense potential.
The cameras revealed a tiny crowd in a vast stadium. The TV producer didn’t offer views of the other stand, so we may assume the numbers there were only slightly larger. The product still isn’t selling as planned.
