Wales 24-26 USA: Cardiff Agony – But Are Wales Women Turning a Corner?
A WEEK ago, Wales Women gave their supporters something to celebrate with an emphatic 50-19 victory over South Africa at Cardiff Arms Park.
Seven days later there was no victory — but perhaps there was further evidence that something is beginning to change in Welsh women’s rugby.
Wales were beaten 26-24 by the USA on Saturday, falling agonisingly short after a remarkable first-half fightback against a team currently ranked five places above them in the world.
There are defeats that leave you questioning where a team is heading. This did not feel like one of them.
USA arrived in Cardiff ranked sixth in the world and full of confidence after defeating Ireland 40-36 in Dublin the previous weekend. Wales, ranked 11th, had their own confidence restored by that impressive win over South Africa.
What followed was an absorbing contest which Wales could quite easily have won.
Wales come roaring back
Initially, it looked as though it could be a difficult afternoon.
Powerful USA number eight Freda Tafuna crossed twice as the visitors established a 14-0 lead, and Wales were struggling to gain enough possession to impose themselves on the game.
Then came the response.
Experienced scrum-half Keira Bevan spotted a gap to score Wales’ opening try before USA hit back through Erica Coulibaly to make it 21-5.
At that stage Wales could have disappeared from the contest.
Instead they exploded into life.
Kelsey Jones finished off a driving maul before Sisilia Tuipulotu powered over and co-captain Alex Callender found her way through the American defence.
From 14-0 down — and subsequently 21-5 behind — Wales somehow reached half-time 24-21 in front.
It was exactly the sort of resilience that head coach Sean Lynn will want to become part of the identity of this developing Welsh side.
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Tafuna has the final word
The frenetic scoring slowed considerably after the interval, with both defences gaining greater control.
Unfortunately for Wales, the game’s decisive moment belonged to Tafuna.
The USA forwards patiently worked their way towards the Welsh line before their number eight crashed over for her third try of the afternoon, completing her hat-trick and putting the Eagles back in front at 26-24.
Wales searched for one final response, but this time it did not come.
USA held on by two points to secure their second victory in Europe in the space of a week.
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A defeat – but a very different feeling?
Nobody inside the Wales camp will be satisfied simply because the margin of defeat was small.
But context matters.
Wales have endured some difficult periods in recent seasons. Against the world’s sixth-ranked team, however, there was very little separating the sides in Cardiff.
There was attacking ambition. There was physicality. Above all, there was the character to recover when the game appeared to be slipping away.
That matters.
Sean Lynn said before the game that victory over South Africa had demonstrated Wales had “moved the dial” following their work during pre-season. He also knew USA would present an even greater examination — describing them as a fit, fast and athletic side playing with confidence.
Wales didn’t quite pass that examination with a victory.
But neither did they look out of place.
One week after putting 50 points on South Africa, Wales have now pushed one of the world’s top six sides to within two points.
Perhaps that South Africa victory wasn’t simply a good night.
Perhaps there really are signs of something developing.
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A landmark afternoon for Georgia Evans
There was also a significant personal milestone amid Saturday’s drama as Georgia Evans won her 50th cap for Wales.
The Saracens second row made her international debut against Spain in 2019 and has developed into one of the experienced figures within the Welsh pack.
Lynn described her work rate and commitment to Wales as an inspiration to the squad before the game.
Her milestone comes at an intriguing point in the development of this Wales team, with established internationals increasingly being joined by a new generation competing for places.
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Japan comes next
Wales now have time to absorb the lessons from these two Cardiff matches before the WXV Global Series takes them to Japan.
They will face the Cherry Blossoms at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday, October 24, before meeting them again at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium on October 31.
Those games offer another opportunity to measure exactly how far Wales have travelled.
The scoreboard at Cardiff Arms Park says Wales lost on Saturday.
But ater a 50-19 victory over South Africa followed by a two-point defeat against the world’s sixth-ranked team, the bigger picture may just be beginning to look rather brighter.
Speaking on BBC One Wales, hooker Kelsey Jones said: “We’re playing a brand of rugby that we haven’t seen from a Wales team in a while. It’s now about the little fixes and we’ve got a big few weeks leading into Japan.”
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Did Ewe Know?
USA and South Africa had already met twice earlier this year — and shared the honours. South Africa won their first July Test 34-21 before the USA hit back to win the return match 26-19 a week later.
So Wales’ back-to-back Cardiff opponents were perhaps even more evenly matched than their world rankings suggested.