The 52-20 win over Rugby Europe champions Spain came after a highly competitive first-half in which Wales led 21-20. After that, though, it was cruise control through to the end with five unanswered home tries and a hat-trick from wing Carys Cox.
That the back line scored 50% of the tries was among the most pleasing aspects of what turned into an all-court performance from head coach Ioan Cunningham’s side. It was a win that proved the Welsh team is evolving in terms of style and personnel.
“Over the past 18 months we have built a pack capable of competing with the best in the world. Now we want more width in our game to go with our power up front,” said Cunningham.
“We moved the ball better and scored in a variety of different ways. We still have to ensure we have our nuts and bolts in place but that shows what we can do when we move the ball.
“I’m definitely pleased with that performance, and I thought the players were excellent. It was a real arm wrestle in the first half, and I’m pleased we showed some of the abilities we have when we move the ball.
“We’ve changed a little bit of what we are doing, and we’ve been looking to move the ball wider. We saw that in action today and the try we scored after driving a line out and then moving the ball wide was one of the best we’ve scored in my time as coach.
“It’s all helping to build confidence and momentum, and we can grow from here and take a lot out of it. I’m very proud of everyone at the end of what has been a very long, hard season. We needed one final push and we got that.
“We want to grow this group for what will be a very competitive WXV2 tournament and then next year’s World Cup.”
There were three tries for long-striding wing Carys Cox after her first-half yellow card had given the Spaniards the chance to score two tries to make it a one-point game at the break. But there was no panic and Hannah Jones’ side showed a ruthless edge in the second half.
“It was good we had to go through a bit of adversity in the game because it meant we had to find a way to win. We stuck to the game plan, kept our foot on the throat and got there in the end,” added Cunningham.
“Carys Cox was excellent – three tries and a yellow card, you couldn’t make it up. She’s powerful and finished off a great try after a good forward drive.”
Wales will warm-up for their WXV2 campaign in the autumn with friendly fixtures against two of their opponents in that tournament in South Africa, Scotland and Australia. Then it will be on to the Guinness Six Nations and World Cup in 2025.
“We went to the World Cup in 2022, then WXV1, and so getting into the World Cup again is huge for us. We’ve lost a few senior players like Sioned Harries, Siwan Lillicrap and Elinor Snowsill since then, but we’ve been able to blood youngsters like Molly Reardon and Gwennan Hopkins,” he said.
