August 12, 2017
New Zealand Routs Hong Kong to lead #WRWC2017 Pool A
Photo: INPHO/Tommy Dickson (Portia Woodman with Jessica Ho try saving tackle)
Doug Coil
New Zealand routed Hong Kong 121-0 in their second match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 at Billings Park UCD in Dublin, Ireland. The Black Ferns scored 19 tries and Kendra Cocksedge made 13 conversions. In the opening match, New Zealand had beaten Wales 44-12, while Hong Kong lost to Canada 98–0.
The match was streamed worldwide outside of the New Zealand and Hong Kong on http://www.rwcwomens.com
New Zealand Black Ferns v Hong Kong Recap (Preview Article)
During the first half, the Black Ferns dominated possession and territory. Hong Kong’s Jessica Ho and Chong Ka Yan both had try saving tackles, but New Zealand took a 57-0 lead at the break as they had nine tries and six conversions by Kendra Cocksedge.
During the second half, the Black Ferns added ten more tries for a 121-0 win. Portia Woodman scored 8 tries on the day, a new Women’s Rugby World Cup record, and was named Aon Player of the Match.
The Black Ferns used quick hands right with Hazel Tubic offloading to Carla Hohepa for a try in the 1st minute. Kendra Cocksedge then converted her first of her 13 conversions on the day for a 7-0 lead. Six minutes later Portia Woodman took a cross kick from Victoria Subritzdky-Nafatali and motored in for her first of eight tries on the day. Once again Cocksedge converted.
The Black Ferns almost added a try by Portia Woodman, but the ball was lost as Jessica Ho made the tackle. That did not stop New Zealand as they drove Hong Kong on their back foot on a Hong Kong 5 meter scrum and Kendra Cocksedge picked up the loose ball and dove over for a try, which she then converted. Three minutes later New Zealand stole a Hong Kong lineout and Charmaine McMenamin powered in for a try with Cocksedge again converting.
In the 18th minute, the ball went wide left to Portia Woodman and she raced in for her second try. Cocksedge slotted her 5th conversion for a 35-0 lead.
Hong Kong, in their limited possession of the day, had a break from Natasha Olson-Thorne that was defended inside the New Zealand 22. Hong Kong went through several phases before being penalized for a breakdown infraction. The Black Ferns then attacked with a Woodman break. The ball then was cycled right to Chelsea Alley for a try to lead 45-0.
Hong Kong’s Chong Ka Yan then made a try saving tackle, but that did not deter the Black Ferns from their potent attack.
The Black Ferns used numbers as Hazel Tubic added a try in the 37th minute with Cocksedge converting and a 9th try by Theresa Fitzpatrick in the corner with no time left for a 57 -0 lead at the break.
Just like the first half, the Black Ferns scored in the first minute as Sosoli Talawadua took a pop pass for a try and Cocksedge converted for a 64-0 lead.
After some back and forth by both teams, New Zealand with numbers left, used quick hands to Portia Woodman as she scored her hat trick try in the corner at the 49th minute.
Hong Kong’s Chong Ka Yan then went for an intercept of the ball, which if successful, would have been the team’s first points in the World Cup. Natasha Olson-Thorne also had a couple of breaks to provide some cheers for some of the spectators.
New Zealand then opened up the second half floodgates as Portia Woodman scored in the corner for a 74-0 lead. Kelly Brazier found a seam a beat four defenders for a try and Cocksedge converted. A Frasier grubber was then kicked forward by Stacey Waaka, who then dove on the ball for a try to lead 86-0 with twelve minutes remaining.
Portia Woodman then added her 5th try in the 71st minute where she weaved her way through defenders and grounded the ball under the posts making the conversion by Cocksedge easy. A minute later, Theresa Fitzpatrick appeared to have a path for a try, but offloaded the ball to Woodman for her double hat trick and a 100-0 lead.
The Black Ferns then increased their lead on a steal and a Kelly Brazier offload to Lesley Ketu for a try and Cocksedge conversion at the 76th minute. By the 78th minute the score was 114-0 after Woodman added her 7th try and at the 80th minute the ball went wide to Woodman, who then added her 8th try, an all-time World Cup record. Cocksedge converted the last two tries for the 121-0 New Zealand victory.
It was no surprise that Portia Woodman was named the AON Player of the Match.
New Zealand will play Canada next on Thursday, August 17 at 7am ET (12:00 local) at Billings Park UCD, in Dublin. Both teams are 2-0, with the Black Ferns with 10 points and Canada with 9. A win by either team will mean making the semi-finals.
Hong Kong will play Wales on Thursday at 12:15pm ET (17:15 local) at the UCD Bowl in Dublin.
New Zealand v Hong Kong: 1 Sosoli Talawadua 2 Fiao’o Faamausili 3 Aleisha Nelson 4 Charlene Gubb 5 Charmaine Smith 6 Sarah Goss 7 Lesley Ketu 8 Charmaine McMenamin 9 Kendra Cocksedge 10 Victoria Subritzsky-Nafatali 11 Carla Hohepa 12 Chelsea Alley 13 Theresa Fitzpatrick 14 Portia Woodman 15 Hazel Tubic 16 Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 17 Toka Natua 18 Kate Mata’u 19 Eloise Blackwell 20 Becky Wood 21 Aroha Savage 22 Kelly Brazier 23 Stacey Waaka
Hong Kong v New Zealand: 1 Lau Nga Wun 2. Roycle Chan 3. Wong Yuen Shan 4. CHOW Mei-nam (captain) 5 Tsang Sin Yan 6 Amelie Seure 7 Winnie Siu 8. Christine Gordon 9. Jessica Ho 10. Lee Tsz Ting 11 Chong Ka Yan 12 Kelsie Bouttle 13 Natasha Olson-Thorne 14. Laurel Chor 15. Lau Sze Wa 16. Hoi Lam Ho 17. Lee Ka Shun 18 Pun Wai Yan 19 Christy Cheng 20 Chan Ka Yan 21 Lindsay Varty 22 Rose Hopewell-Fong 23 Colleen Tjosvold
