- After their momentous win against New Zealand last round, Ireland faced their easiest opponents of the tournament; a Kazakhstan team which had suffered two loses already. It didn't take long for Ireland to show their dominance, taking just six minutes to get their first try, a good collection of offloads between the Irish forwards sent the number six - Lynch - diving beneath the uprights. A bout of hard graft from the Kazakhstan forwards, earned them their third try of the tournament, with lock Karatygina claiming the score. Shortly before the break however the Irish fly-half Rosser once again showed the gulf in class between the two teams, easily ghosting through the Kazakh defence before side-stepping around the fullback for a wonderful solo effort. Half time score of 14-5. A penalty try cemented Ireland's lead before they scored one of the tries of the day, a well gathered kick allowed Ireland the chance to spread the ball quickly from one side of the pitch to the other and outside the reforming Kazakh defence. Before a sudden burst of speed from openside Fleming took her 60m and in for the bonus point try. Ireland refused to settle for the scoreline though and Lynch scored her second of the day after swift recycling gave the girls in green a five man overlap. The final try came four minutes into stoppage time, again the Irish getting the ball out of the breakdown quickly to make us of the overlap and put winger McGinn over in the corner.
Final Score: Ireland 40 - Kazakhstan 5
- Both Spain and Samoa went into their final game looking to regain some pride, after suffering sizeable defeats in their first two games. From the outset the dominance of the Spanish scrum was obvious, scoring their first try from the back. A messy pickup by the No. 8 Aigneren, was shovelled on to Garcia on the winger who dived in the corner. Next it was Samoa's turn to show their strengths, winger Mefi made a dancing break, avoiding tacklers left and right to get Samoa behind the Spain defence, quick hands got the ball outside the covering defence, until finally centre Brenda Collins pulled off an excellent finish in the corner to bring the scores level. A penalty try put Spain back on top, before a quick tap by their scrum half Garcia split open the Samoan defence, allowing a neat offload to the support run by Del Pan. Spain obtained the bonus point, in the first half, with a lovely backs play, the fly-half Bravo looping around to create the overlap to send in the number 12 Pla. Half time score 24-5. Spain continued their scrum dominance in the second half, allowing big their big No. 8 Aigneren to score a brace of tries from 5m scrums, her first coming from a turnover scrum - something rarely seen in any form of rugby.
Final Score: Spain 41 - Samoa 5
- The third game of the day saw two teams both vying for a place in the semi-finals, England and Canada both had ten points going into the game, a win for either would guarantee first or second seeding in the knockout stages. England claimed first points; a Scarratt penalty eight minutes into the game. However it didn't take long for Canada to respond, a fantastic driving maul from the line out pushed the English forward back over their own line to give the lead to Canada. The missed conversion was a trend for the Canadian kicker Harvey, as she went on to miss a penalty later on in the first half which would have given Canada a good lead heading into half time. As it was England claimed the half time lead, after a wonderful attacking move off the scrum created by outside centre Scarrat holding two defenders with her line put the fullback Waterman away down the touchline. Canada scrambled to cover eventually forcing the attack into touch, but the referee awarded England a penalty for offside directly in front of the posts, England lead 6-5 at half time. Canada refused to lie down to the well respected England team, and came out all guns blazing in the second half, scoring their second try of the match only four minutes into the second half. Excellent forward play, eventually battered down the door, and a cheeky dive through the ruck saw replacement Kayla Mack put Canada back in front. The English pack took the responsibility to bring their team back into the lead, finding a monumental scrum drive to give captain Hunter the easiest of tap downs, it seems that 5m scrum tries have become a big weapon at this championship. England lead by three points going into the final ten minutes, but after concerted pressure from the Canadians, the English slipped up and gave Magali Harvey the chance to bring the scores level, having already missed three kicks in the game the crowd didn't look confident. Yet she successfully - if slightly messily - converted the chance. With the game all level at 80 minutes, the English knew that it would be enough to take them through, kicking the ball out, and sending both teams through to the semi-finals
Final Score: England 12 - Canada 12
- Up next was the second dead rubber game of the day, neither Wales nor South Africa could progress to the semi-finals (although all teams would play seeded knockout games), nor had either team scored a try in this championship. Both teams traded penalties in the first quarter of the game, South Africa ruing two missed penalties, before Wales's fly-half knocked over a drop goal to give Wales a more noticeable lead. Wales No. 8 Harries scored the only try of the first half - and Wales' first of the tournament. After good pressure at the South African scrum, by the Welsh scrum half, Harries pulled off the turnover before squirming over the try line. Half time score 16-3. Replacement Jenny Davies claimed the second try of the game in the second half, after assured ball retention by the Welsh forwards through numerous pick and drives on the South Africa line, eventually the front row substitute got the ball over the line. Once again the 5 meter scrum proved a deadly weapon at this World Cup, the South African pack crumbling against the pressure exerted by the Welsh forwards. Once the referee had award Wales the advantage Sioned Harries stormed off the back of the scrum and powered through two tackles to ground the ball for her second. Wales smelling blood, went all out and scored the bonus point try shortly after the 80 minute hooter, excellent forward recycling slowly drew the South African defence closer and closer to the breakdown, until a quick change of direction and delicate soft and swift hands down the blindside put Harries in for her hat-trick.
