Defeated Wallaroos still battle into World Cup quarters
Ian Chadband |
Never can a 47-7 defeat have felt so satisfying for Australia’s rugby women as their hammering by hosts England still couldn’t stop them marching proudly into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
The Wallaroos had to avoid a 76-point defeat by the rampant tournament favourites to book their place in the last-eight and their excellent, ferocious first-half display in Brighton on Saturday (Sunday AEST) effectively ensured that grim prospect was never really on the cards.
Instead, in front of a 30,000 crowd including the Princess of Wales, Australia were left celebrating the chance to cause an upset in next Saturday’s (Sunday AEST) quarter-final against Canada, the world’s no.2 side who had earlier beaten Scotland 40-19 in Exeter to maintain their unbeaten record.
Skipper Siokapesi Palu, who led her Australians excellently after injury, said: “We are really happy with the performance – especially in that first half, we really gave it to them – and we’re just going to stick with those positives.”
The Wallaroos knew exactly what they had to do after the USA had earlier hammered pool A makeweights Samoa 60-0 in York to also give themselves a chance to clinch the second qualifying spot in the group.
But despite coach John Mitchell, the former All Blacks’ mentor, declaring that England aimed to be ruthless hunters, the hosts were taken aback by how the Wallaroos came at them early on with hooker Adiana Talakai ploughing over for the sixth-minute try from a driving maul that really eased their job.
The Aussies needed to score four tries, or lose by less than seven points, to earn the bonus point that would have guaranteed their progression and for a tantalising first half-an-hour, that didn’t even seem wholly out of the question as they still led the world’s No.1 side, who now haven’t lost a Test in a record-equalling 30 matches.
That superb opening, featuring real resilience in defence and enterprise in attack, proved absolutely critical in their bid to ensure their points-difference ended up 35 points better than the Americans, even though there felt an inevitability that England, after a scrappy opening, would eventually start wearing them down.
England finally hit the front with three tries before the break from Jess Breach – on her 50th appearance – Abbie Ward and Sadia Kabeya, and as Australia began to tire amid the wave of attacks from the hosts after halftime, further scores followed from Kabeya, a double from Kelsey Clifford and Sarah Bern.
Yet despite conceding seven tries in total at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium, the side coached by former England player Jo Yapp never really looked like conceding the avalanche of points that would have consigned them to an early exit.
Yapp, who’s leaving as coach after the tournament, said: “I don’t know if the scoreline was a fair reflection, but in the second half we lost momentum, we lost a couple of key set-pieces and then we were on the back foot. Credit to England, they capitalised on that.
“But the positive thing is we created opportunities, got field position, just we couldn’t execute. I’m proud of the first half, the way we took it to them.”
Next up, it’s going to be a tall order against Canada, who beat the Wallaroos 45-7 in their Pacific Four Series clash in Brisbane in May.
“We know what to expect, we’ll preview them this week and we’ll focus on ourselves,” said Yapp.
AAP
