WXV 3: Netherlands deny Samoa a win

WRAP: Spain and Fiji each began WXV 3 2024 with bonus-point victories in Dubai but the moment of the round was arguably saved until last.

Having recovered from going 0-8 down to level the scores in the dying seconds, Samoa were denied a precious victory in the race to World Cup 2025 qualification when Cassie Siataga’s conversion was charged down.

Netherlands fullback Lieve Stallmann rose high into the Dubai night to deflect the Samoa flyhalf conversion attempt away from the posts.

Earlier on Saturday, Fijiana ran in six tries to confirm a comfortable 38-3 defeat of Hong Kong China.

On Friday, meanwhile, Clara Piquero scored a hat-trick of tries as Spain beat Madagascar 83-0 at The Sevens Stadium.

Spain 83-0 Madagascar

There were barely two minutes on the clock in Dubai when Claudia Peña Hidalgo supplied the pass that allowed Piquero to score her first try of the match.

Amalia Argudo converted and less than five minutes later, Spain had a second try as Nadina Cisa went over.

Captain Cristina Blanco was the next woman in red to cross the whitewash before Zahia Perez confirmed the try-scoring bonus point in only the 17th minute.

Cisa scored her second try of the match at the end of the first quarter and Argudo and Carmen Castellucci each breached the Malagasy line before the break.

It was a similar story after half-time as Piquero bagged her second try of the match and Peña turned scorer moments later.

Piquero completed her hat-trick in the 54th minute, racing onto a pop pass from replacement Alba Capell, and when Anne Fernandez de Corres went over four minutes later, the score was 69-0.

Madagascar were denied a first WXV try, initially by the bounce of the ball and then a knock-on, and Spain crossed the whitewash twice more before the end, through Maria Roman Mallen and Maria Calvo.

Fiji 38-3 Hong Kong China

It took Fijiana less time than Spain to get the first try of their match against Hong Kong China, as Ana Korovata powered over inside two minutes.

When fullback Luisa Tisolo played in wing Kolora Lomani two minutes later it looked as though Fiji were set to rack up a similar score as on Friday.

However, Fung Hoi-ching ate into the Fijian lead with a 15th-minute penalty, to make the score 10-3, and the Pacific Islanders had to wait until the final play of the first half to get their third try.

No.8 Karalaini Naisewa profited from a powerful attacking scrum to control the ball over the line and dot down. Tisolo’s conversion made the half-time score 17-3.

Fiji again had to be patient in the second half and Hong Kong China’s resolve was not broken until the final quarter.

Repeka Adi Tove supplied the all-important fourth try in the 59th minute and there was still time for Sulita Waisega and Naisewa again to go over before full-time.

Netherlands 8-8 Samoa

The Netherlands clearly hadn’t read the script of the two previous matches as the WXV debutants dominated from the first whistle.

And they were rewarded for some expansive play with their first try in only the fourth minute as Linneke Gevers went over.

Second row Inger Jongerius had provided momentum to the move with a powerful carry, but it was the silky skills of Pleuni Kievit that made the score for centre Gevers.

Kievit missed the conversion, but the flyhalf soon made up for that with a penalty to stretch the Dutch lead to 8-0.

Samoa offered little in the way of an attacking threat in the first half but cut into the Netherlands’ lead in the 26th minute as Siataga struck a penalty through the uprights.

Although the Netherlands’ physical exertions clearly took a toll in the second half, it looked as though Gevers would be the match-winner until the closing stages.

Samoa put the Netherlands under huge pressure in the final 10 minutes and the dam finally broke with time in the red as Ana-Lise Sio burrowed over from close range.

With the try scored relatively close to the posts, it looked as though Siataga’s conversion would win it, but Dutch fullback Stallmann had other ideas and managed to charge down the kick to preserve the draw.