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NZ 55 Wales 3
NZ - Woodman 2, Connor 2, Demant, Hirini, Rule, A Bremner & Tui tries; Demant 5 conversions
Wales - Bevan penalty
Fulltime
40th minute - Connor throws long to the lineout and the Ferns can't secure the ball. Wales have the ball across field, but Ferns grab it back and Woodman goes on a fending run.
Wales steal the ball back again and chip ahead, but Woodman gathers and surges towards the tryline. The ball comes right, but Demant's offload to Mikaele-Tu'u is spilt and Wales clear to end the game.
39th minute - A loose pass ends Wales back to halfway, where the Ferns win a penalty. They kick to touch for a lineout, midway 10 and 22.
38th minute - Wales feed the midfield scrum, but they are buckled back on themselves. Somehow, they keep the ball, but there has been no way through tonight.
37th minute - Wales win the lineout and charge over halfway. There's some handbags between Jones and Connor at that breakdown, and the ref wants to talk to captains.
36th minute - Wales win the lineout on halfway, but lose ground, when they release the ball to the backs. They win another clearing penalty.
35th minute - Wales win the scrum, but can't make ground in midfield. They win a penalty and can clear their own half.
34th minute - Forwards reach halfway, Tubic breakers over halfway, but her pass to Woodman goes astray and forward.
33rd minute - Big shove from the Ferns and they win a clearing penalty against the feed. They tap again and surge to the 10.
32nd minute - Mikaele-Tu'u surges off the back of the scrum, but a pass goes astry in midfield and Wales will have an attacking opportunity in midfield.
31st minute - Wales throw to an attacking lineout, but it's nowhere near straight, so Ferns will have a defensive scrum to clear.
30th minute - Wales return to 14, as Williams returns from the bin. Their kickoff is along the ground, but they win a penalty on the NZ 10 and kick to touch near the 22.
28th minute - TRY to Demant
Ngan-Woo wins the lineout and NZ surge onto attack, where the captain capitalises on the numbers mismatch to score. HOlmes pulls her conversion across the posts, NZ 55-3
27th minute - Ngan-Woo claims the kickoff and NZ try to launch from their own half, but pass is batted down by George, who is shown a yellow card, and Wales are down to 13 players.
24th minute - TRY to Connor
Big scrum from the Ferns and they win a penalty and tap. Holmes sends Woodman torwards the corner, but she's caught. NZ win penalty advantage, but from phase play, Connor has too much power.
Holmes hooks her conversion, NZ 50-3
23rd minute - NZ win a scrum penalty and tap quickly. Ngan-Woo surges to halfway and finds Mikaele-Tu'u in support, but they knock on.
Webb limps off and the Welsh are strulling to find backs to bring on. Just to rub it in, Tubic replaces Fluhler for the Ferns.
22nd minute - Holmes fields a bouncing ball and breaks out of the NZ 22, but the ball spills forward from Roos, who is replaced by Ngan-Woo. Taumata comes into the Ferns front row.
21st minute - Wales building some phases on attack and making slow progress. They shift to midfield, but an NZ hand breaks the momentum in a tackle.
20th minute - Williams is shown a yellow card for her lifting tackle and Wales are down to 14 players. Demant finds touch on the NZ 10.
Connor overthrows the lineout and Wales claim the ball.
19th minute - Wales overthrow the attacking lineout and Ferns break out of their 22, with Holmes kicking head for herself. Play is called back for a late shot on Tui... that's the second time this match she's been lifted in a tackle.
18th minute - Ferns control the kickoff and kick deep, but George responds with a 50-22 to put Wales hot on attack with her first touch of the tournament.
16th minute - TRY to Alana Bremner
When the ball shifts left, Fitzpatrick finds the flanker looming wide to score. Demant's conversion misses left, NZ 45-3
15th minute - Simon smashes Calendar in midfield and when the ball goes loose, Fluhler pounces on it and Ferns go on attack again. NZ win a penalty, Cocksedge taps quickly...
14th minute - Wales try to break out of their half and Newman eventually reaches halfway.
13th minute - Demant runs to the line and finds Fluhler in support, but her long pass to Woodman goes through the winger's arms.
Leti-I'iga leaves, replaced by HOlmes, who will go to fullback, shifting Tui to the wing.
12th minute - Tui and Demant try to launch a counterattack, but the captain's loopy passes misses Leti-I'iga on the wing. Hirini is replaced by co-captain Kennedy Simon.
11th minute - Bremner can't take the kickoff cleanly, but Ferns initially tidy up, before Wales claim a turnover. NZ have the ball back and Cocksedge kicks deep into Welsh territory.
Eighth minute - TRY to Connor
Huge scrum from the Ferns pushes Wales off and wins a penalty near the tryline. Demant taps quickly and the forwards drive over the line for the try.
Demant bounces her conversion off the upright and over, NZ 40-3
Seventh minute - Demant finds touch on the Wales 22. Love and Ponsonby come off for the Ferns, Connor and Murray come on.
Murray wins the lineout with her first touch. Ferns forwards surge to the tryline, but there's a knockon close to the line.
