Women's World Cup director defends one-sided games

One-sided matches astatine nan Women's World Cup are portion of nan sport's travel and fans will ne'er kick astir "too galore tries", according to nan title director.

The group shape concluded connected Sunday, pinch 7 of nan apical 8 sides according to world rankings progressing to nan quarter-finals, which commencement this weekend.

The World Cup has expanded to 16 teams for nan first clip this tournament, and it resulted successful immoderate one-sided scorelines.

The widest separator of triumph came arsenic hosts England hit amateur broadside Samoa 92-3, while a 3rd of nan games - 8 of 24 - had winning margins of 50 aliases much points.

Yvonne Nolan, title director, said nan group matches were "all very different and entertaining".

"We are saying goodbye to 8 astonishing teams," she said. "The World Cup is astir much than knockouts and finals, but astir increasing nan game.

"They person inspired a full caller activity of fans, and connected nan rugby broadside they person shown they are fresh to measurement up."

Nolan cited tourney debutants Brazil, who mislaid each 3 of their games by margins of astatine slightest 60 points but who scored successful each game, and Fiji, who beat Wales 28-25 for their first triumph astatine this year's tournament.

Nolan said location will beryllium plans announced adjacent week successful bid to springiness much opportunities to minnows betwixt tournaments.

"If we expect teams to move up only each 4 years we will not spot change," she said.

"We person seen wherever opportunities exist, teams tin make changes and improvements quickly."

South Africa, nan lowest-ranked broadside remaining astatine number 12 successful nan world, look perennial champions New Zealand successful nan quarter-finals.

England, nan top-ranked squad and tourney favourites, look a Scotland broadside wracked by statement disputes and an uncertain future.

"Even astatine stadiums wherever we person seen teams scoring their 10th aliases 11th try, no-one is leaving," Nolan said. "No-one ever says location are excessively galore tries.

"Avid fans mightiness want much limb wrestles, but I want a spot of everything."

More than 245,000 fans attended nan group games.