YORK, England — New Zealand started the defence of their Girls’s Rugby World Cup crown with a 54-8 over Spain on Sunday.
Whereas the rating line suggests a comparatively comfy afternoon for the Black Ferns, it was something however with the 7,458-strong crowd handled to an entertaining afternoon of rugby.
Spain matched New Zealand’s physicality and made it troublesome for the defending champions with a bunch of small wins all through the primary half.
Their goal-line defence was resilient they usually performed good rugby, selecting the best moments to kick and when to run the ball.
A attempt from Ines Antolinez Fernandez on the 80-minute mark earned by far the largest cheer of the afternoon with Spanish and impartial followers delighted.
Monica Castelo produced 22 tackles whereas Alba Campbell and Lourdes Alameda received via a mountain of labor on the breakdown the place Spain had good success at instances.
Whereas the Black Ferns did not really appear like conceding within the first half, they may have been pissed off with some dealing with errors that halted their rhythm and prevented extra tries.
Sevens star Jorja Miller received New Zealand transferring with a quick-fire double, the primary approaching the left-hand facet after some good footwork left the Spanish defence floundering.
She used her out-and-out tempo for the second after Braxton Sorensen-McGee discovered her in area on the best wing.
Participant of the match Liana Mikaele-Tu’u added a 3rd for the Black Ferns, charging over from shut vary. All three first-half tries had been transformed from he boot of Renee Holmes.
Coach Allan Bunting made sweeping modifications on the break, with Ruahei Demant, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Laura Bayfield all approaching and the bench made a right away impression, bringing vitality and direct rugby to the second-half.
Ayesha Leti’-I’iga and Georgia Ponsonby added two mores inside ten minutes of the restart and the Black Ferns had their bonus level.
Olsen-Baker’s, afternoon — and probably match — was reduce quick with what gave the impression to be an ankle damage. The 23-year-old was stretchered off in tears after 50 minutes.
Nevertheless, the gang quickly had one thing to cheer about, with Portia Woodman-Wickliffe approaching and scoring her first attempt of the marketing campaign.
Leti’-I’iga nabbed a double earlier than additionally being pressured off via damage, whereas Theresa Setefano capped off the scoring for New Zealand.