Sixth minute - Fluhler claims the kickoff and the Ferns surge over halfway through Woodman. NZ playing advantage and eventually come back for the penalty on the Wales 10.
Third minute - TRY to Woodman
But they don't need it, as the ball goes right again and Fluhler draws the last tackler, before sending Woodman over - that makes her the leading tryscorer in World Cup history. Demant converts, NZ 33-3
Second minute - Snowsill fakes a clearing kick and is dragged down by Cocksedge. Ferns turn the ball over and shift to centrefield, where they win a penalty advantage...
First minute - Wales have controlled NZ's kickoff , but still haven't broken out of their half.
Halftime
40th minute - Newman rises among the crowd to reclaim Wales' kickoff, but Fluhler makes a big tackle in midfield to drive them back. Snowsill kicks to touch, as the siren sounds for halftime.
38th minute - TRY to Rule
Ferns claim a contested lineout and Woodman slices through the pack, before she is stopped near the tryline. From second phase, Rule runs off Cocksedge for the try.
Demant has her kicking boots on tonight, NZ 26-3
37th minute - Snowsill kicks to touch and finds it near halfway.
36th minute - Mickaele-Tu'u picks and runs off the back of the scrum, and the Ferns shift right, entering the 22. Wales steal the ball, but can't exit their 22.
35th minute - NZ forwards enter the 22, Wales steal the ball, but knock-on, so Ferns scrum.
34th minute - Welsh defensive scrum and they win a free-kick, when the Ferns go early. Snowsill doesn't find touch with her clearance.
33rd minute - Mikaele-Tu'u breaks off the scrum and Woodman comes off the other wing, offloading to Leti-I'iga, who can't quite hold the ball near the line.
32nd minute - NZ scrum in front of the posts and it collapses...
31st minute - Bremner charges towards the line and NZ have penalty advantage. Eventually, the ref brings them back for a Wales offside and the Ferns call for a scrum, which shows they're confident in this set-piece now.
30th minute - Roos claims the kickoff, but the Ferns can't make much ground up midfield, so they release it right, where Tui and Woodman break to the Welsh 22.
27th minute - TRY to Hirini
Nz win a penalty and take a quick tap, which sees Demant pulled down just short, but when the ball goes right, Tui finds Hirini, who powers past the winger to score in the corner. Demant converts from the sideline, NZ 19-3
26th minute - After a couple of false starts, NZ win a free-kick from the scrum and exit their 22. Fitzpatrick breaks over halfway and into the Wales 22, but can't quite find her support.
24th minute - Calendar wins the lineout at the back for Wales and the forwards enter the 22. They lose the ball in a tackle and Ferns will have a defensive scrum to clear.
23rd minute - Hirini is penalised at the breakdown again and she's warned. Wales kick to touch and finds it near the 22.
22nd minute - Hirini claims the kickoff and the NZ forwards keep the ball in hand, but it's spilt in midfield. Ruled backwards and the Ferns resume, as Cocksedge rolls over halfway.
20th minute - TRY to Tui
Demant tries a crossfield kick inside the 22 - it drifts backwards, but Woodman goes back to claim it and finds Tui looping around outside her to dash to the corner. Demant swings her conversion across the face of the posts, NZ 12-3
19th minute - Roos claims the lineout and the NZ forwards rumble into the 22.
18th minute - Wales camped back inside their 22, after a bouncing kick from Cocksedge. Bevan barely clears the 22 with her kick.
17th minute - Wales control the kickoff, but lose crowd inside their 22. Bevan clears inside NZ half, but doesn't find touch.
16th minute - Bevan slots the penalty, NZ 7-3
15th minute - Wales kick off and regain possession, winning a penalty against Hirini at a midfield breakdown. Bevan points to the posts and takes over kicking duties, after Snowsill's early miss.
12th minute - In fact, that was a tackle without the ball, so Wales are penalised and Demant finds touch on the Wales 22.
TRY to Woodman
Bremner wins the ball and Cocksedge darts through the line. Forwards rumble towards the posts, before the ball shifts right, where Fitzpatrick throws a long delayed pass and Tui puts Woodman over in the corner.
Demant's sideline conversion is low and flat... and over, NZ 7-0
11th minute - Bremner snatches this lineout cleanly and Ferns rumble into the Welsh half, but knock on. Wales kick ahead, but the Ferns have it covered.
Tui is down injured, after a tackle from Jones, and the officials are looking at it for foul play.
10th minute - Big shove from NZ, but they're driving on an angle and are penalised. Snowsill can clear the Welsh 22 and finds touch towards halfway.
Ninth minute - Bremner steals the Welsh throw to the lineout, but deflects it forward, so Welsh feed to a defensive scrum about 10 metres out from their goal-line.
Eighth minute - Solid FErns scrum and they try to build some phases towards the 22. They shift right, but Woodman has a foot in touch inside the 22.
Seventh minute - Scrappy from both teams and Wales are up quickly on the Ferns backline, but referee brings them back for an NZ advantage.
