Wales Women (0) 12
Tries: Penalty try, Harries. Con: N Evans.
Australia Women (21) 26
Tries: Beck, Williams, C-J Morgan, Brown. Cons: Beck 3.

Wales full-back Non Evans tries to break through the Australia line

Australia Women survived three sin-binnings to hold off Wales Women in their World Cup opener on Friday.

Wallaroos wing Ashley Beck found space on the left to score the opening try, adding the conversion herself.

Sharni Williams and Cobie-Jane Morgan followed Beck over the try line and Australia led 21-0 at half-time.

Wales were awarded a penalty try before prop Lowri Harries went over late on, but Tricia Brown grabbed Australia's fourth try and with it a bonus point.

Australia made good use of a strong wind at their backs in the first half in Guildford and soon had Wales penned in their own territory.

Beck made the breakthrough after six minutes, given just enough space and showing plenty of pace to touch down under pressure in the left corner.

The wing converted her own try and made no mistake with the extras when Williams crashed over following an Australia scrum close to the Wales line.

Number eight Alex Hargreaves broke from the base and popped the ball to Williams, whose pace and size saw the centre crash through attempted tackles.

Wales' defence was again found wanting when a loose box kick by scrum-half Laura Prosser allowed Australia to counter.

Full-back Brown strode through some weak Welsh defence in midfield to set Cobie-Jane Morgan away on a jinking run to the line, Beck again converting.

606: DEBATE Sadly Wales have only themselves to blame for not scoring any points when the Aussies were down to 13 thereferee

Australia survived the sin-binning of Hargreaves as the half closed, with Wales full-back Non Evans going close to a try after cutting a fine running line.

Wales got onto the scoresheet four minutes after the restart as Australia pulled down a maul as it was rolled towards the line, referee Javier Mancuso awarding a penalty try that Evans converted.

No sooner had the Wallaroos got Hargreaves back on the pitch than Mancuso sent two more of their number to the sin-bin in quick succession - Caroline Vakalahi for not rolling away and Iliseva Batibasaga for a high tackle on Evans.

But Wales were unable to take advantage of their numerical superiority and their best chance came when Evans intercepted a pass as Australia threatened to score a fourth try.

The Wales full-back raced upfield into the Wallaroos half and checked back in search of support, finding Mared Evans on her shoulder, but her pass was fractionally behind the wing and was spilled.

Wales should have had a second penalty try when Naomi Thomas charged down a kick from Australia replacement Tobie McGann.

The Wales fly-half chased the bouncing ball over the try line only for Brown to dive in ahead of her and slap the ball over the dead ball line, but referee Mancuso chose only to award Wales a five-metre scrum.

However, the red shirts were not to be denied and after a series of drives replacement prop Lowri Harries dived over in the final minute of normal time.

Wales still had 10 minutes of injury time but crucially Non Evans missed the conversion from in front of the posts to leave them 21-12 behind.

But Australia had the final word at the Surrey Sports Park with a last-gasp try from Brown, the full-back showing excellent speed to outpace her opposite number and claim a fourth Wallaroos try - and with it a crucial bonus point.

Wales next face South Africa in Pool A on Tuesday, 24 August (1200 BST), before playing holders and favourites New Zealand on Saturday, 28 August (1400 BST).

New Zealand began their campaign with a comprehensive 55-3 win over South Africa later on Friday.

Australia: Tricia Brown; Kristy Giteau, Sharni Williams, Cobie-Jane Morgan, Nicole Beck; Tiu Ormsby, Ili Batibasaga; Caroline Vakalahi, Silei Poluleuligaga, Lindsay Morgan, Chris Ross (capt), Kate Porter, Rebecca Trethowan, Shannon Parry, Alex Hargreaves.
Replacements: Danielle Meskell, Margaret Watson, Rebecca Clough, Debbie Hodgkinson, Cheryl Soon, Cheyenne Campbell, Tobie McGann.

Wales: Non Evans (Cardiff Quins); Elen Evans (Dolgellau), Mellissa Berry (Blaydon, co-capt), Clare Flowers (Bristol), Mared Evans (Uwic); Naomi Thomas (Bristol), Laura Prosser (Pontyclun); Jennifer Davies (Waterloo), Rhian Bowden (Uwic), Catrin Edwards (Cardiff Quins), Gemma Hallett (Pontyclun), Rachel Taylor (Cardiff Quins), Catrina Nicholas (Cardiff Quins), Jamie Kift (Bristol, co-capt), Sioned Harries (Uwic), Catrina Nicholas (Cardiff Quins).
Replacements: Lowri Harries (Uwic), Caryl Thomas (Bath), Shona Powell Hughes (Neath Athletic), Lisa Newton (Uwic), Amy Day (Uwic), Awen Thomas (Unattached), Ceri Redman (Uwic).

Wales Women's World Cup squad:

Forwards: Jenny Davies, Lowri Harries, Catrin Edwards, Rhian Bowden, Gemma Hallett, Shona Powell-Hughes, Louise Rickard, Rachel Taylor, Catrina Nicholas, Jamie Kift (capt), Sioned Harries, Lisa Newton, Caryl Thomas.

Backs: Amy Day, Laura Prosser, Awen Thomas, Naomi Thomas, Mared Evans, Clare Flowers, Ceri Redman, Mellissa Berry (capt), Caryl James, Non Evans, Elinor Snowsill, Elen Evans.

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