I couldn’t watch final kick, says hero Bevan
KEIRA Bevan admitted she could not watch her match-winning moment after Wales repelled a Scotland fightback to clinch a dramatic 18-15 victory in their opening match of the World Cup in Whangarei.
Bristol’s Bevan kicked a penalty with the clock deep into the red, moments after Helen Nelson had missed a conversion attempt which if successful would have given Scotland a shock win in a pulsating encounter.
Eleven of Wales’ 32-strong squad are current Gloucester-hartpury players Lisa Neumann, Bethan Lewis (also a Hartpury University alumni), Kelsey Jones, Gwen Crabb, Kerin Lake, Lleucu George, Cerys Hale, Hannah Jones (a former BSC (Hons) Sports Therapy student at Hartpury), Cara Hope, Siwan Lillicrap and Sisilia Tuipulotu - while Robyn Wilkins, a former Gloucesterhartpury player, also lines up.
Hannah Jones captained the side against Scotland while Neumann and Hope also started, with Kelsey Jones, Hale, Lillicrap, Lewis and Wilkins coming off the bench.
“As soon as the referee’s arm went out for a penalty, I kind of in the back of my head thought we were in kicking range,” Bevan told the BBC.
“First of all I couldn’t look. I knew I had struck it well as soon as it left my boot. As soon as the final whistle went, I got swamped. I didn’t know whether to be happy or cry.”
Megan Gaffney had powered over to pull the Scots level on 78 minutes, but Nelson’s conversion attempt drifted wide as the clock went dead.
The full-time Welsh side had looked set to coast to victory after Alisha Butchers’ early try, which was bolstered by a conversion then a penalty by Elinor Snowsill.
Lana Skeldon crossed the line to halve the deficit for Scotland, but a further Welsh try from Kayleigh Powell made the score 15-5.
Scotland capitalised when Hope was sin-binned on 67 minutes, with Gaffney powering over to haul back within five points, then crossing again to cue up the dramatic finale.
And Bevan conceded her team have to avoid further drama if they are to continue to progress in the competition.
“The emotion was relief because we had done it in the manner we had,” added Bevan. “It was a really tough game and we are delighted to get the win. I just wish we could make it easier for ourselves.”