Before their Rugby World Cup campaign, Jenny Owens believes the “nonsense” surrounding Welsh rugby’s upcoming shake-up was unfair to Wales’ women’s teams.
The former Welsh hooker believes the plans for improvement by the Welsh Rugby Union should be “standalone” rather than merely a result of changes to the national women’s game.
Women’s Rugby World Cup – Pool A
Australia (45) 73
Tries: Amosa, Miller 3, Halse 2, Chancellor, Karpani, Smith, Talakai 2
Cons: Wood 6, Cramer 3
Australia scored 73 points against a helpless Samoa to record their largest-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup victory in a perfect start to their tournament campaign.
The Wallaroos’ 11 tries was also the most they have scored in a game, with their previous largest winning margin coming in a 62-0 win over South Africa in 2010.
Wing Desiree Miller bagged a first-half hat-trick as Joanne Yapp’s side moved above England to lead Pool A on points difference.
Full-back Caitlyn Halse, the youngest player to represent Australia at a Women’s World Cup at just 18, scored the pick of the first-half scores after hitting a brilliant line to race clear.
Former England captain Yapp will be confident her side can qualify for the knockout stages, but it is hard to know just how they will match up against the Red Roses, who are World Cup favourites, given the weak opposition.
Samoa, ranked 15th in the world, are competing at their first Women’s World Cup since 2014.
A large portion of the Salford crowd got behind the second-lowest ranked side in the tournament, but strong defence prevented them from crossing in an improved second-half performance.
The Wallaroos next face the United States in York on Saturday, which will probably decide who will qualify alongside England for the quarter-finals.
England comfortably defeated the United States 69-7 in the opening game of the World Cup, with head coach John Mitchell revealing post-game that he will rotate his squad heavily for the game against Samoa next Saturday.
Australia XV: Halse; Stewart, Friedrichs, Smith, Miller; Moleka, Wood; Pohiva, Amosa, Karpani, Leaney, Leonard, Duck, Chancellor.
Replacements: Talakai, Hoy, O’Gorman, Fernandez, Marsters, Morgan, Hinds, Cramer.
Samoa XV: Wright-Akeli; Col Aumua, Pouri-Lane, Makisi, Falaniko; Vatau, Afuie; Mamea, Filimaua, Aiono, Sio, Onesemo-Tuilaepa, Ryder, Pauaraisa, Atonio.
Replacements: Leuta, Aiolupotea, Iosefo, Taylor, Iva, Onosemo-Tuilaepa, Salale, Tugaga.
The Hundred women’s competition, Headingley
Oval Invincibles 125-6 (100 balls): Winfield-Hill 37 (30), Cross 2-16
Northern Superchargers 127-3 (95 balls): Davidson-Richards 50 (32)
Superchargers won by seven wickets
Northern Superchargers ended Oval Invincibles ‘ hopes in this year’s Hundred women’s competition and consolidated their own strong position with a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Headingley.
The win takes Superchargers onto 20 points in second place, four behind unbeaten Southern Brave and four clear of Manchester Originals and London Spirit, who have played a game fewer.
Opener Alice-Davidson Richards capitalised on some loose bowling to strike 50 from 32 balls to break the back of the Superchargers ‘ chase of 126.
She fell with 42 runs needed and Australian Phoebe Litchfield, who sparkled again in making 29, followed three balls later, but Nicola Carey made an unbeaten 15-ball 25 and Superchargers won with five balls to spare.
Invincibles were hampered by bowler Tash Farrant injuring her back in the field and only being able to bowl five balls.
Alice Capsey also went off after a blow to her right hand while bowling but the England all-rounder was able to return to the attack.
Superchargers ‘ earlier made the ideal start when Grace Ballinger bowled Paige Scholfield with the first ball of the match.
Invincibles were 64-4 after 60 balls when Australian Meg Lanning, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, was pinned lbw and although captain Lauren Winfield-Hill, dropped down the order after a poor run as opener, hit 37 from 30, their 125-6 felt below par.
Seamer Kate Cross, 24 hours after being left out of England’s World Cup squad, took a solid 2-16.
Superchargers play Manchester Originals in their final match on Tuesday, live on the BBC.
They will be guaranteed a place in the eliminator at worst with victory but could progress regardless given their strong net run-rate.
There are four games on Sunday, starting with Welsh Fire women against Trent Rockets women at Cardiff at 11: 00 BST.
The men’s match follows from 14: 30. At the same time as that second match, Manchester Originals women host Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford.
Originals men against Phoenix men follows at 18: 00.
The Football Focus team discuss Nuno Espirito Santo’s future at Nottingham Forest after he revealed a deterioration in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis in a “bombshell” press conference ahead of their Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace.
READ MORE: Nuno’s future as Nottingham Forest boss uncertain
Football Focus’s Chris Sutton, Glen Murray and Alex Scott discuss the issues Graham Potter is facing at West Ham after they lost their opening two Premier League games of the new season, conceding eight goals.
WATCH MORE: West Ham booed as Chelsea score five in convincing win
South Africa have recalled David Miller, Keshav Maharaj and Donovan Ferreira to their T20 squad for the white-ball tour of England next month.
Middle-order batter Miller, 36, and 35-year-old spin bowler Maharaj missed the recent T20 tour of Australia, which the hosts won 2-1.
Big-hitting Ferreira last played for his country in the shortest format in December but has been in good form in franchise cricket, including in this summer’s Hundred competition.
The Proteas will play three one-day internationals and three T20s on their tour of the UK, which begins on 2 September.
All-rounder Marco Jansen, 25, and fast bowler Lizaad Williams, 31, are also included after recent injuries.
Teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka has been retained in the ODI squad as cover for Kagiso Rabada, who is continuing his recovery from an ankle injury.
Paceman Rabada, who has almost 250 white-ball wickets, will travel with the ODI squad and is expected to be available for all three T20s.
“We’ll reassess Kagiso in England”, said head coach Shukri Conrad. “We are hopeful that he will be available for part of the ODI series, but we’re prioritising T20 cricket and will take a conservative approach. We won’t rush him back”.
Both teams are building towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is being held in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
The opening game of the tour is the first ODI at Headingley on 2 September (13: 00 BST).
September
2 1st ODI, Headingley (d/n) (13: 00 BST)
4 2nd ODI, Lord’s (d/n) (13: 00 BST)
7 3rd ODI, Utilita Bowl, Southampton (11: 00 BST)
10 1st Twenty20 international, Cardiff (d/n) (18: 30 BST)
12 2nd Twenty20 international, Emirates Old Trafford (d/n) (18: 30 BST)
England ODI squad for South Africa: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk).
Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed (captain), Jofra Archer (wk), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith (wk), Luke Wood, and Rehan Ahmed (captain).
Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Breetz, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, and Tristan Stubbs are the South Africa