Spain faced off against the Netherlands in a crucial match for Women’s Rugby World Cup qualification in Dubai, having never lost to them in their previous 13 encounters.
The match began with Spain’s fly-half Armalia Argudo successfully kicking the first points of the game in the 20th minute. Despite the early lead, a resilient Dutch defense and a knock-on by Clara Piquero meant the score remained unchanged at halftime.
Seven minutes into the second half, Cristina Blanco managed to breach the Dutch defense by leading a driving maul that resulted in a try. This sparked a scoring surge for Spain over the next 13 minutes, with additional tries from Lourdes Alameda and Carmen Castellucci, both executed from close range.
However, the anticipated further scoring opportunities in the last quarter did not materialize as Spain failed to secure the try bonus point. Nonetheless, they are well-positioned heading into their final match against Fiji next weekend, aiming to secure both the WXV 3 title and a spot in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.