Spain faced a formidable challenge from the Netherlands in their Women’s Rugby World Cup qualifying match in Dubai, despite having a strong history against them. In the 20th minute, Armalia Argudo scored the first points for Spain, but the score remained 3-0 at halftime due to resolute Dutch defense and a knock-on from Clara Piquero.
The second half saw Spain’s Cristina Blanco break through the Dutch defense just seven minutes in, leading a driving maul that resulted in a try. This momentum continued with additional tries from Lourdes Alameda and Carmen Castellucci over the next 13 minutes, both scored from close range.
However, the anticipated scoring surge did not materialize in the final quarter as Spain failed to secure the try bonus point. Despite this, they are in a strong position heading into their final match against Fiji next weekend, with the opportunity to clinch the WXV 3 title and secure a place in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.