Week 2 of the Girls’s Rugby World Cup delivered a sport for the ages in Australia’s 31-31 draw towards the US and an upset, as South Africa beat Italy.
There’s now only one place within the quarterfinals — which can go to both Australia or the U.S. — up for grabs.
England, Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, Eire, France and South Africa are all by way of.
Who will play who’s but to be decided, with a lot to play for within the last week.
– Extra drama to come back after Australia, USA ignite WRWC
Here is a take a look at the second weekend of motion from the Girls’s Rugby World Cup.
Largest query: Can Australia do sufficient towards England?
When the ultimate siren went in York on Saturday, there was some confusion about what it meant for Australia and the United Sates following their 31-31 draw. Nonetheless, the permutations are — fortunately — pretty easy.
The U.S. want a bonus level win over Samoa subsequent week to have any likelihood of qualifying.
A bonus level (win or lose) will see Australia qualify no matter whether or not the U.S. get a bonus level or not.
Ought to Australia lose with no bonus level (failing to attain 4 tries) and the U.S. get their bonus level, it comes right down to factors distinction.
Easy, proper?
– Samoa take positives regardless of England Girls’s World Cup drubbing
The strain is undoubtedly on Australia. They should go right down to Brighton and get some type of consequence to undergo. It is a robust ask.
England are relentless and coach John Mitchell will not need his facet to provide anybody an inch, not to mention 4 tries.
Ilona Maher watch:
After some good moments within the opening match towards England, Ilona Maher backed it up and was an actual enforcer for her facet towards Australia. Maher made her mark with highly effective ball operating, making good post-contact metres and was robust on the breakdown, profitable three turnovers.
– Can Ilona Maher remodel the Girls’s Rugby World Cup?
Nonetheless, her disappointment was apparent after the consequence.
“We had been in it backwards and forwards after which we had been up in the direction of the top there after which they scored once more,” Maher instructed ESPN.
“So it was positively, I feel simply disappointment [because] we had it after which simply errors occur and whatnot.”
Different tales to know:
England’s welcome choice headache:
The Pink Roses are fast to distance themselves from the narrative they’re successfully working two totally different beginning XVs on the World Cup.
However, after two rounds you’ll be able to just about guess your mortgage on 14 of the 15 starters for the knockout levels. Those that began towards the U.S. are more likely to be those carrying England by way of the match. The staff that confronted Samoa are perceived to be those who’re attempting to pressure their fingers.
John Mitchell steers away from such ideas, saying any choice relies on a financial institution of data grown since he took the job in Could 2023, in addition to kind. Whereas they’ve has a couple of damage disruptions — together with captain Zoe Aldcroft being out for a fortnight – you’ll be able to nonetheless nearly work out the staff that may play within the quarterfinal.
The one key positional determination is on the wing. Will it’s Jess Breach or Claudia Moloney-Macdonald? Each began towards Samoa on Saturday and it was Breach who starred, scoring a hat trick of their 92-3 win. Moloney-Macdonald didn’t need for effort and crossed late on.
– Breach hat trick helps England to file win
Who Mitchell begins towards Australia on the wings can be fascinating. You count on him to wrap sure gamers up in cotton wool — maybe the excellent Meg Jones who, like Breach, has began each matches to date — however Moloney-Macdonald will wish to put down a marker subsequent week.
The pack appears settled, however any ambiguity over what England’s greatest staff is will largely focus round who joins Abby Dow on the wings.
South Africa make historical past:
South Africa offered maybe the second of the match to date on Sunday after they certified for the knockout levels for the primary time of their historical past.
The Springboks surprised Italy 29-24 in York to ebook their place within the quarterfinals. They’d by no means overwhelmed Italy earlier than, both.
There was an outpouring of emotion of emotion and large celebrations as South Africa achieved the historic feat. They face France subsequent week to determine who will end high of Pool D.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe breaks one other file:
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe grew to become New Zealand’s file attempt scorer — males’s or girls’s — on Sunday because the Black Ferns thrashed Japan 62-19 on Sunday.
Woodman-Wickliffe wanted another attempt to surpass former All Black Doug Howlett’s file of 49 and went over after 12 minutes in Exeter to grab the file.
The 34-year-old got here out of retirement to make a bid for a third-straight World Cup crown so as to add to her two sevens Olympic gold medals.
The children are alright:
There is definitely no want to fret about the way forward for the code within the south with younger weapons Caitlyn Halse and Braxton Sorensen-McGee making headlines following their efforts for Australia and New Zealand, respectively.
Each 18-year-olds have set the world stage alight, Sorensen-McGee together with her hat trick towards Japan on Sunday, Halse together with her unbelievable double to maintain the Wallaroos within the sport towards the U.S. on Saturday.
Dubbed ‘the Child’ in Australia, Halse has been integral within the Wallaroos efforts to date with 4 tries to her title. In the meantime Sorensen-McGee has develop into one of many Black Ferns most spectacular attacking threats.
Spotlight to look at:
South Africa’s historical past making second:
