Wales Women have beaten USA 38-13 in an encouraging warm-up game ahead of the inaugural WXV tournament next month.
Tries from Alisha Butchers, Keira Bevan and Lisa Neumann helped the Welsh team into a commanding 19-3 first-half lead in Colwyn Bay. Butchers' try was a real highlight, coming on her first game back after the serious knee injury that kept her out of the Six Nations.
Wales' set-piece and scrum dominance was an impressive feature of a match that was played in wet and difficult conditions against opponents ranked just one place below the sixth-placed Welsh team in the world rankings.
Wing Jasmine Joyce also impressed on her return to the Wales set-up, setting up the third try for Neumann with a splendid delayed pass and constantly asking questions of the opposition defence.
The USA signalled their intent not to go quietly within a minute of the restart as wing Sarah Levy crossed in the corner after a lightning start to the second half. Wales, though, would soon assert their authority again.
Sisilia Tuipulotu was at the heart of Wales' forward dominance, continually turning the screw on USA's most capped player Catherine Benson. That pack power pushed Wales further ahead as a galloping driving lineout maul decimated the opposition defence, allowing Alex Callender to touch down for try number four.
Freda Tafuna made things interesting with 20 minutes to go as she powered between two defenders to narrow the deficit to 26-13.
Wales flanker Callender was left fuming by a high hit on Robyn Wilkins with 10 minutes to go that saw Fane Haungatau sent to the bin after a TMO intervention, and she directed he anger in the best possible way, finishing off a scything Welsh move to cross shortly after and put the game out of sight.
USA replacement hooker Paige Stathopoulos grabbed a late consolation score but the visitors were once again bulldozed by a driving Welsh lineout in the final moments as Sioned Harries scored a sixth Welsh try to secure a first ever win for Wales over the Americans.
Wales begin their WXV1 campaign against Canada on October 21, before facing world champions New Zealand and Australia on the next two consecutive weekends.
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