With a big season on the horizon – including the Commonwealth Games in April – Wakley and his assistant coach Jonathan Hooper have reinforced their senior group with a number of Wales U18 players, who showed some impressive moments over the course of the two days in Dubai.
After winning three from three matches on Day One – read the report here – Wales were unable to close out their cup quarter-final knockout match against the Royals (England’s development side), despite two converted Jaz Joyce tries having given them a 14-point lead. A yellow card took the wind out of their sails somewhat, and spurred on the Royals as they edged the contest 17-14.
Joyce’s try-scoring prowess was to the fore when it counted in the fifth-place play-off match against Kazakhstani side Almaty, as she scored a golden try with the scores level at 28-28.
That set up a fifth-place final against Belgium. The women from the Low Countries touched down midway through the first half, and despite Wales putting on a good show of sevens rugby, Wakley’s team was unable to break the deadlock.
The exposure of new players such as Kayleigh Powell and Lucy Packer to senior rugby in the relentless heat of Dubai will hold both them and Wales Women in good stead as they build towards the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast early next year.
At the close of the day, Wakley acknowledged that while there is work to be done, Wales have reasons to be cheerful in 2018.
