New Zealand Dominates Spain in World Cup Opener, Ireland and South Africa Shine

New Zealand’s Black Ferns launched their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign with a convincing victory over Spain, winning 40-8 in their Group C opener. The match took place at the Northland Events Centre in Whangarei on October 8, 2023. Despite a challenging first half, New Zealand found their rhythm after the break, overcoming injuries to secure the win.

Initially, Spain managed to keep pace, trailing only 21-3 at halftime. The Black Ferns’ scoring was led by standout performances from Jorja Miller and Ayesha Leti-Iiga, each contributing two tries. Other scorers included Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Georgia Ponsonby, Theresa Setefano, and Woodman-Wickliffe, who now holds a record of 15 tries in World Cups, moving ahead of former England international Sue Day.

Spain managed to score a consolation try through Ines Antolinez Fernandez in the final moments of the match, rewarding their spirited effort. However, the game took a distressing turn for New Zealand when replacement loose-forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker suffered a serious leg injury just 15 minutes after entering the field. She left the pitch on a stretcher, casting a shadow over an otherwise dominant performance.

Ireland and South Africa Claim Victories

In another Group C match, Ireland secured a strong 42-14 victory against Japan. The Irish team established an early lead, with Amee Leigh Costigan and Neve Jones scoring tries within the first ten minutes. By halftime, Ireland had already secured a bonus point thanks to additional tries from Beibhinn Parsons and Fiona Tuite. The second half saw further scores from Eve Higgins and Enya Breen, while Japan found the try line through Haruka Hirotsu and Masami Kawamura.

“I think getting off to a fast start was crucial,” remarked Ireland’s coach Scott Bemand in an interview with BBC. “While we were slow in the second half, securing that bonus point before halftime was vital for us.”

Meanwhile, South Africa dominated Brazil in Group D with a decisive 66-6 victory. Aseza Hele stood out with a hat-trick, contributing to the team’s impressive total of ten tries. Other notable performances came from Libbie Janse van Rensburg and winger Ayanda Malinga, who each scored twice. Brazil, ranked 25th in the world, managed to score two penalties through Raquel Kochhann but struggled to keep pace with the South African side.

“We made too many errors, and there is still a lot of work to do,” acknowledged South Africa’s coach Swys de Bruin. “Our set play was fantastic, which set the platform, but we need to improve our execution.”

As the tournament progresses, these opening matches set a competitive tone for the remainder of the World Cup, showcasing the talents and determination of the participating teams.