Wallaroos, USA share spoils in RWC classic
SATURDAY WRAP: Australia’s Wallaroos have battled to eke out a 31-31 draw against the USA in the most thrilling match yet at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, with both sides still able to dream of reaching the quarterfinals.
In a thrilling, undulating contest in which both sides scored five tries apiece on Saturday, brilliant doubles for Australian backline stars Desiree Miller and teenager Caitlyn Halse at York Community Stadium were countered by a superb hat-trick from American flank Freda Tafuna.
With the match in the balance, replacement prop Eva Karpani ploughed over for the Aussies’ fifth try with five minutes left to level the scores, but scrumhalf Sam Wood missed the conversion attempt that could have sealed the victory, which would have guaranteed a place in the last-eight.
Though the game had been billed as win-or-bust, the draw still allows both sides to dream, with everything now hanging on the final group A matches next week, with Australia facing the hot favourites and hosts England, while the US play Samoa.
Australia currently look to be just about in the driving seat, as they have a mighty 135-points difference advantage over the US, but if they cop a massive hiding from England and the Americans steamroll the exhausted Samoans, it’s possible that could be overturned.
But Australia’s fate is in their own hands if they can grab a bonus point against the English in Brighton.
England earlier continued their magisterial progress after beating the US 69-7 in the opening match by hammering Samoa 92-3 in Northampton.
It was another performance designed to worry the Wallaroos that they could still be in trouble.
“The feeling’s a bit mixed,” admitted co-captain Kaitlan Leaney.
“We were on top in parts, and they came back; we feel flat, it feels like a loss.”
*A fixture between a fully professional England side, who have not lost since the Covid-delayed 2022 final against New Zealand, and an amateur Samoa team was always likely to produce a lopsided result.
The anticipated hammering duly took place in Northampton, with event favourites England running in 14 tries, including Breach’s treble, despite the wet conditions at Franklin’s Gardens.
This Pool A result saw England surpass both their previous highest score in a World Cup game, achieved in an 84-19 win over Fiji three years ago. It was the biggest margin of victory at the tournament. Helena Rowland’s individual match haul of 27 points was the most in the Red Roses’ history.
Such is England’s strength in depth that victory was achieved despite coach John Mitchell making 13 changes to the starting 15 that hammered the United States 69-7 in last week’s tournament opener.
“I am very pleased, the conditions weren’t in our favour and we adapted to that,” Rowland, drafted in at fly-half in place of Zoe Harrison, told the BBC. “We played some good rugby. With a squad that had so many changes, it felt really cohesive.”
Samoa, beaten 73-0 by Australia in their opening Pool game, at least avoided being ‘nilled’ two weeks in a row thanks to Harmony Vatau’s 44th-minute penalty.
“I wanted us to tap and go [from the penalty] but we talked about getting some points, which we did, and we avoided that zero,” said Samoa coach Ramsey Tomokino.
“We need more rugby in Samoa; we need to be part of a professional competition, that would help us. Our players are spread out around the world.”
Earlier, title-contenders Canada reached the last eight by hammering Wales with a 42-0 in Salford to follow their opening 65-7 walloping of Fiji.
Wales made an encouraging start against Canada, ranked second in the world, but were still 0-28 behind just after half an hour thanks to McKinley Hunt’s two tries and one each for Alysha Corrigan and Asia Hogan-Rochester.
Taylor Perry and Brittany Kassil crossed Wales’ try-line after half-time, when Georgia Evans was yellow-carded and Sophie de Goede converted all six tries.
‘Dominant’
“I think we were very dominant in the set-piece, it was amazing to watch our girls dominate the scrums, and the line-out was still strong for us,” said Canada captain Alex Tessier.
Wales coach Sean Lynn added: “The big thing for me was that in the last 15, 20 minutes there was a glimpse of what I want to see, being brave, moving the ball and getting individuals with the ball in hand.”
Elsewhere in Pool B, Scotland also reached the quarterfinals with a 29-15 win over Fiji – the narrowest margin of victory in this tournament so far – that built on their 38-8 victory over Wales. The Welsh are now condemned to an early exit.
Francesca McGhie opened the scoring with a second-minute try after taking just 55 seconds to break the deadlock against Wales.
Rhona Lloyd added two more tries to put Scotland 17-5 ahead at the break, but Manuqalo Komaitai’s score after the restart gave Fiji hope.
McGhie’s fifth try of the tournament and Emma Orr’s superb solo effort put the result beyond doubt prior to Karalaini Naisewa’s consolation score for Fiji.
“We’ve been thinking about this for a really long time, after what we’ve been through on and off the pitch,” said Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm.
“I don’t think we’ve been in a World Cup quarter-final for 24 years, so it’s nice to create a bit of history.”
See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers:
USA 31-31 Australia
The scorers:
For USA:
Tries: Tafuna 2, Sagapolu, Rogers, Jarrell
Cons: Hawkins 3
For Australia:
Tries: Miller 2, Halse 2, Karpani
Cons: Wood 3
Teams:
USA: 15 Lotte Sharp, 14 Cheta Emba, 13 Ilona Maher, 12 Emily Henrich, 11 Erica Coulibaly, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 9 Cassidy Bargell, 8 Rachel Johnson, 7 Kate Zackary (captain),6 Freda Tafuna, 5 Erica Jarrell, 4 Hallie Taufoou, 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu, 2 Kathryn Treder, 1 Hope Rogers.
Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Alivia Leatherman, 18 Charli Jacoby, 19 Rachel Ehrecke, 20 Tahlia Brody, 21 Olivia Ortiz, 22 Gabriella Cantorna, 23 Sariah Ibarra.
