Wales battle to victory against Hong Kong

They were made to work for their first score, indefatigable lock Mel Clay making the hard yards into the Hong Kong 22, where Wales won a scrum. It was at this set-piece that they were able to exert their power, muscling their way over the line for number eight (and Player of the Match) Shona Powell-Hughes to dot down the ball. The conversion attempt narrowly missed, but Wales had drawn first blood. 5-0.  
 
The women in red then had a scintillating 70m solo effort from Keira Bevan disallowed after the TMO referred back to a knock-on in the build-up. Play came back to the Welsh 22, where Hong Kong soon won a penalty. Fullback Adrienna Garvey’s successful kick made it 5-3.  
 
Life didn’t get any easier for Wales when forward Siwan Lillicrap was yellow-carded minutes into the second quarter for playing the ball on the floor.
 
Hong Kong made the numerical advantage count just before the half-hour mark, centre Natasha Olson-Thorne slicing through the defence in the Welsh 22 to score and set up a straightforward conversion for Garvey. 5-10.
 
However, Wales struck back almost instantly, fly-half Elinor Snowsill putting in a cross-field kick for Jess Kavanagh-Williams to score in the corner and level the scores. Fullback Jodie Evans then added the extras to Kavanagh-Williams’s well-taken try to regain the lead. 12-10.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup action now moves to Belfast, with Wales’ next opponents to be confirmed soon.
 
Snowsill was it again moments later, putting in another cross-field kick, this time to opposite wing Jaz Joyce who showed good composure and ball-handling skills to touch down.
 
After another near miss with the conversion, Wales led 17-10 and their last act of the first half was almost another try from Keira Bevan. The diminutive but livewire scrum-half would have been on the end of a move set up by Clay, only for her leg to buckle awkwardly and bring her down unopposed in the Hong Kong 22. Thankfully, she eventually rose to her feet to cheers from the crowd.
 
Hong Kong was the brighter of the two sides as the second half got underway, biding their time after a 5m scrum in the Welsh half to allow lock Chan Ka Yan to score an unconverted try. 17-15.
 
Attacking deep in the Hong Kong half, centre Robyn Wilkins produced a superb offload to fullback Evans, who was ankle-tapped just short of the line. Kavanagh-Williams sniffed a try-scoring opportunity and was on hand to accept the scoring pass from Evans.
 
After the hour, it was captain Carys Phillips’ turn to get on the scoreboard, running in from just over 5m out to give Wales a 27-15 lead. Openside Sioned Harries then fought her way through for another Welsh try just after the 70th minute, which Wilkins converted to take Wales’ tally to 34 points.
 
Three minutes remained on the clock when the powerhouse Harries took a lighter approach in contact, dancing her way out of a tackle just metres from the Hong Kong line to score her second try.
 
Wilkins helped close out of the game with her successful conversion of Harries’ try, and Wales had the victory they were after – even if it wasn’t in the manner they had hoped for.