Final Score: Wales 35 - South Africa 3
- Perhaps the biggest shock of the day was the fact that New Zealand's last game was irrelevant to the title race. After the England and Canada result it meant it was impossible for New Zealand to progress and defend their title. Nevertheless New Zealand looked to put the United States to the sword. With ten minutes of play gone the New Zealand second row, dummied through the American defence, some neat hands and quick recycling later and New Zealand made us of an overlap with a huge, miss-pass to send Manuel over the whitewash. The Black Fern's second came from a successful rip at the maul, and in classic New Zealand style made full use of turnover ball. Swiftly spreading the ball away from the contact area, until a perfectly timed run by fullback Winiata was found by another miss-pass, who executed the two on one superbly putting Richardson on the winger away. At half time 12-0 was the score. The United States claimed the first points of the second half with a penalty kick, but New Zealand refused to let them back into the game. A half break down the wing gave New Zealand the opening, and despite strongly contesting the ruck, New Zealand spotted the gap around the fringe and exploited it, a neat offload sending replacement scrum-half Cocksedge away for the bonus point score. Their fifth came from a wonderful hitch-kick to flatfoot the defence, Wickliffe slicing through the white line, before a lovely one-two pass with Cocksedge to round off the try. Yet another miss-pass (sensing a pattern here?) by New Zealand put them on the outside of the USA defence, to allow openside flanker Lavea to scamper in for the final try of the game.
Final Score: New Zealand 34 - USA 3
- The host nation France were already qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup going into their final game, Australia had a chance to qualify but it was slim they needed a bonus point win against a France team that has eased to victory in their first two games. Early in the first half the teams traded penalties, France's coming after a "blink and you'll miss it" break by the French fly-half after a messy lineout, and it didn't take long for Australia to respond. France were awarded their first try controversially, it seemed the referee was fed up of Australia infringing at the breakdown so close to their own line, and awarded a penalty try, when really it should have only been a yellow card at best. This gave France a 3-10 lead at the break. The second and final try of the match came from typical French forward power, having shown their ability at scrum time all tournament the decided to try their hand a a driving maul. Perfectly formed and powerfully driven, they bundled their way over, eventually hooker and captain Mignot came up with the ball. Australia kept coming, but spurned a good chance with ten minutes left, after sloppy hands let the ball go to ground. At the final whistle France lead, which meant they go into the knock-out stages a 1st seeds.
Final Score: Australia 3 - France 17
Now that all the pool stage games have been completed, it is time for the knock-out stages. Based on their pool standings the teams seeded as so:
1. France
2. Ireland
3. England
4. Canada
5. New Zealand
6. Australia
7. USA
8. Wales
9. Spain
10. South Africa
11. Samoa
12. Kazakhstan
Which means the games of the next round are as follows
France v Canada
Ireland v England
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New Zealand v Wales
Australia v USA
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Spain v Kazakhstan
South Africa v Samoa
Three separate "tournament tree's" if you like to decide the final standings of all twelve teams at the end of the tournament.
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