In a milestone for Welsh sport, the women’s rugby league side have made their first appearance at a World Cup. However, drawn into a group with England, Samoa and Australia, it would certainly not be an easy task.
Wales started against England at HBF Park in Perth, Australia, on Saturday 17th October. However, they were beaten 70-6 by an England side determined to make a strong start to the tournament. England’s attacking quality proved difficult to go up against, with Connie Boyd scoring a hat-trick and Anna Davies also managing three tries. Amelia Brown produced one of the standout moments of the match, running 109 metres to score a try. Although the score was disappointing for Wales, the team showed determination against an internationally experienced opposition. England’s strength and ability to run through gaps in defence ultimately proved too much, leaving Wales with a difficult task ahead in their next group fixture.
Their second match, against Samoa on Friday 23rd October, brought further disappointment. Wales suffered a 76-0 defeat at CommBank Stadium in Sydney, as Samoa delivered a powerful attacking performance. Wales started well and created several early and smart opportunities, but they were unable to break through Samoa’s strong defence. Samoa started scoring quickly in the ninth minute through Laikha Clarke and continued to dominate as the match progressed. Seven first half tries gave Samoa a 40-0 lead at the break, before they added another seven tries in the second half. The result was particularly significant for Samoa, as their 76 points set a record for the women’s international rugby league team.
The two defeats highlight the challenges Wales have faced as they compete against some of the strongest teams in the sport. While stating this, some have thought it unfair that Wales have been put into their first matches with these teams, but nothing has been done about it. However, Wales’ opponents have demonstrated impressive attacking ability, while the Welsh team have struggled to turn their opportunities into points and maintain defensive consistency throughout the matches. Despite this, the experience of competing at a World Cup has been said to be valuable for the Welsh players. Facing top-level international opposition offers an opportunity to identify the teams’ areas for improvement, develop greater confidence and gain experience that may benefit them in their future competitions. For a squad making its first appearance at this level, the tournament represents a very valid and important step in the development of women’s rugby league in Wales.
These defeats do not mean that Wales’ campaign is over yet, with Australia next on the schedule on Sunday 1st November. This match will hopefully provide another test against one of the leading nations in the women’s game. Wales will need to remain organised in defence, improve their handling and make the most of any scoring opportunities if they are to put up more of a fight for a chance of winning. For Welsh supporters, these results have been difficult to accept, but the team’s participation in the tournament remains a significant achievement. Their remaining fixture offers another chance to demonstrate resilience and gain experience on the international stage. Their challenge will be to learn from their defeats, improve for the future and continue raising the profile of women’s rugby league across Wales.