The Waratahs Women battle for a gritty 44-nil victory against the Tokyo Phoenix in Concord.
Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix were coming off fine form after taking out their premiership competition in Japan last month and defeating the Western Force in the previous week.
Brittany Merlo was impressive for the Tahs in defence, winning multiple defensive turnovers at the ruck. Maya Stewart, who only played the first 40 mintues, left with as a double try scorer for her first game of the season. Piper Duck also led from the front putting in a solid shift at number 8.
The Women’s scrum was another shining light for the home-side, which set the benchmark of physicality for the day.
Tokyo tested the Tah’s defensive line early, with multiple double-digit phase attacks within the first 10 minutes.
Emily Chancellor in her first start at open side won a crucial penalty (not releasing the ball) that halted Tokyo’s momentum.
Off the back of this the Tahs were the first to strike. A dominant scrum gave the backline a penalty advantage, and Georgina Friedrichs and Maya Stewart’s chemistry was on song for it.
Friedrichs sent a wide cut-out-ball to Stewart who would beat her defender to dive over in the corner for her first points of the game.
With one comes two, a short three minutes later Desiree Miller was able to beat four defenders and drag a fifth over the line to go in for the Tahs second try.
A decisive and accurate Tokyo side kept forcing their way back into the Tahs half but were unable to put points on the board.
On the cusp of half-time Friedrichs connected one again with Stewart who in similar fashionto her first, cross the line near untouched for her double.
The Back Line perfected a play to start the scoring in the second half. A perfectly ececuted set move saw the ball go from one edge in the tahs forty to Jacinta Windsor on the opposite wing for a try in the corner. Desiree Miller was able to convert, pushing the short to 22-0.
The Waratahs Women kept the assault alive with consecutive offloads which led to Tatum Bird crossing the line under the post.
Arabella McKenzie snagged a try of her own with some impressive skills. McKenzie identified space behind the Phoenix line and put in a chip for herself to recover, she then in turn would step the fullback and dive under the posts.
McKenzie would convert her own try taking the score to 34-0.
To cap off the win Desiree Miller was able to score back-to-back tries in the last minutes to finish with a hattrick and as 44-nil victors.
Tries: Maya Stewart 2, Desiree Miller 3, Jacinta Windsor, Tatum Bird, Arabella McKenzie
Conversions: Arabella McKenzie 1/6, Desiree Miller 1/2
Penalties: 0
Tries:
Conversions:
Penalties:
