Siwan Lillicrap column: No regrets and a lifetime of memories
- Published
We are obviously disappointed to be knocked out of the Rugby World Cup, but we leave New Zealand with no regrets and our heads held high.
I thought everyone fronted up physically against the Black Ferns, the girls put their bodies on the line and left nothing out on the pitch. That is all we can ask.
We frustrated them at times, fired some shots, but they are deadly when they have got the ball.
We targeted reaching the quarter-finals before the tournament and I think we can take pride in achieving that, we are one of the top eight teams in the world.
We have also grown so much as a squad and as individual players.
Our set-piece took a huge step forward in this campaign. Our line-out and our scrum were a deadly force and it made teams look at themselves and come up with ways to combat it.
There has been a lot of positivity, just looking at social media, people aren't calling us out saying that we're not good enough, they can see that performances are improving.
I said no regrets, but that Australia game is probably the one that got away and the one we're most gutted with. They were beatable, we just didn't perform as well as we could have.
But it's about looking forward now and we're excited with what happens next.
It's wonderful to see where women's rugby is going, especially with all the other nations investing. Everyone is going to have to step up their game or they will be left behind.
Bring on England 2025!
It's been an amazing experience for the squad to spend what will be six weeks together by the time we fly home this week.
It's been a long time, we've not really toured as a team before, Canada gave us a taste for it.
We have definitely learned a lot about each other. You get to see how each other functions, what annoys people and how you get the best out of people.
We have definitely bonded and new friendships have been made. That's the biggest thing that I'll take away from this World Cup.
I've got friends for life in this squad and we have just experienced six weeks in New Zealand together, which is fantastic.
Wales women enjoy a recovery day at Matapouri Bay
At the same time, the tour has been quite testing for me on a personal level.
I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I've had a different role to play.
Your preparation changes depending on whether you are preparing pre-match talks and learning about the referee, or thinking of how you can best impact the game when you come on.
It has taken some time to adapt, but I respect the coach's decisions. I do whatever is best for the team.
It was also a tough few weeks after losing my grandfather, but this is sport and sometimes you have to put things into perspective. It was my grandfather's funeral last week and I'm itching to see my grandmother and my family and give them all a big hug.
New Zealand have been great hosts for the World Cup. They are a nation that truly lives and breathes rugby.
Everyone wants to talk to you when you're out and about, they want to know which nation you're from and they want to wish you well.
The Mayor of Whangarei came into the team room this afternoon and dropped some T-shirts off and said how grateful they are for us helping to inspire the community.
A few of the girls went to a school last week and it's great to see the engagement.
Children at Kamo Primary School in Whangarei took part in a skills session with Wales players
It's a pretty cool country, it's like Wales but on a larger scale. It's got lovely beaches, lots of mountains, the weather is similar, sunshine one day and pouring down the next.
I have to admit though, I am looking forward to going home and getting in a few dog walks with Ralph, my cocker spaniel.
I'm looking forward to watching the Rugby World Cup semi-finals and final.
I think the Black Ferns will beat France, England will beat Canada - and that will be one tasty final.
But I think the Black Ferns are going to win it.
For me they have got better and better each week, they've got strength in depth, they've changed their team pretty much every game and they can create something from nothing.
I don't think England will have faced anything that unstructured for a while. They are also used to being ahead, so they may get flustered and frustrated.
It's going to be an incredible finale, and I shall look forward to watching it on my sofa in front of my log burner.
Siwan Lillicrap was talking to BBC Sport Wales' Ceri Coleman-Phillips.
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