Rugby World Cup: New Zealand 55-3 Wales in quarter-final

Wales have bowed out of the Rugby World Cup at the quarter-final stage after another heavy defeat by defending champions New Zealand.

The Black Ferns were in a rampant mood and ran in nine tries in front of their adoring fans.

Wales battled hard, but could only manage a Keira Bevan penalty.

The hosts face France in the semi-finals next Saturday at Eden Park, while Wales depart having registered just one victory, over Scotland.

Wing Portia Woodman scored two of their tries and earned a place in the record books after overtaking England's Sue Day as the Rugby World Cup's all-time leading try scorer.

Her sixth and seventh tries of this tournament took the 31-year-old to 20 overall.

It was another bumper crowd in Whangarei as the tournament entered the knockout stages, and underdogs Wales showed their intent to battle by advancing towards the Haka. They had stood still in their previous pool meeting.

As in Waitakere, Wales started the game brightly and had an opportunity to take the lead, but Elinor Snowsill pulled a relatively straightforward penalty attempt wide.

They kept the Black Ferns at bay until the 12th minute, when quick hands saw the ball shipped out wide to Woodman and Ruahei Demant added the touchline conversion.

Wales hit straight back by winning a penalty, Bevan's 30m effort sailing over, just like it did in the 84th minute in their dramatic opening win against Scotland.

But Ioan Cunningham's side could not assert their dominance up front, the scrum evenly contested this time around.

New Zealand extended their lead as Woodman gathered Demant's cross-field kick before offloading to Ruby Tui, who crossed to send the crowd wild.

The hosts' third try came as Tui drew the defence before putting Sarah Hirini over in the tightest of gaps with Demant again on target from the touchline.

New Zealand's fourth came shortly before the break when prop Amy Rule crashed over, but the move was started with a magnificent weaving run by Woodman.

Wales lost two of their most experienced campaigners at the break, with Sioned Harries picking up a knock to her shoulder, while Carys Phillips was unable to shake off the foot injury she picked up in the first scrum.

Kelsey Jones came on as hooker, while Siwan Lillicrap slotted in at number eight.

New Zealand came back out in the mood to entertain and celebrated an early try. Wales could do little to stop Woodman scoring her second of the game, securing a place in history in the process.

Another score soon followed as the floodgates began to open, this time from a quick tap-and-go which saw replacement hooker Luka Connor driven over the line.

Alana Bremner was over next, the Black Ferns taking full advantage of quick turnover ball.

Things went from bad to worse for Wales as centre Carys Williams-Morris was shown a yellow card for a tip-tackle on Tui on the hour.

But it seemed to galvanise Wales, who enjoyed a rare spell of possession and territory despite being a player down.

The powerful boot of replacement fly-half Lleucu George also relieved some of the pressure.

But it was not long before the Black Ferns again took advantage, Connor going in for her second from close range.

The hosts had even more room to play with when George was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on - not the debut she wanted to make in the tournament.

Sevens star Tui was having as much fun as anyone on the pitch and she made the burst for the next try before Demant glided over.

Wales to their credit fought to the death, but were outclassed by the home side, who notched up another half-century of points and extended their winning streak on home soil to 10 Tests.

Wales follow Scotland home, with England the only home nation remaining in the competition.

They play Australia on Sunday for a place in the last four.

Player of the match - Theresa Fitzpatrick

New Zealand: Ruby Tui; Portia Woodman, Stacey Fluhler, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Ayesha Leti-I'Iga; Ruahei Demant (capt), Kendra Cocksedge; Phillipa Love, Georgia Ponsonby, Amy Rule, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Chelsea Bremner, Alana Bremner, Sarah Hirini, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u

Replacements: Luka Connor, Krystal Murray, Santo Taumata, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Kennedy Simon, Ariana Bayler, Hazel Tubic, Renee Holmes

Wales: Jasmine Joyce; Lowri Norkett, Carys Williams-Morris, Hannah Jones (capt), Lisa Neumann; Elinor Snowsill, Keira Bevan; Cara Hope, Carys Phillips, Donna Rose, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Bethan Lewis, Alex Callender, Sioned Harries

Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Gwenllian Pyrs, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Georgia Evans, Siwan Lillicrap, Ffion Lewis, Lleucu George, Meg Webb.

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)

Assistant referees: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) & Julianne Zussman (RC)

TMO: Chris Assmus (RC)

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