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Ruby Tui scores four as Black Ferns thump Wales in Dunedin
By Ned Lester
The Black Ferns were out for redemption after being dismantled by France in WXV 1’s opening round. The loss saw the world champions’ dangerous backline starved of any attacking opportunities by a clinical and aggressive defensive line. The team were determined things would go differently against Wales.
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A first-half quartet of tries to superstar Ruby Tui put the result beyond doubt early, and the second half only compounded the pressure for Wales.
Just three phases into the match New Zealand were breaking down the left sideline, with Mererangi Paul found in space and bursting free of Wales’ grasp.
The Kiwis were perhaps a little over-anxious in the opening stages, struggling to execute their lineouts against an organised Welsh defence and getting held up in their first attempt at the try line.
While Wales proved themselves to be the more composed team in the early exchanges, the Black Ferns found their way into the match through the breakdown. Winning a number of turnovers, Ruahei Demant kicked her side down the field and once in the 22, the Black Ferns unleashed a well-versed backline move that put Paul over in the corner.
Three minutes later Wales were once more backed into their own 22 and a cross-field kick fielded by Ruby Tui saw the superstar winger take on three Welsh defenders and cross for the second score of the game.
The Black Ferns continued to press deep into Welsh territory as more breakdown indiscipline was exploited. New Zealand’s backline was a different beast without the threat of the rush defence they saw a week ago, isolating Welsh defenders and tearing them apart in the wide channels.
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Centre Amy du Plessis was the critical link in distribution when the ball went through the hands, finding Ruby Tui in space twice in five minutes to hand the winger a hat-trick at the 25-minute mark.
Both New Zealand wingers’ fitness was tested with huge running metres early in the Test. Tui had her fourth before the half-hour mark rolled around courtesy of more quick hands throughout both the forwards and backs. A goose step powered Tui past a string of covering defenders, breaking through when space looked to be all but gone.
Wales were resilient but any attempt at attack came through a rolling maul off their lineouts, which was swallowed by an unforgiving Black Ferns pack who consistently won the penalty.
The Ruby Tui quadruple saw New Zealand enter the sheds with a 27-0 advantage.
Both teams threatened in the opening stages of the second period. An intercept from Ruahei Demant saw the World Player of the Year with nothing but green space in front of her but the pace of Jasmine Joyce was up to the challenge of both a chase down and the breakdown turnover.
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Then the Welsh lineout maul finally found some pay but the joy was short-lived as Maia Roos charged down the ensuing box kick.
Glue-girl du Plessis then traded her selfless distributions for a direct running game and crashed over under the posts.
Wales made the restarts difficult with contestable kickoffs throughout the contest but while it wasn’t always tidy, New Zealand managed to consistently secure possession.
Lineout time continued to haunt Wales who conceded penalty after penalty and handed New Zealand the freedom to attack under advantage. Cross-field kicks, wrap-around plays and inside balls were all deployed as the Black Ferns attacked from deep into Wales’ half regularly.
Mererangi Paul was the next to strike for the women in black, collecting a deft inside dropoff from Demant and fending off the Candians’ last line of defence to bring the scoring tally to 41.
Two penalties in quick succession won Wales an attacking opportunity five metres out from the Black Ferns line and it wasn’t long before Abbie Fleming dotted down for Canada’s first and only points of the match.
The New Zealand wings couldn’t be denied for long though and Katelyn Vahaakolo refused to be denied within her opening minute on the field – having replaced Ruby Tui as Robyn Wilkins converted the Wales try.
Sitting just shy of the half-century on the scoreboard, New Zealand’s ambitious attack continued. Wales’ ability to pester and slow down ball at the breakdown challenged the Black Ferns’ ability to play at pace, but it made little difference once the ball was put through the hands.
Ruahei Demant, Super Rugby Aupiki MVP Lucy Jenkins and Mererangi Paul’s third finished off the scoring in the final 10 minutes to add extra emphasis to an already dominant victory. Fulltime score: 70-7.
