Canada Defeat USA 42-10 on Strong 2nd Half Performance: Full Match Video
After the first 10 minutes with USA leading 7-0 there may have been some thoughts that Canada had pushed the World Cup build up a little too much with the tour to South Africa. They looked flat and fatigued. USA were winning the contact battle, they were breaking the gainline on their carries, it wasn’t looking promising. Even at the half with Canada scoring a late try, there were questions. Those questions were answered in the 2nd half as Canada scored 28 points and kept USA off the score sheet.
Whatever was said at the half time break seemed to bring out a new Canadian team, faster on defence, more resolute at the breakdown. Daleaka Menin, the tighthead prop, was selected as player of the match. A couple of starters who had an impact in the 2nd half were Karen Paquin and Florence Symonds, Olivia DeMerchant came off the bench to make an impact.
Sophie de Goede looked good, playing 65 minutes and scoring a try, unfortunately that try was called back on a TMO review of a clear out at a ruck. Paige Farries, also coming back from a long injury, came off at 50 minutes and it was difficult to evaluate her form after a long layoff as she didn’t have many touches of the ball. Most of the action was on the other wing with Fancy Bermudez putting in a solid shift. Olivia Apps was moved to the wing to replace Farries when the scrum half change was made.
Canada now move base to the UK to prepare for the World Cup with one more warm up match against Ireland . The match report below from Canadian Press, likely written by Neil Davidson, gives a good account of the match.
Full Match Video
from Canadian Press
Canada scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to dispatch the United States 42-10 Friday in its final home game before heading to Europe for the Rugby World Cup later this month.
The second-ranked Canadian women extended their winning streak against the 10th-ranked U.S. to 11 straight games, but it took time to subdue a determined American side in a physical, frenetic contest before an announced crowd of 11,453 at TD Place Stadium.
Rugby Canada called the attendance a record for a North American standalone women’s rugby match.
Canada has one more World Cup tune-up on Aug. 9 against No. 5 Ireland in Dublin. The team is scheduled to fly from Toronto on Saturday.
Canada, which finished fourth at the last World Cup in November 2022, opens World Cup play in England against No. 14 Fiji on Aug. 23 in York, then face No. 9 Wales on Aug. 30 in Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 in Exeter.
The U.S. will play in Group A at the World Cup, drawn with No. 1 England, No. 8 Australia and No. 15 Samoa.
McKinley Hunt, Gabby Senft, Olivia DeMerchant, Florence Symonds and Mikiela Nelson scored tries for Canada, which was also awarded a penalty try. Sophie de Goede, in her first start since having knee surgery, kicked four conversions. Julia Schell added a conversion.
Freda Tafuna scored the lone try for the U.S. McKenzie Hawkins booted a conversion and a penalty.
“Obviously a bit of a slow start for us … but we came on strong in the second half and finished the job pretty well, I would say,” said Canada captain Alex Tessier.
The Canadian women have won four straight, improving to 5-0-1 this year. They hold a 29-19 edge over the Americans in the all-time series, having won 11 in a row since a 20-18 loss in July 2019 in Chula Vista, Calif.
Canada, missing some of its top players, won 26-14 the last time they met, May 2 in Pacific Four Series play in Kansas City.
Canada led 14-10 after a fast-paced first half Friday that saw a yellow card shown to each team. The Canadian attack was blunted by handling errors, penalties and some resolute American defence.
De Goede returned to the starting lineup, after making a 20-minute cameo off the bench July 12 in a 33-5 win over the 12th-ranked Springbok women in South Africa. That marked the first action for the 26-year-old from Victoria since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on June 21, 2024, in a non-contact scrimmage against the U.S. on the final day of a Canada sevens camp.
Normally a back-rower, de Goede partnered veteran Tyson Beukeboom in the second row with Laetitia Royer nursing an injury.
The Americans went ahead in the second minute, retrieving the ball of their own kickoff and launching a multi-phase attack that ended with Tafuna bulling her way over from close range in the second minute for a converted try.
De Goede was sent to the sin bin in the 12th minute for an illegal cleanout of American centre Alev Kelter at the breakdown, forcing Canada to play a woman short for 10 minutes. Already trailing 7-0, Canada avoided giving up points while down a player, however.
Canada pulled even at 7-7 in the 27th minute on a penalty try awarded by Australia referee Ella Goldsmith after repeated U.S. infractions during a Canadian attack at the goal-line. American lock Hallie Taufoou was sent to the sin bin on the play.
