South Africa stuns Italy at Women’s Rugby World Cup

Titleholder New Zealand and Ireland reached the Women s Rugby World Cup quarterfinals on Sunday South Africa stunned Italy - in York to possibly make the quarterfinals for the first time It would be substantiated if France beats Brazil later New Zealand dispatched Japan - in Exeter and Ireland got past Spain - in Northampton The achievement was Ireland s best at a World Cup since it got to the semifinals after beating New Zealand for the first time The Irish and Black Ferns meet next weekend to decide the winner of Pool C New Zealand Japan New Zealand poured tries on a spirited Japan despite another series of errors and a red card The Black Ferns got history out of the way hastily their opening try was by winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe who slipped two tackles to number her record-extending th in her th test and record-extending nd in her th World Cup match She came out of retirement this year and has become the highest international try-scorer for New Zealand among women and men While slow to get going after Japan scored the first try through wing Sakurako Hatada the Black Ferns moved up the gears rapidly More slick tries by Jorja Miller Katelyn Vahaakolo Braxton Sorensen-McGee Kennedy Tukuafu and Risi Pouri-Lane lifted them to almost a point-a-minute pace at - up at halftime But they stalled in the second half as Japan lifted their effort scored the opening try of the half again through scrumhalf Moe Tsukui and forced New Zealand into rushed errors and ill discipline Replacement lock Laura Bayfield received two yellow cards for a deliberate knock-on and collapsing a maul The two yellows became a -minute red card and a penalty try for Japan in the th Japan trailed - In their only previous match with New Zealand in they lost - New Zealand took Bayfield s exit in stride and scored three tries in four minutes a second for Miller a third for Sorensen-McGee after a -meter solo run past four defenders and the last for Renee Holmes from an unselfish Woodman-Wickliffe The -year-old Sorensen-McGee finished with points and the performer of the match award Holmes was the halftime replacement for center Sylvia Brunt who failed an HIA South Africa Italy The Springbok Women had never beaten Italy in three previous matches Italy rallied to level the amount at and But South Africa made the power on its bench tell as it hammered the Italians especially Aphiwe Ngwevu and flanker Sinazo Mcatshulwa placed the ball on the line in a melee near the right corner flag with seven minutes left The South Africans finished as they started They rushed to - No Aseza Hele stormed in from a scrum meters out then fullback Nadine Roos scored in backing of a break on halfway by flyhalf Libbie Jansen van Rensburg Roos put away winger Ayanda Malinga for their third try but Italy came back with tries by fullback Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi and hooker Vittoria Vecchini to trail only - at the break A clever lineout move with Vecchini gave flanker Francesca Sgorbini the tying try but second goalkicker Beatrice Rigoni couldn t convert Another battering by the forwards set up Sizophila Solontsi s try converted by Byrhandre Dolf for - but Italy tied the total again through prop Sara Seye s try with Rigoni s extras An Italy obstruction at the restart gave South Africa purchase in Italy territory that ultimately ended with the decisive try by Mcatshulwa Ireland Spain Ireland and Spain split their last two matches by a combined three points and gave another absorbing match The Irish had to make more tackles and spent more time in their half but their discipline was better and they were more clinical scoring seven tries to Spain s five After failing to qualify for the World Cup Spain beat Ireland - in qualifying Ireland has returned to the party with two bonus-point wins and both without its injured star No Aoife Wafer Countless of the meeting s tries had a familiar theme with forwards battering the line slimming the defense and a back scoring out wide Ireland jumped ahead with tries by flyhalf Dannah O Brien from a lucky bounce and wing Amee-Leigh Costigan but Spain leveled at - with scores from wing Claudia Perez after a and hooker Marieta Roman after a lineout trick play In the last six minutes of the half Ireland restored the -point lead with tries by backs Eve Higgins after Spain couldn t clear its lines and Anna McGann Ireland botched the second-half kickoff and Spain center Claudia Pe a scored But Ireland No Grace Moore crashed over twice in succession to make the scoreline safer at - Spain made nine lineup changes after a battering from New Zealand last weekend but was relentless to the end again McGann scored a second try for Ireland but Spain finished better with tries by lock Lourdes Alameda and replacement hooker Cristina Blanco from the same lineout trick play that worked in the first half AP rugby https apnews com hub rugby Source