WALES SNATCH WIN TO FINISH ON HIGH
WALES avoided a winless Women’s Six Nations as they defeated Italy at the Principality Stadium, but it wasn’t enough to escape a second wooden spoon of 2024.
Tries from front-rowers Carys Phillips, Gwenllian Pyrs and Sisilia Tuipulotu secured Wales’ first victory over Italy on home soil since 2012 in front of a record crowd of just over 10,000.
Up until Tuipulotu’s late score, it appeared that Giovanni Raineri’s side were set to avenge last year’s 36-10 defeat in Parma.
That record victory in Italy last year saw Wales secure a highest-ever finish in the tournament, but the picture has changed significantly a year later.
Ioan Cunningham’s side had been aiming to avoid the same fate as Warren Gatland’s men, who lost every Six Nations match earlier this year.
Wales knew that they needed a bonus point win to stand any chance of not finishing bottom, with there being implications for WXV and World Cup qualification were they to finish bottom of the pile.
The match itself was a clash of two contrasting styles. Wales had the power up front, but the Italians were far more precise when moving the ball wide.
At times, Wales were wasteful in the first-half despite their forward dominance, but they took the lead after 15 minutes when hooker Phillips crossed from a well-worked lineout move.
Italy hit back instantly, with Vittoria
Ostuni Minuzzi racing away after Wales failed to exit from the restart.
Looshead prop Pyrs forced his way over early in the second-half to put Wales back in front, but more good hands from the Italian backs saw replacement Francesca Granzotto get over out wide to bring the scores level.
Fly-half Emma Stevanin appeared to have won it with 10 minutes to go for the visitors, finishing off another good move by the Italian backline.
However, there was more late drama to come.
Wales thought they might have stolen it with three minutes left, when Georgia Evans dived over after latching onto a loose ball.
However, the referee had already whistled for a Italian knock-on, which was then overturned - with Wales only being awarded a scrum, rather than the try they felt they deserved.
It wasn’t to matter though, with Tuipulotu forcing her way over to give the record crowd a well-earned victory to finish a tough campaign on a high.
CARDIFF were unable to sign off at the Arms Park for the season with a win as they fell to a 24-7 defeat to play-off-chasing Edinburgh.
Ellis Jenkins and Rhys Carre were playing their final matches for the club at home, but they were unable to finish in the way they’d like after the Scottish outfit pulled away in the final quarter.
Edinburgh’s win moves them up to eighth, moving ahead of the Ospreys after their defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria.
The first-half was a low-scoring affair, with just the one try in the first 40 minutes.
After some patient work by the visitors in the red-zone, Scotland prop Pierre Schoeman forced his way over from close range 27 minutes into the contest.
Gallingly, Jenkins was forced off injured moments later - bringing his Arms Park swansong before retirement to a premature close.
After the break, Cardiff got back into proceedings.
Buoyed by Duhan van der Merwe’s yellow card for a high tackle on Theo Cabango, they levelled the scores with a well-worked try of their own.
From a lineout, a neat peel move saw Saracens-bound prop Carre mark his second Arms Park farewell with one last reminder of what he can do, crashing over for a try on the day that he admitted his departure was down to being overlooked by Wales.
Cardiff might have forged ahead, after Alex Mann nearly put Mason Grady away with a superb long pass, only for van der Merwe, back from the bin, to catch up to the Wales international and deny him a score.
As the match entered the final quarter, the away side took control - with Ewan Ashman scoring from the back of a maul to restore Edinburgh’s lead.
Ben Healy’s penalty moved them further ahead, before Boan Venter’s try with four minutes left made sure of the result.
CARDIFF RUGBY: Winnett, Millard, Grady, Thomas, Cabango de Beer, Bertranou, Carre, Belcher, Assiratti, Donnell T. Williams, Mann, E. Jenkins, Martin.
REPLACEMENTS: Lloyd, Domachowski, Parker, Thornton, Young Botham, Bevan, Beetham. EDINBURGH: Goosen, Boffelli, Currie, Lang, Van Der Merwe, Healy Price, Schoeman, Ashman, Nel, Skinner, Gilchrist, Ritchie Watson, Crosbie. REPLACEMENTS: Venter, Cherry, Sebastian, Sykes, Mata, Vellacott Bennett, Dean. REFEREE: Frank Murphy (IRFU)