A Francesca McGhie hat trick of tries led Scotland’s 38-8 demolition of Wales in their make-or-break Women’s Rugby World Cup opener in Manchester on Saturday.
Both Six Nations sides were under immense pressure to win. In their pool, both are expected to beat Fiji but neither are expected to trouble Canada, leaving their matchup to likely decide the second quarterfinalist from the pool.
The game had a frantic, desperate air, and Scotland pulled away in the second half and won by a record 30-point margin over Wales.
Meanwhile, in the first match of the doubleheader in Salford, Australia racked up its highest World Cup score after scorching Samoa 73-0.
Also, Canada fullback Julia Schell scored a record six tries to lead a 65-7 rout of Fiji in York.
Scotland 38, Wales 8
A last-gasp penalty by Wales at the 2022 World Cup sent home Scotland and lifted Wales into the quarterfinals.
Now, Scotland should reach its first quarterfinals since 1998.
McGhie was over after just 54 seconds. Wales No. 8 Alex Callender leveled but McGhie was quick to reply in the 17th minute and Scotland never trailed again.
Scotland’s buildup was overshadowed by a contracts dispute with its union but it looked focused from the kickoff.
Hooker Lana Skeldon dropped the ball behind her, flyhalf Helen Nelson cleaned up and released McGhie to fly over in the first minute.
Callander replied from a rolling maul off a lineout, but McGhie regained the lead for Scotland when the pack shortened the Wales defense and gave the left wing an easy dive across.
The Scots put the game away with tries just before and after halftime.
Just before, the backs sent McGhie tearing up the middle, then big hitters Rachel Malcolm and Evie Gallagher softened the defense for scrumhalf Leia Brebner-Holden to score.
Just after, wing Rhona Lloyd gave an overlap to McGhie, who slipped two defenders to score her third try — her 13th in 20 tests — and Scotland’s bonus point fourth.
That took the wind from Wales and Scotland finished with tries by Gallagher and center Emma Orr, both converted by Nelson.
Australia 73, Samoa 0
Australia racked up 11 tries, three by winger Desiree Miller in the first half. But Miller left the field in the second half after a head-on-head collision with Samoa’s Melina Grace Salale.
Salale became the first player in the tournament to be red-carded.
The Wallaroos eclipsed their previous best World Cup score of 68-12 against South Africa in 2006.
Australia took only 92 seconds to get on the scoreboard, a lineout drive finished by hooker Katalina Amosa, who made her test debut only in May.
The Wallaroos had the bonus point fourth try by the 15th minute. Miller was in support of fellow wing Maya Stewart to get her hat-trick try in the 33rd.
The pick of the tries was the first of two by fullback Caitlyn Halse, who at 18 became the Wallaroos’ youngest ever World Cup player — at least until the appearance in the tournament of teammate Waiaria Ellis, who is 17.
A looparound by flyhalf Faitala Moleka fed Halse into a gap 35 meters out and she was practically thrown over the try-line.
The entire Samoa side made its World Cup debut. The Manusina were playing their first World Cup match in 11 years.
Despite struggling for matches and available players, they were better than the score suggested, growing into the game and matching Australia’s intensity but not Australia’s ruthless efficiency in the 22.
Samoa enjoyed rousing passages, and front-rowers Glory Aiono, Mamea, Denise Aiolupotea and Tori Iosefo were a fearsome sight in open play. They made Australia make a whopping 183 tackles but were let down by miscues in front of the try-line.
Winger Drenna Falaniko had a chance to become the first ever Manusina scorer against the Wallaroos, 16 years after their only other test, but knocked on while diving over the line in a tackle.
Canada 65, Fiji 7
Schell scored all of her six tries in a row in 22 minutes in the second half.
The output tied for the second most tries in a World Cup match, with the six by Krista McFarren of the U.S. against Sweden in 1994. The record was eight by Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand against Hong Kong in 2017.
Canada’s previous record was five in a match, most recently in 2017.
Schell’s half-dozen came in a match thoroughly dominated by Canada, which is ranked No. 2, unbeaten in eight tests this year, and on a mission to win its first World Cup.
In short time, Canada had a fourth bonus-point try.
Lock Sophie de Goede, just back from an ACL tear, and hooker Gillian Boag scored the first two, and while flyhalf Taylor Perry was in the sin-bin for head contact, flanker Caroline Crossley touched down and set up wing Alysha Corrigan for their fourth try in the 29th minute.
Fiji, down 24-0 at halftime, started the second half with a crowd-pleasing try from its own 22. All-action midfielder Josifini Neihamu swept upfield, captain Alfreda Fisher supported, and replacement back Kolora Lomani dotted down.
But the rest of the half was Canada’s, notably Schell.
Fiji replacement prop Bulou Vasutaraga became the second woman to receive a red card in the tournament when her yellow card for a dangerous high tackle in the 69th was upgraded to a 20-minute red.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Foster Niumata, The Associated Press