Sixth minute - Wales win the lineout, NZ don't contest, but they turn the ball over and Cocksedge clears the Nz half.
Fifth minute - Snowsill leaves her kick left of the posts and that's costly early. Ferns tap and run from their 22, but Fluhler loses the ball forward into touch.
Fourth minute - Front rows collapse, but Wales clear the ball and make ground down the left towards the 22. Ferns infringe and Snowsill will take a kick at goal from centrefield.
Third minute - Scrum collapses, but Wales keep the put-in.
Second minute - First scrum of the game and the Ferns want to make a statement, after they were dominated in pool play. One of the Welsh forwards is down injured, after they were shunted backwards.
First minute - South African Aimee Barrett-Theron will referee the match tonight, with Wales kicking off through Snowsill.
Mikaele-Tu'u controls the kickoff and Ferns build some phases and near halfway, but knock on.
7:27pm - Welsh players set up to face the haka, with a hand on the shoulder of the teammate next to them, standing in a slight curve on the 10m mark. They've obviously thought about ow they want to greet the haka... they advance to halfway now.
7:25pm - Plenty of spirit in the Welsh anthem from their players, as you'd expect.
7:22pm - Both teams are taking the field at Northland Events Centre, just as the sun begins to set. Conditions look good for running rugby - the flags are still for the national anthems.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Rugby World Cup quarter-final between New Zealand and Wales at Whangārei's Northland Events Centre.
After convincingly - at least on the scoreboard - navigating pool play, the NZ women finally fine themselves at the business end of their title defence, facing familiar rivals in the first knockout stage.
While they defeat the Welsh 56-12 earlier in the tournament, the northern side gave them plenty to contemplate up front, bossing them at the set-piece.
The Ferns have shown their ability to run in tries, when they secure the ball, but will know they must provide a must more convincing performance among the forwards, if they are to negotiate some of the world's best teams later in the draw.
After months of experimenting with his line-up, coach Wayne Smith seems to have found his best combination, albeit with some close calls among both backs and forwards.
TAB Odds: NZ $1.001, draw $51, Wales $31
New Zealand: 1-Phillipa Love, 2-Georgia Ponsonby, 3-Amy Rule, 4-Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 5-Chelsea Bremner, 6-Alana Bremner, 7-Sarah Hirini, 8-Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 9-Kendra Cocksedge, 10-Ruahei Demant, 11-Ayesha Leti-I’iga, 12-Theresa Fitzpatrick, 13-Stacey Fluhler, 14-Portia Woodman, 15-Ruby Tui
Reserves: 16-Luka Connor, 17-Krystal Murray, 18-Santo Taumata, 19-Joanah Ngan-Woo, 20-Kennedy Simon, 21-Ariana Bayler, 22-Hazel Tubic, 23-Renee Holmes
Wales: 1-Cara Hope, 2-Carys Phillips, 3-Donna Rose, 4-Natalia John, 5-Gwen Crabb, 6-Bethan Lewis, 7-Alex Callender, 8-Sioned Harries, 9-Keira Bevan, 10-Elinor Snowsill, 11-Lisa Neumann, 12-Hannah Jones, 13-Carys Williams-Morris, 14-Lowri Norkett, 15-Jasmine Joyce
Reserves: 16-Kelsey Jones, 17-Gwenllian Pyrs, 18-Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19-Georgia Evans, 20-Siwan Lillicarp, 21-Ffion Lewis, 22-Lleucu George, 23-Megan Webb
Black Ferns aim to make statement in World Cup quarter-final against Wales
By Ollie Ritchie
The Black Ferns are chasing a more complete performance, as they look to book a spot in the World Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
By their own admission, there's been no shortage of edge this week, still craving perfection against a Welsh side they should have little trouble beating at the Northland Events Centre.
The NZ women might be unbeaten heading into the quarter final, but co-captains Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon have still been putting the hard word on their teammates.
"There's been an edge all week," said Demant. "I think the word used was 'friction' and there's been friction all week, but what a week to have it."
The defending champions hope that friction will help them get the best out of each other. While the scorelines have flattered the Ferns during pool play, they feel there's plenty left to prove in Whangārei.
"All of us have had the opportunity to play in this tournament and individually we know we haven't had a perfect game," added Demant.
"For us, it's about stringing those moments together. We've learned a lot about the opposition, but more so about ourselves."
Coach Wayne Smith has learned their quarter-final opponents have no shortage of strengths.
While New Zealand comfortably dispatched Wales a fortnight ago, Smith has identified plenty of areas where the Ferns fell flat.
"To be fair, they pumped us physically in that first game, so we've got quite a bit of ground to make up," he said.
And this group knows what can happen if they don't. Despite their dominance in pool play, complacency isn't something you're likely to find with the Black Ferns.
Portia Woodman is well versed in the perils of that kind of mindset.
"We've kind of been through that a few times with the sevens environment," she noted.
"You've done really well against USA in pool play, then met them in a quarter-final and suddenly you're pushed out to play fifth."
Rest assured, the Black Ferns have their sights set much higher than that.
