Summary

  • Use audio icons at the top of the page to listen to BBC local radio commentary

  • Wales score six tries on the way to a 38-18 friendly win against the USA in north Wales

  • The game was being used as preparation for Wales' WXV1 campaign in October

  • Alisha Butchers scores first try of the game on her return from injury before Keira Bevan added a second

  • Freda Tafuna shown yellow card for high tackle on Gwenllian Pyrs with Wales dominating

  • Lisa Neumann adds third Welsh try just before half time after lovely delayed pass from Jasmine Joyce

  • USA score first try of the game early in the second half through Sarah Levy

  • Wales' fourth try comes on 52 minutes from a dominant driving maul, Alex Callender touching down

  • Tafuna makes amends for earlier sin binning by scoring USA's second try of the game

  • Callender gets her second try of the game to move Wales three scores clear with under 10 minutes remaining

  • Fane Haungatau shown yellow card for dangerous tackle late in the game before Wales' Donna Rose also sent to sin bin

  • USA replacement hooker Paige Stathopolous scores late consolation try for USA

  • Sioned Harries adds sixth Welsh try to complete the scoring in a competitive friendly win for Wales

  1. Postpublished at 48 mins

    Wales 19-8 USA

    Keira Bevan was on the ground and no one was there to play the ball from the back a ruck.

    Sisilia Tuipulotu has to play scrum-half... she's the biggest number nine I've ever seen.

    To be fair, she can pretty much do everything!

  2. Postpublished at 46 mins

    Wales 19-8 USA

    Charli Jacoby has made an immediate impact in holding up the American scrum.

  3. Postpublished at 45 mins

    Wales 19-8 USA

    Forgot to mention earlier that Gwenllian Pyrs has also returned from her HIA following that high tackle.

  4. Replacements: USApublished at 44 mins

    Wales 19-8 USA

    USA have tweaked their pack at half-time with tight-head prop Charli Jacoby and Erica Jarrell both on.

    I'm not surprised after the way they were bashed around in the first half.

    Freda Tafuna is also back on from the sin bin.

  5. Postpublished at 43 mins

    Wales 19-8 USA

    Rachel Taylor
    Former Wales captain and coach on BBC Radio Wales

    Exactly how the USA would have wanted to come out of the changing rooms, it was some really good carries from the forwards.

    Wales were caught a bit cold there perhaps, not quite coming out of the changing rooms.

  6. try

    Try: Wales 19-8 USApublished at 41 mins

    Sarah Levy

    The wing touches down in the corner.

    I'd love to know what Milton Haig said at half-time - but it worked!

  7. Postpublished at 41 mins

    Wales 19-3 USA

    Wow this is a lightning start by USA who are straight onto the attack.

  8. Kick-offpublished at 41 mins

    Wales 19-3 USA

    We're off for the second-half.

  9. Postpublished at 15:33 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    HT: Wales 19-3 USA

    Rachel Taylor
    Former Wales captain and coach on BBC Radio Wales

    It's difficult to catch the ball in this weather and the ball skids on this 3G surface.

    Wales are recognising when that USA defence gets narrow and it's smart play.

    The USA look rusty with their third interim coach and it does take time to understand different systems and tactics.

    Wales don't need to let the game get loose, just remain dominant and lethal inside the USA's 22.

  10. Story of the first halfpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    HT: Wales 19-3 USA

    Wales have been really impressive so far.

    They have really bossed the forward battle and the front-row has been devastating in the scrum.

    USA will be quaking in their boots any time there's a scrum.

    Wales' handling has also matched their ambition for such wet conditions, as we saw for that third try.

    The one area for concern is the lineout. Against the top sides next month at WXV, they can't afford to let those opportunities go.

  11. Postpublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    HT: Wales 19-3 USA

    Caryl Thomas
    Former Wales prop on Radio Cymru

    I think the coaches will be very happy with that half, the set piece and scrum have been fantastic and we're turning over USA's ball.

    Carys Cox has had her hands on the ball and Alex Callendar is always fantastic in stealing the ball and running those lines to slice the opposition defence open.

    I'm not surprised at all that Alisha Butchers scored Wales' first try on her return. She's a leader both on and off the pitch and it's great to see her involved in the game immediately after injury.

  12. Wales wing Norkett announces retirementpublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    HT: Wales 19-3 USA

    Lowri NorkettImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

    One player we thought would be here today but isn't is wing Lowri Norkett who this week decided to retire from professional rugby and has withdrawn from Wales' squad for WXV1 in New Zealand.

    Norkett, 28, said she had made the "difficult decision" having achieved her aim of honouring her late sister Elli's legacy.

    Elli died in a car accident at the age of 20 in 2017, having won four Wales caps.

    The elder of the two sisters, Lowri went on to win five caps.

    "My motivation to play rugby for Wales was always about paying tribute to my little sister, Elli, and leaving a legacy to her and her memory in the famous red shirt," said Norkett.

    "I cannot deny this has been a very difficult decision for me.

    "There have been ups and downs and highs and lows but my abiding memory will be of the people here who shared my journey and helped me honour Elli.

    "I feel I have done that. It wasn't easy and was hard work, nothing is ever easy as an elite athlete, but I am satisfied that I did what I set out to do."

    Norkett also represented Wales at netball and rugby league... what an athlete.

  13. Postpublished at 15:23 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    HT: Wales 19-3 USA

    Rachel Taylor
    Former Wales captain and coach on BBC Radio Wales

    I've been really impressed with the set-piece and scrum dominance but also the game management of the conditions and territory.

    USA have struggled to put three or four phases together but Wales' handling has been good and they've looked to play expansively despite the conditions.

    It's not the day or the weather to be creative in your lineout menu but the close quarters stuff is really paying off for Wales in that first half and long may it continue in the second.

  14. Half-time - Wales 19-3 USApublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 30 September 2023

    Wales kick the ball out and will be delighted with that first half.

    Wales celebrate Keira Bevan's tryImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  15. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Wales 19-3 USA

    Jasmine Joyce did so well then.

    She juggled the ball to get under control before, fended off her opponent and the timed her pass to release Neumann.

    Class!

  16. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Wales 19-3 USA

    Rachel Taylor
    Former Wales captain and coach on BBC Radio Wales

    It's a great team try that, some lovely touches from Carys Cox on debut beating players in that five metre channel.

    Alex Calendar making clean linebreaks, finding the weak points in the USA defence, she's a really clever rugby player.

    I know the conditions aren't ideal but had the weather been better we'd have seen the ball spread wider.

  17. try

    Try: Wales 19-3 USApublished at 38 mins

    Lisa Neumann

    The winger sails over on the right side from Jasmine Joyce's perfectly timed pass.

    Carys Cox was twice involved, Sisilia Tuipulotu carried hard up the middle but flanker Alex Callendar picked a great angle onto Robyn Wilkins' pass to really breach the defence.

    Keira Bevan misses the conversion.

    Lisa NeumannImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  18. Postpublished at 37 mins

    Wales 14-3 USA

    This game has really opened up which I didn't see coming given the rain.

    It's scrappy, but entertaining.

  19. Postpublished at 36 mins

    Wales 14-3 USA

    Robyn Wilkins pings across a great cross-field kick for Cox who is tackled in the process of catching the ball.

    Great skills in these conditions.

  20. Postpublished at 35 mins

    Wales 14-3 USA

    Carys Cox gets her first run... she's got some pace!

    Wales on the front foot and making yards.