Wales suffer heavy Australia loss as World Cup looms

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers (R) was winning her 50th Wales cap in the defeat by Australia

Women's summer series

Australia (21) 36

Tries: Stewart, Moleka, Amosa, Tuinakauvadra 2, Marsters Cons: Wood 3

Wales (5) 5

Try: Joyce-Butchers

Wales suffered a heavy defeat to Australia in their final World Cup warm-up.

Sean Lynn's side arrived in Sydney full of confidence after an impressive showing in the first Test in Brisbane, but were completely outclassed at the Oval.

Perhaps more concerning was a foot injury to co-captain Alex Callender who limped off after only four minutes and returned to the sideline on crutches.

She now has just over three weeks to recover before Wales' World Cup opener against Scotland.

Player of the match Tabua Tuinakauvadra claimed two tries for the hosts, while Maya Stewart crossed on her first appearance since May.

Faitala Moleka, Katalina Amosa and Ashley Marsters were also on the scoresheet, while Wales were consoled with a try for Jasmine Joyce-Butchers on her 50th appearance.

Marsters thought she had clinched a record win for Australia over Wales in the final seconds but had her second try ruled out for obstruction.

Wales dominated possession and territory in the opening 10 minutes, playing most of the rugby in Australia's 22 with Gwenllian Pyrs coming close, but it was the hosts who drew first blood.

A cut out pass from Caitlyn Halse exposed Wales on the blindside with the returning Stewart running in the opening try.

The score came against the run of play but Wales responded with Pyrs again leading the charge.

Despite the driving rain, Wales managed to get the ball through the hands to find Joyce-Butchers in a rare bit of space and she needed no second invitation to cross.

That would prove to be Wales' only score on a disappointing evening for Lynn's side.

Australia played with a clinical edge that had been lacking last weekend, with Moleka easing her way over with a show and go.

Wales' penalty count continued to rise under pressure and they conceded on the stroke of half-time with Amosa diving over a pile of bodies.

It was more of the same after the break, Australia picking up where they left off.

Tuinakauvadra had been a threat all game and she drove over in the corner as Wales struggled to live with the physicality of the Wallaroos.

They were then dealt another blow with Pyrs sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on when Australia had been in another promising position.

The fifth try came five minutes later, Tuinakauvadra again bulldozing over the defence with Wales now staring down the barrel of a record defeat to Australia, that coming last year at WXV2 where they lost 37-5 in South Africa.

Australia's replacement Marsters powered over in the final five minutes to rub salt into Welsh wounds. She crossed again in the dying seconds, but to Wales' relief that effort was chalked off on review.

Still, it was a sobering evening for the Welsh in Sydney.

Wales head coach Sean Lynn said: "I said to the girls at the end that this is still another pre-season game for us, we're looking to build into the World Cup.

"Full credit to Australia, I thought they turned their pressure into points. It was something we didn't do well enough when we had opportunities in that first 15-20 minutes.

"As a coaching group we wanted to get all 30 players who came out here having minutes.

"It's about trying to find combinations and what works for us in different games, it's all about building for the World Cup."

Australia: Caitlyn Halse; Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Trilleen Pomare, Desiree Miller; Faitala Moleka, Samantha Wood; Faliki Pohiva, Katalina Amosa, Bridie O'Gorman, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Piper Duck, Emily Chancellor (capt), Tabua Tuinakauvadra.

Replacements: Tania Naden, Lydia Kavoa, Alapeta Ngauamo, Ashley Fernandez, Ashley Marsters, Layne Morgan, Tia Hinds, Waiaria Ellis.

Wales: Nel Metcalfe; Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, Carys Cox, Courtney Keight, Lisa Neumann; Kayleigh Powell, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Gwen Crabb, Abbie Fleming, Kate Williams (co-capt), Bethan Lewis, Alex Callender (co-capt).

Replacements: Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Jenni Scoble, Alaw Pyrs, Georgia Evans, Meg Davies, Hannah Dallavalle, Catherine Richards.