Women’s Rugby: Black Ferns Dominate USA in Pacific Four Series Opener
Hamilton, New Zealand – April 22, 2023 (Rugby League News)
The United States women’s rugby team faced a tough challenge in their Pacific Four Series opener, suffering a 50-7 defeat at the hands of Canada last week. Their struggles continued as they took on the world champion Black Ferns in Hamilton on Saturday.
Dominant Black Ferns Performance
The home side wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring inside the opening two minutes through a well-executed strike play from a scrum. Katelyn Vaha’akolo provided the pace out wide before Amy du Plessis crossed the line, giving New Zealand an early lead.
Within the first 10 minutes, the Black Ferns had raced out to a commanding 24-0 advantage, with Mererangi Paul and Sylvia Brunt adding tries as the hosts exploited gaps in the American defense. Paul completed her hat-trick shortly after, as the Black Ferns continued their relentless onslaught.
“The result underscores the gulf in class between the world champion Black Ferns and the up-and-coming USA women’s team.”
Continued Dominance and USA Breakthrough
Despite the USA managing to string together some promising phases, the New Zealand defense remained resolute, denying their opponents any meaningful progress. Debutant lock Maama Vaipulu then powered over for the Black Ferns’ sixth try, further extending their lead.
The visitors showed signs of improvement in the second half, with Hope Rogers and Freda Tafuna finally getting the USA on the scoreboard with a powerful driving maul and try, respectively. However, the Black Ferns maintained their stranglehold on the game, with Layla Sae and Patricia Maliepo adding late tries to secure a comprehensive 57-5 victory.
As the Pacific Four Series progresses, the Americans will need to regroup and find a way to compete with the Southern Hemisphere powerhouses.
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