By David Williams
Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap has admitted her players need to recover quickly from a “brutal” battering by New Zealand if they are to keep their World Cup show on the road.
Wales would likely still progress to the knockout stages of the tournament , even if they lost heavily to Australia in their final Pool A match on Saturday.
They have a hard-earned victory over Scotland in their opening match safely in the bag, whereas likely rivals for the final knockout spot, Fiji, are probabaly going to need to get something from their match against France.
The structure of the 12-team competition means only four teams are actually jettisoned at the end of the pool stages, meaning third place in two of the three four-team pools will be enough to progress to the quarter-finals.
If Wales lose to Australia, they are still likely to make the last eight, along with the USA, with Fiji likely to be the third-placed team who misses out as they already have a heavy points deficit, having been thrashed 84-19 by England.
Amid the predictable post-match talk in and around the Welsh camp of “positives” and being on “long journeys” after their 56-12 defeat to the Kiwis, Lillicrap offered some refreshing realism and honesty.
“It was a brutal 80 minute,” said the captain.
Don’t write us off – Siwan Lillicrap believes Wales can progress in World Cup https://t.co/QBuCCpeHom
— The Independent (@Independent) October 16, 2022
“When the Black Ferns throw the ball around, their pick-and goes, their offloads, their strength, they are brutal.
“Our set-piece was really dominant, and our pack did exceptionally well in that area. Line outs, driving mauls, scrums, there were a lot of penalties there. But we didn’t capitalise on the opportunities in that area and didn’t front up physically enough.
“They pounced on our mistakes, they have deadly wingers that can create stuff from nothing and have deadly players all around the park.
“They scored a couple of quick tries again in that first half, and in the same second half we let them score two tries which isn’t the way we wanted to start.
“The next few days are going to be crucial to us because we have a six day turn around before we face Australia. We have to dust ourselves off pretty sharpish.”
Prolific winger Portia Woodman and 18-year-old centre Sylvia Brunt both crossed twice as the five-time world champions ran in 10 tries in a bonus-point win to delight the crowd at the Waitakere Stadium in Auckland.
At the heart of @BlackFerns‘ route to the quarter-finals 🇳🇿
Ruahei Demant was crowned the @Mastercard Player of the Match in #WALvNZL#POTM | #Priceless | #RWC2021 pic.twitter.com/2Tf3iaEwS3
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 17, 2022
Woodman’s combination of power and pace was all but irresistible at times as she improved her tally to 18 tries in seven career World Cup matches and her overall mark to 36 in 22 tests.
Brunt scored the pick of the tries with her second effort, however, crossing in the 49th minute at the end of a sweeping 80-metre attack in which the ball passed through a series of New Zealand hands.
“I’m really proud of our mental strength,” said New Zealand’s captain, Ruahei Demant.
“I’m happy that we had the courage to play into space regardless of where we were on the field and didn’t take the easy road by taking contact all the time.”
“If you can’t run over them, run around them” 🎙
Sylvia Brunt finishes a sensational @BlackFerns Try#RWC2021 | #WALvNZL pic.twitter.com/oFUWif53ED
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 17, 2022
With some dominant scrums and powerful rolling mauls, Wales gave New Zealand a reminder of potential challenges ahead if, as looks likely, they meet European powers England and France later in the tournament.
It was from the lineout drive – a major weapon for tournament favourites England – that Wales scored both of their tries through scrumhalf Ffion Lewis and number eight Sioned Harries.
Any hopes of a comeback after Lewis’s try just before half-time were quickly extinguished, though, when Black Ferns lock Maiakawanakaulani Roos and centre Theresa Fitzpatrick crossed for tries in the four minutes after the restart.
