Canada flex their muscles in WXV 1

SATURDAY WRAP: Canada’s Women’s team defeated Ireland 21-8 in their second match of the tournament at Willoughby Stadium.

The Canadian victory sets up a potential WXV 1 title game next weekend between the hosts and No.1 ranked England, depending on the Red Roses’ result on Sunday against the New Zealand Black Ferns.

Regardless, the WXV 1 finale on October 12 will see two of the top women’s rugby teams in the world, Canada and England, clash for the first time since September 2023.

Canada and Ireland went scoreless through the first 20 minutes of play, with both teams making strong defensive stands to keep the other off the scoreboard. Canada’s Alex Tessier came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute, but was held up in the tackle on the Irish goal-line.

In the 25th minute, a yellow card was given to Ireland for an intentional knock on at their own five metre line. On the ensuing line-out, a Canadian maul eventually led to a penalty try, as well as a second yellow card to Ireland, with the hosts going up 7-0.

Seven minutes later, Canada’s Alex Ellis was sent off with a yellow card, for repeated infringements around the breakdown. On the mark of the penalty, Ireland kicked a penalty to put up their first points, narrowing Canada’s lead to 7-3.

Canada’s offense finally broke through in the 34th minute, with Claire Gallagher dashing over the line to score in the corner and on the following kick-off, the hosts forced a turnover and put flank Julia Omokhuale into space to score her second international try. Tessier slotted both conversions, giving Canada a 21-3 lead at half-time.

Ireland scored the lone try of the second half early on to pull back to within 13 points of Canada, but that would be as close as the game would get.

*The USA held the world number four side to an eight-point game in WXV 1, which finished in a 22-14 win for France at Langley Events Centre.

France opened the scoring through a Lina Queyroi penalty as the USA were penalised for being offside, which gave Les Bleues a three-point lead inside the first ten minutes.

The Eagles applied the pressure, forcing five handling errors from France in the first 15 minutes and having the upper hand in possession with 67 percent.

Marine Menager was the first to successfully break the USA defence, scoring in the corner just before the half-hour mark as France worked out wide after patiently battling through the phases to earn an 8-0 lead.

A disallowed try before half-time due to obstruction following a line-out meant the Eagles went into the break scoreless.

France started the second half with intent, scoring just four minutes in as Romane Menager darted through a gap, converted by Queyroi to make the score 15-0.

They added their third soon after as Teani Feleu made a barnstorming carry to muscle her way to the line in her second start for the national team, set up well by Pauline Bourdon Sansus.

The USA went a player down as Hallie Taufoou was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on in the 52nd minute, but that didn’t stop them from scoring their first try through Rachel Johnson, who reached over the line to add five points next to the posts.

McKenzie Hawkins added the two points to make the score 22-7. Dogged persistence from the Eagles saw them score their second with the clock in the red through Taufoou, which when converted by Hawkins drew the final score to within eight points.

See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!

Canada 21-8 Ireland

The scorers:

For Canada:
Tries: Penalty try, Claire Gallagher, Julia Omokhuale
Cons: Alex Tessier 2

For Ireland:
Try: Eimear Considine
Pen: Dannah O’Brien

USA 12-22 France

The scorers:

For USA:
Tries: Rachel Johnson, Hallie Taufoou
Cons: McKenzie Hawkins 2

For France:
Tries: Marine Menager, Romane Menager, Teani Feleu
Cons: Lina Queyroi 2
Pen: Queyroi

Additional reporting by Imogen Ainsworth

A masterclass from fly-half 👏

Claire Gallagher is the @Mastercard Player of the Match!#WXV | #POTM | #Priceless | @RugbyCanada pic.twitter.com/YDXJszAtf4

— WXV (@WXVRugby) October 6, 2024