Australia: 15 Caitlyn Halse, 14 Maya Stewart, 13 Georgina Friedrichs, 12 Cecilia Smith, 11 Desiree Miller, 10 Faitala Moleka, 9 Samantha Wood, 8 Tabua Tuinakauvadra, 7 Emily Chancellor, 6 Piper Duck, 5 Michaela Leonard, 4 Kaitlan Leaney, 3 Bridie O’Gorman, 2 Tania Naden, 1 Faliki Pohiva.
Replacements: 16 Katalina Amosa, 17 Lydia Kavoa, 18 Eva Karpani, 19 Annabelle Codey, 20 Ashley Marsters, 21 Layne Morgan, 22 Trilleen Pomare, 23 Tia Hinds.
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)
Assistant referees: Precious Pazani (ZIM) & Maria Heitor (FPR)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
England 92-3 Samoa
The scorers:
For England:
Tries: Jones 2, Breach 3, Bern, Feaunati, Davies, Packer, Clifford, Carson, Rowland, Packer, MacDonald
Cons: Rowland 11
For Samoa:
Pen: Vatau
Teams:
England: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Jess Breach, 13 Megan Jones, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Claudia Moloney Macdonald, 10 Helena Rowland, 9 Lucy Packer, 8 Maddie Feaunati, 7 Marlie Packer, 6 Abi Burton, 5 Rosie Galligan, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 3 Sarah Bern, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 1 Kelsey Clifford.
Replacements: 16 May Campbell, 17 Mackenzie Carson, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Morwenna Talling, 20 Sadia Kabeya, 21 Natasha Hunt, 23 Zoe Harrison, 23 Ellie Kildunne.
Samoa: 15 Karla Wrght-Akeli, 14 Davina Lasini, 13 Keilamarita Pouri-Lane, 12 Fa’asua Makisi, 11 Linda Fiafia, 10 Harmony Vatau, 9 Ana Afuie, 8 Nina Foaese, 7 Sui Pauaraisa, 6 Utumalama Atonio, 5 Demielle Onesemo-Tuilaepa, 4 Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa, 3 Glory Aiono, 2 Faith Nonutunu, 1 Denise Aiolupotea.
Replacements: 16 Lulu Leuta, 17 Ti Tauasosi, 18 Tori Iosefo, 19 Ana-Lise Sio, 20 Madisen-Jade Jamie Iva, 21 Saelua Leaula, 22 Taytana Pati Ah-Cheung, 23 Michelle Curry.
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
Assistant referees: Clara Munarini (FIR) & Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Scotland 29-15 Fiji
The scorers:
For Scotland:
Tries: McGhie 2, Lloyd 2, Orr
Cons: Nelson 2
For Fiji:
Tries: Senivutu, Komaitai, Naisewa
Teams:
Scotland: 15 Chloe Rollie, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Lisa Thomson, 11 Francesca McGhie, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Leia Brebner-Holden, 8 Evie Gallagher, 7 Rachel McLachlan, 6 Rachel Malcolm (captain), 5 Sarah Bonar, 4 Emma Wassell, 3 Elliann Clarke, 2 Elis Martin, 1 Leah Bartlett.
Replacements: 16 Molly Wright, 17 Anne Young, 18 Lisa Cockburn, 19 Adelle Ferrie, 20 Eva Donaldson, 21 Alex Stewart, 22 Caity Mattinson, 23 Beth Blacklock.
Fiji: 15 Litiana Vueti, 14 Alowesi Nakoci, 13 Verenaisi Ditavutu, 12 Josifini Neihamu, 11 Michella’e Brigid Stolz, 10 Salanieta Kinita, 9 Setaita Railumu, 8 Manuqalo Komaitai, 7 Alfreda Fisher, 6 Nunia Daunimoala, 5 Mereoni Nakesa, 4 Jade Coates, 3 Vika Matarugu, 2 Bitila Tawake, 1 Loraini Senivutu.
Replacements: 16 Keleni Marawa, 17 Karalaini Naisewa, 18 Tiana Robanakadavu, 19 Carletta Yee, 20 Sulita Waisega, 21 Kolora Lomani, 22 Kelerayani Luvu, 23 Adi Salote Nailolo.
Referee: Lauren Jenner (FIR)
Assistant referees: Holly Wood (RFU) & Amelia Luciano (USAR)
TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)
Canada 42-0 Wales
For Canada:
Tries: Hunt 2, Corrigan, Hogan-Rochester, Perry, Kassil
Cons: de Goede 6
For Wales: None
Teams:
Canada: 15 Julia Schell, 14 Alysha Corrigan, 13 Florence Symonds, 12 Alexandra Tessier (captain), 11 Asia Hogan-Rochester; 10 Taylor Perry, 9 Justine Pelletier; 8 Gabrielle Senft, 7 Karen Paquin, 6 Caroline Crossley; 5 Tyson Beukeboom, 4 Sophie de Goede; 3 DaLeaka Menin, 2 Emily Tuttosi, 1 McKinley Hunt.
Replacements: 16 Gillian Boag, 17 Brittany Kassil, 18 Olivia DeMerchant, 19 Courtney O’Donnell, 20 Fabiola Forteza, 21 Olivia Apps, 22 Claire Gallagher, 23 Shoshanah Seumanutafa.
Wales: 15 Nel Metcalfe, 14 Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, 13 Carys Cox, 12 Courtney Keight, 11 Lisa Neumann, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan, 8 Georgia Evans, 7 Bethan Lewis, 6 Bryonie King, 5 Gwen Crabb, 4 Abbie Fleming, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 2 Molly Reardon, 1 Maisie Davies.
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Gwenllian Pyrs, 18 Jenni Scoble, 19 Tilly Vucaj, 20 Branwen Metcalfe, 21 Seren Lockwood, 22 Kayleigh Powell, 23 Kerin Lake.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (NZR) & Jess Ling (RA)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
AAP & AFP
