Three first-half tries by fullback Amiria Marsh propelled defending champion New Zealand to a 50-0 victory over Samoa at the Women's Rugby World Cup on Monday.
Also, France brought Australia to earth with a 24-10 win, England overwhelmed South Africa 74-8, Scotland outlasted Kazakhstan 32-17, the US rebounded from an opening loss to England by defeating Ireland 24-11, and Canada spanked Spain 79-0.
Only New Zealand, France, England and Scotland remain unbeaten after two rounds. With semi-final berths at stake in Friday's last preliminary round, key matches include England vs. France and Australia vs. US, with points difference likely to be needed.
PHOTO: AFP
Most of Samoa's squad play in New Zealand but its knowledge was no help as the Black Ferns posted eight tries following a 10-try rout of host Canada last Friday.
Beside the expert support of Marsh, the other tryscorers were winger Victoria Blackledge, captain Rochelle Martin, her replacement No. 8 Rachel Makata, flanker Melissa Ruscoe, and replacement fullback Anna Richards.
Their defense held out the Samoans, who had prolonged periods of attack in the second half.
PHOTO: AFP
"We feel that with Canada and Samoa as our first two matches we have gotten our two solid and physical matchups out of the way," said New Zealand coach Jed Rowlands.
France captain Estelle Sartini set up a sixth-minute try for winger Catherine Devilliers, then took advantage of Australian Paige Butcher's sinbinning to put over No. 8 Delphine Plantet.
Devilliers' second touchdown made it 17-0 at halftime, and center Dalila Boukerma's converted try made it 24-0 before Australia finally answered through replacement flanker Kim Wilson.
"We defended very well," Sartini said. "The Australians were very big and could have bullied us but we didn't let that happen and we took the game to them."
England captain Sue Day scored four of its 12 tries against South Africa, and flyhalf Shelley Rae contributed a try and seven conversions.
The US took advantage of their forward might and drove over flanker Phaidra Knight and lock Erin Carter for converted tries and a 14-3 halftime lead. Flyhalf Kristin Baja scored within two minutes of the restart, but while Knight was yellow-carded Ireland crossed through prop Gillian McAlister. Knight returned to claim a vital bonus-point try.
Scotland appeared to have victory in hand when it led 25-5 but two late tries lifted Kazakhstan within eight, and it took a last-second try by Scotland winger Rhona Shepherd, in her 50th cap, to seal the result.
Winger Maria Gallo notched five tries for Canada in a 13-try demolition of Spain, which played without Ines Alberdi Etxegibel, who was suspended for one match for stamping in the previous game against Scotland.
ANFIELD BLUES: Kylian Mbappe arrived at Anfield on a run of 21 goals in 17 games, but he managed just three attempts in the match, none of them hitting the target Kylian Mbappe has been nearly unstoppable this season, but he hit a roadblock in their UEFA Champions League match at Anfield on Tuesday. For the second year running, the Real Madrid forward had a night to forget at Merseyside as Liverpool won 1-0. Mbappe looked a shadow of the player who has been tearing defenses apart all season. “We were lacking that threat in the final third,” said Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, without naming Mbappe individually. The FIFA World Cup winner for France rarely looked capable of finding a breakthrough against a Liverpool team who have been so defensively fragile for much of the
LOCAL SUCCESS: In the doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in straight sets Elena Rybakina on Monday punched her ticket to the WTA Finals last four with an impressive 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over second seed Iga Swiatek in round-robin play in Riyadh. After cruising past Amanda Anisimova in her opener on Saturday, Rybakina claimed her second win of the week to guarantee herself top spot in the Serena Williams Group. Anisimova on Monday rallied back from a set and a break down to triumph 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in her all-American battle with seventh seed Madison Keys, who has been eliminated from the competition. “Madi was playing so well, it was quite a battle out there,”
Erling Haaland on Sunday scored twice to propel Manchester City up to second in the English Premier League with a 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth. The Cherries started the day in second thanks to the longest unbeaten run in the English top flight, but Andoni Iraola’s side were undone by the scintillating form of the Norwegian striker, who took his tally to 13 Premier League goals in 10 games. Haaland’s relentless streak is maintaining City’s title challenge as they reduced the gap to leaders Arsenal back to six points and edged one point ahead of Liverpool, who they face at the weekend. “Important
For almost 30 minutes, Vitomir Maricic did not take a breath. Face down in a pool, surrounded by anxious onlookers, the Croatian freediver fought spasming pain to redefine what doctors thought was possible. When he finally surfaced, he had smashed the previous Guinness World Record for the longest breath-hold underwater by nearly five minutes. However, even with the help of pure oxygen before the attempt, it had pushed him to the limit. “Everything was difficult, just overwhelming,” Maricic, 40, told reporters, reflecting on the record-breaking day on June 14. “When I dive, I completely disconnect from everything, as if I’m not even there.
RSS