“It’s been a pleasing day overall, and it was nice to end it with a win,” observed head coach Richie Pugh. “Spain gave us a tough old game, which they always do, but I believe we actually performed better in the first two games.”
In the first game of the day at Twickenham, Pugh’s men went toe-to-toe with the Aussies, scoring tries through two of their rangy young backs, Joe Goodchild (Dragons) and Tom Rogers (Scarlets). However, a contentious yellow – the first of two they would suffer on day one – put paid to their momentum, enabling the team in lime green to surge to a 26-10 victory.
Against World Series leaders USA, Wales took a deserved lead through tries from Cameron Lewis and Owen Jenkins – one that allowed their fans to dream of the possibility of doing the double against the form team in the world game. A yellow card at a crucial stage once again curtailed that hope, though, despite further tries from Rogers and Goodchild.
Spain, something of a bogey team for Wales in previous tournaments, almost made good on that reputation, but for Wales’ determination not to end the opening day without something to show for it. There was a second try of the day from Owen Jenkins, and a brilliant solo effort by Morgan Williams (Scarlets), but the result – and Wales’ approach to today – was typified by Joe Jenkins’s insistence on crossing the whitewash, holding off the energetic Spanish defence to do so.
“I said this tournament would be a fight, and our players definitely showed fight and good character,” said Pugh. “We’ve got to reflect now and be in control of what we can control – and that’s all about day two.
“It’s about our performance, because all the teams around us are playing well. We need to make sure that, regardless of who we’re playing tomorrow, we rise to the moment and don’t succumb to pressure. We can be pleased about, but we’ve ticked it off and we’re moving on.”
For the latest updates on the World Rugby Sevens Series, including tomorrow’s fixtures, click here.
