Other Matches, Wk1

[Which Tyler]

If anyone wants individual match threads for any of these - feel free.

Saturday 23 August
Pool A: Australia v Samoa (12:00), Salford Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Pool B: Canada v Fiji (17:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Pool D: France v Italy (20:15), Sandy Park - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Sunday 24 August
Pool D: South Africa v Brazil (14:45), Franklin's Gardens - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Pool C: New Zealand v Spain (17:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

 

[Which Tyler]

Dammit, missed the time.
Playing catch-up by skipping scrum/lineout set-ups.


Warning, this is likely to be a blow-outs result, with some good play to enjoy

 

[Which Tyler]

This was always going to be a blow-out, but this is looking to be a century score!

Aus 19 - 0 Sam
11 min

 

[Which Tyler]

Just as Samoa actually build a little possession and come into the match a little, they just lose control on the floor, and Aus score a couple of phases and 70m later

Aus 38 - 0 Sam
26 min

 

[Which Tyler]

Samoa finally threatening, but just can't get much beyond the 5m

Back for the penalty.

Come on the Islanders!

ETA: Ahhh... No sympathy from the TMO, penalty reversed - I assume they're correct, but no romance

Aus 45 - 0 Sam
HT

 

[9215.]

I expected it to be one-sided but not this one-sided. I was wondering if this and yesterday’s games might give some insight into how USA v AUS might go but I think there’s any conclusion to be drawn

 

[Which Tyler]

I expected the usual race between score board and clock - which it's currently been brought back to (full credit to Manusima for that), but Aus should accelerate away once the benches empty.

And yeah, there's really not much for us fans to learn from any route - though I'm sure the coaches still get plenty

 

[Which Tyler]

Nice line for that try.
Comparing that to a late change for a nice line by Samoa a couple of minutes ago, really highlights an element of professionalism in the communication and confidence.
Aus run a late change for a line runner, and gets the ball quickly. Samoa did a late change to create an overlap, and the SH didn't know it had happened, looked for the player where she had been, reacted too late, and went to that side after 2 Aussies had followed the 1 Samoan, and taken it from 3 on 2 to 3 on 4

 

[Jimbo]

I expected the usual race between score board and clock - which it's currently been brought back to (full credit to Manusima for that), but Aus should accelerate away once the benches empty.

And yeah, there's really not much for us fans to learn from any route - though I'm sure the coaches still get plenty

Indeed pretty predictable, I kind of expected the start to have been a little closer like England yesterday, Aus just going forward with ease where as Sam have to earn every inch and ultimately either get turned over, knock on, they are just not patient or clinical enough it’s not the difference between winning and losing but certainly feel they could have got a score or two if not forcing it when getting in or near the 22.

 

[Jimbo]

Aus pen count seems a bit high, surely some kind of warning needs to come I know they are generally dominant but that doesn’t excuse it

 

[Which Tyler]

Just a note on the "what progress?" point.

3 years ago, we were talking about how the kickers had a distance limit of 40-35m from a punt. Even for the likes of England, NZ, France, a kick from central wasn't guaranteed to reach touch, even if kicked purely laterally with 0 territory gain.

Samoa just had a kick from pretty central, and made about 18m of territory gain on the kick to touch (with enough to get it over any Aussies looking to prevent touch), so about 40m distance (if my maths is right), and the confidence to try it.
Samoa 2025 tried and made a kick that England 2022 wouldn't have attempted.

 

[Jimbo]

Just a note on the "what progress?" point.

3 years ago, we were talking about how the kickers had a distance limit of 40-35m from a punt. Even for the likes of England, NZ, France, a kick from central wasn't guaranteed to reach touch, even if kicked purely laterally with 0 territory gain.

Samoa just had a kick from pretty central, and made about 18m of territory gain on the kick to touch, so about 40m distance, and the confidence to try it.
Samoa 2025 tried and made a kick that England 2022 wouldn't have attempted.

Incredible really when you think a number of the Samoa teams funded their own WC you have to assume training time is very limited and probably struggle to get the best coaches too.

 

[Which Tyler]

And, of course, that's not to mention conversions from the corner which are properly attempted now, but used to be just a kick to get it over with, not really worth trying unless in the middle third.
Would be very interested to know if anyone's got kicking stats from 2022ish, to make a comparison

 

[Jimbo]

Come on how many warnings sorry but a yellow is needed here, every time Samoa get any momentum Aus give away a pen.

 

[Jimbo]

Really feel for Samoa here clearly second best, the repeated allowing of infringements every time momentum is built without issuing a card and no real set piece foundation to launch from has seen them likely scoreless which isn’t a reflection of their effort at all.

 

[Saintjay]

I'm sure the Oz press will be all over how it's bad for the game and ignore the fact they got a record score.

Sits well with the Oz men having the record with a 142-0 win.

 

[Jimbo]

@Which Tyler you seem one of the knowledgable few around here when it comes to the women’s game, would I be right in thinking England should expect to top the group with Aus providing the most resistance in a reasonable tight affair, only really truely expect to be challenged by potentially NZ (bit of an unknown quantity at this time), Canada and France, sure in probably missing one or two.

 

[Sharkscage]

Well that was an awful performance from officials. Samoa get 1 yellow & 1 20 minute Red, Aussies given 3 warnings yet no cards at all ! TMO stated that no mitigating for red, the Aussie player dropped into tackle not allowing Samoa player to readjust for tackle, yellow at worst. Also some strange calls from officials all against Samoa, not allowing them to any sort of grip in the game. Aussies going off feet at ruck brought nothing from ref, except a nice chance to get their team together, and then they went off feet at the next ruck, ref did nothing, if I was the Samoa captain I would have asked "What does giving a warning mean please ?" then after the second warning Aussies again went off feet at the ruck, played the ball on the ground, yet ref did nothing ! Samoa would never win this match, but you expect the officials to carry out their jobs fairly.

 

[Which Tyler]

@Which Tyler you seem one of the knowledgable few around here when it comes to the women's game, would I be right in thinking England should expect to top the group with Aus providing the most resistance in a reasonable tight affair, only really truely expect to be challenged by potentially NZ (bit of an unknown quantity at this time), Canada and France, sure in probably missing one or two.

Yes.

On their day, France can challenge England, and are due to meet in the SF.
Canada and New Zealand can hurt us if we're just a little off, Canada probably best suited to neutralising our rolling maul, but we ought to be able to around them, NZ best placed to neutralise our back3, but we ought to be able to go through them.

In the pools, Aus are our biggest challenge, but it shouldn't be tight. They'll be doing well to keep us below 40 points

 

[9215.]

If there were to be a 5th option it would be Ireland but I don’t think they’re quite there, particularly not if Aoife Wafer doesn’t make it in time.