Black Ferns in 19-try romp
Portia Woodman and the Black Ferns continue to put up big numbers at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Woodman scored a likely tournamentrecord eight tries in New Zealand’s 121-0 rout of Hong Kong in their second Pool A match at Billings Park in Dublin yesterday.
Following on from their 44-12 win over Wales in their opening match, Glenn Moore’s side ran rampant against their outclassed Asian opponents, running in 19 tries and adding 13 conversions.
It was the third time the Black Ferns have eclipsed 100 points at a WRWC, trailing only the 134-6 win over Germany in pool play in 1998. It was New Zealand’s most points since a 117-0 win over Germany in the round of 16 in 2002.
The result equalled the biggest shutout win in WRWC history, joining the USA’S victory over Japan in 1994.
The Black Ferns had 11 different tryscorers as all the starting backs except first-five Victoria Subritzky-nafatali scored. Back substitues Stacey Waaka and Kelly Brazier also scored as the backs accounted for 16 of the 19 tries. No 8 Charmaine Mcmenamin, flanker Lesley Ketu and prop Sosoli Talawadua got the forwards on the board.
‘‘We used our wingers really well, we know we have speed out wide and we wanted to use it,’’ Black Ferns captain Fiao’o Faamausili said. ‘‘Portia Woodman is amazing, she’s a sprinter and we’re always trying to catch up with her.’’
Woodman, who scored once in the win over Wales, was understandably named player-of-the-match after tries in the seventh, 19th, 49th, 59th, 70th, 73rd, 79th and 81st minutes.
Fullback Selica Winiata, who had a hat-trick against Wales, was not in the Black Ferns lineup.
Halfback Kendra Cocksedge made 13-of-19 conversion attempts, along with a try, giving her a 31-point haul.
Five converted tries from Carla Hohepa, Woodman, Cocksedge, Mcmenamin and Woodman again put the Black Ferns up 35-0 inside 20 minutes. Tries followed for Chelsea Alley, two for Theresa Fitzpatrick and Hazel Tubic as New Zealand were up 57-0 at halftime, already their seventh-most points in a WRWC match.
There was no let up for Hong Kong after the resumption, with Talawadua scoring in the second half’s opening minute. Woodman scored the next two, before Brazier carved through to score just after minute after coming onto the field, followed by a Waaka try.
The score was 86-0 before Woodman really got going, scoring four tries in the space of 11 minutes, with Ketu squeezing a five-pointer in between.
The Black Ferns face Canada in their final Pool A match on Thursday.
A victory over Canada would put New Zealand into the semifinals, while a loss could see them sweating on other results and bonus points.