Wallaroos Rain On Wales' Parade As World Cup Looms

You triumph immoderate and you study some, it's a comforting saying erstwhile things don't spell to plan.

It is what Sean Lynn said to his drenched and disappointed players aft their circuit of Australia ended successful an anti-climax connected Friday.

Wales headed to nan 2nd Test successful Sydney afloat of assurance aft triumph successful Brisbane - 1 of their champion results successful caller years, but nan upwind and nan Wallaroos mixed to rainfall connected their parade.

The accent each week had been connected backing nan capacity up and avoiding a repetition of what happened past September, erstwhile Wales hit Australia astatine Rodney Parade only to beryllium hammered successful Cape Town a week later.

But Wales were a protector of nan broadside from six days earlier. They were outmuscled and outclassed against a rejuvenated Australia who had a constituent to beryllium to themselves.

Both sides had made unit changes, but Wales' incomings were each seasoned internationals - nan likes of Carys Phillips, Abbie Fleming and Kate Williams. This was acold from a 2nd drawstring Wales.

Reflecting connected defeat, Lynn says lessons will beryllium learned and those lessons will person to beryllium learned quickly pinch what is shaping up to beryllium a important Rugby World Cup opener against Scotland successful conscionable 3 weeks.

"I said to nan girls astatine nan extremity location that this is still different pre-season crippled for us," said Lynn.

"We enjoyed that triumph past week and I thought Australia's guidance to it was great.

"They won nan beingness battle, they won nan territorial battle, but besides they turned unit into points, we request to study to beryllium ruthless that way.

"We're going to reappraisal connected Sunday, we'll put Australia to furniture successful Australia and arsenic soon arsenic we spell back, we're backmost successful camp."

Anyone who has met Lynn knows he is each astir uncovering nan positives and location are plentifulness to bespeak connected arsenic he and his squad make nan agelong travel backmost to Wales.

With World Cup action connected nan line, location were a fewer individuals who stuck their manus up for starting jerseys, notably nan youngsters.

Alaw Pyrs utilized to beryllium known arsenic nan not truthful small sister of prop Gwenllian, but nan 19-year-old has catapulted herself retired that shadow.

At 5ft 11in her physicality was outstanding connected her commencement successful Brisbane and she made a large effect erstwhile she came connected successful nan 2nd half successful Sydney.

The aforesaid goes for beforehand statement forwards Maisie Davies and Molly Reardon who are doing much than conscionable nipping astatine nan heels of elder players.

Nel Metcalfe did not person nan champion crippled successful Sydney, but her two-try showing nan week earlier was a timely reminder of her capabilities successful nan backmost line.

Two weeks down nether has besides provided clip for nan squad to enslaved and nan players are surely speaking highly of nan situation that has been created.

It is simply a stark opposition to this clip past twelvemonth erstwhile players were embroiled successful a bitter statement agreement pinch nan Welsh Rugby Union, pinch then-captain Hannah Dallavalle admitting she came adjacent to quitting her world career.

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, who scored connected her 50th quality connected Friday, said she feels she tin yet beryllium herself.

"Last play was 1 of nan champion I've ever felt successful a Welsh jersey, not conscionable because we won, but nan full atmosphere," she said.

"The girls are brilliant, Lynny and nan coaching unit person been outstanding. It's decidedly a spot now wherever I tin beryllium my existent aforesaid and definitive who I americium and I don't get judged for that.

"Even erstwhile we suffer it's still a happy spot to be. Yes we're hurting, yes we're gutted, but we've conscionable sewage to retrieve that we are successful specified a amended spot than we were past year."

A fewer eyebrows were raised erstwhile nan circuit was announced, pinch it being truthful acold distant and truthful adjacent to nan World Cup, but Lynn says it has decidedly been worthwhile.

"The measurement we person connected arsenic a group, players and staff, it has been truthful beneficial, I'm taking this travel arsenic a existent large affirmative for us," he said.

"I've learned a batch and myself and nan coaching squad will spell distant and person a deliberation astir what useful good for us, what combinations are moving and definite individuals person decidedly been putting their hands up."

There is ever nan interest that players will get injured successful warm-up matches earlier awesome tournaments, but it is simply a consequence coaches person to take.

Unfortunately for Wales it was their talismanic co-captain Alex Callender who went down pinch a ft wounded aft conscionable 4 minutes successful Sydney.

She was later each smiles arsenic she returned to nan broadside statement wearing a footwear and connected crutches, but fto america dream that was not conscionable nan adrenalin kicking in. We should cognize much astir her scan connected Monday.

The 25-year-old back-rower was a large miss successful nan opening 3 games of Wales' woody spoon Six Nations run pinch an ankle injury, but she burst backmost onto nan segment successful Brisbane pinch an outstanding display.

But should nan worst hap and Callender not beryllium fresh for Scotland, Wales still person a safe brace of hands successful co-captain Kate Williams.

Speaking aft nan lucifer connected Friday, Williams said she was "gutted" for Callender, but Wales will return "some really bully learnings" from nan tour.

"We've decidedly travel person arsenic a group and that's going to put america successful really bully stead for nan World Cup," Williams said.

"We're playing overmuch amended rugby since we've been retired present and if we tin build connected that going into nan World Cup, I deliberation we tin really return it to Scotland."

Wales are owed to alert location this play and location will beryllium small clip for pitchy lag arsenic they will beryllium backmost successful training connected Friday.

Lynn will denote his 32-strong squad nan pursuing Monday earlier heading up to their guidelines successful Manchester.

And pinch Canada, nan 2nd champion squad successful nan world, expected to triumph Pool B, it would apt time off Wales, Scotland and Fiji battling it retired for nan different spot to advancement to nan knockouts.

So conscionable for illustration nan World Cup successful 2022, it is each eyes connected Wales v Scotland travel 23 August.