Down a player, the U.S. went ahead 10-7 in the 32nd minute on a Hawkins penalty with Canada called for a high tackle.
Helped by a U.S. penalty, Canada went ahead on the stroke of halftime as Hunt touched down for a try that was confirmed by the television match official.
Canada conceded 11 penalties to the Americans’ five in the first half. But the tables turned in the second half with 15 calls against the U.S. and just five against the Canadians.
American wing Cheta Emba was sin-binned in the 42nd minute for a deliberate knock-down of a pass that snuffed out a promising Canadian attack. Canada kicked to touch on the ensuing penalty and Senft scored from the back of the maul from the lineout with the conversion upping the Canadian lead to 21-10.
A de Goede try in the 59th minute was negated by an obstruction call against veteran flanker Karen Paquin.
Canada got tries from DeMerchant in the 63rd minute, Symonds in the 65th and Nelson in the 75th as Canada’s bench turned up the heat.
The Americans were coming off a 31-24 win over Fiji on July 19 in Washington, D.C., snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Canada is 15-5-1 since finishing fourth at the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to England, with the other to No. 3 New Zealand. Canada and New Zealand played to a 27-27 tie in May in Pacific Four Series play.
Canadian Match 23 Named for USA Contest on Friday in Ottawa
Kevin Rouet announced his 23 players to take on USA on Friday, 4pm PST. It will be a first start for two players who are coming off long term injuries. Sophie de Goede, usually one of the loose forwards, will be slotted into the second row alongside Tyson Beukeboom. Paige Farries gets the start on the wing.
Gillian Boag continues to be first choice hooker, McKinley Hunt replaces Brittany Kassil at loosehead prop, and DaLeaka Menin gets the start at tighthead with Olivia DeMerchant moving to the bench. Sophie de Goede replaces Laetitia Royer at second row with Tyson Beukeboom continuing her run at starting lock.
Karen Paquin moves from openside to blindside and Fabiola Forteza gets the start at openside, Gabrielle Senft continues on from the South Africa match as starting #8.
Olivia Apps gets the start at scrum half with Justine Pelletier moving to the bench. Claire Gallagher returns as starting flyhalf. Three of the five backline players from the second South Africa test didn’t make the 32 player World Cup squad, Krissy Scurfield, Maddy Grant and Carissa Norsten. Alexandra Tessier and Florence Symonds are the starting centres, Paige Farries and Fancy Bermudez on the wings and Julia Schell retains her starting fullback position.
Shoshanah Seumanutafa is the only reserve backline player, there are no reserve wingers, Caroline Crossley at #23 is a utility player who usually plays in the forwards but as a 7s player can also sub into the backline, an interesting experiment by the coaching staff. Pam Buisa is a reserve flanker and Courtney O’Donnell the reserve lock.
Canada Women
1. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
2. Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
4. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
5. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
6. Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Quebec
7. Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
8. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
11. Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs
13. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
14. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens
15. Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders
FINISHERS
16. Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) – University of Guelph / Aurora Barbarians
17. Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – Capilano RFC / Exeter Chiefs
18. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
19. Courtney O’Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
20. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
21. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
22. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau
23. Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers
from Rugby Canada
Riding a ten-game winning streak against their American rivals, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s match day roster has been named by Head Coach Kevin Rouet. Canada and the USA will kick off at 7:00pm local time (4:00pm PST) on Friday August 1 at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa.
Friday night will be Canada’s one and only game on home soil before departing for the Rugby World Cup in England. The match aims to surpass a new attendance record for a women’s rugby match in Canada that was previously set at the stadium in 2023. Tickets are on sale HERE.
“The team is very excited to play at home here in Ottawa,” said Rouet. “Playing in front of Canadian fans is always a special experience for the players and I think this will give us a lot of momentum heading into the World Cup. It has been a short week of preparation, but the team has looked sharp in practice and we will be ready to perform on Friday in front of the Canadian crowd.”
Claire Gallagher has been named to start at fly-half for Canada in Friday’s match. A former player with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, Gallagher made her international debut in 2023 against New Zealand in Ottawa. Pamphinette Buisa, representing the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club, has been selected as a reserve and will begin the match on the bench.
On the wing, Paige Farries returns to international competition for the first time since suffering an injury during the WXV 1 finale last fall in Vancouver. Sophie de Goede, who made a substitute appearance earlier this month against South Africa, is set to earn her first start since returning from a significant knee injury.
WHERE TO WATCH
Canada’s match versus USA on August 1 will kick off at 7:00pm local time (4:00pm PST) and will be available on TSN5 and TSN+.