New Zealand Women's rugby team put Scotland to the sword with a 66-14 victory in their WXV 1 opener on Friday. The result sees New Zealand top the early standings while Scotland sit bottom after their first outing of the tournament.
Fourteen points to sixty-six. That is not a contest, that is a statement. New Zealand took the points and the table position, moving to third place with four from one game. Scotland, meanwhile, remain twelfth after a defeat that will not endear them to supporters.
The pattern was there to see. Scotland have not won in five matches, losing 26-64 to Canada just last week, and 5-54 to Ireland earlier in the year. New Zealand, by contrast, have been laying into teams since August, including a 66-19 hammering of Australia. By then, the gap in quality was not hidden.
And here's the thing — the prediction was on New Zealand, 79 percent confidence. Not that anyone should be surprised. When one side is picking apart France and South Africa while the other is getting dismantled by Italy and England, the outcome was never in doubt.
Scotland were outclassed from the start. They are a side that has lost four straight and is now looking at a tough group. New Zealand, having already beaten France away, are building momentum. Four points from one game puts them in a strong position.
The margin of victory tells you everything. Sixty-six points against fourteen — that is not a close call. Scotland will need to find something quickly if they are to survive what looks like a difficult tournament.
