Canada v USA – Pacific Four 2024

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Canada Defeat USA 50-7 to Start Pacific Four Campaign: Next Stop Australia on May 11th

It was a comprehensive win for Canada in LA although close at the half 17-7. It almost guarantees Canada a top 3 finish in the Pacific Four and a spot in the WXV 1 tournament they’re hosting later this year.

The match was shown on RugbyPass.tv for the rest of the world but Canadians had to subscribe to TSN+ to watch the match. We haven’t found an archive of the match or extended highlights but World Rugby did put out some highlights on social media which are included below. We’ve also included the Rugby Canada match report.

[note: update the game has been archived on TSN+ and is now available in the Games on Demand section.]

Pregame highlights show Sophie’s mom and dad,  Stephanie White and Hans de Goede in the stands.

Canada’s 2nd try, a lineout and maul from the 22.

Canada’s 3rd try a solo effort by second row Laetitia Royer.

Sophie de Goede’s 2nd try

from Rugby Canada

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team began the 2024 Pacific Four Series with a 50-7 win against the USA at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California on Sunday afternoon.

With Canada leading 17-7 at half-time, it was the last 40 minutes of play that secured the victory for Canada. Captain Sophie de Goede scored twice for her Canadian side at the 50th and 55th minutes.

Before the two scores from de Goede, Alex Tessier found Madison Grant on the wing with a miss pass to the sideline. Grant beat the last two USA defenders with a step back inside and scored underneath the posts, with another conversion from de Goede Canada extended the lead to 38-7.

“It was a very physical game, especially in the first half which we always know it will be against the USA playing at home,” said de Goede. “We really had to weather that first half and then pick up the tempo in the second half. I am proud of how we did that today. We just needed to make sure we were moving the ball faster and being proactive with our positioning.”

Prior to kick off, a last-minute lineup change saw Olivia Apps join the starting 15, replacing Justine Pelletier at scrumhalf. Mahalia Robinson joined the bench and earned her second cap for Canada after coming on in relief of Apps in the second half.

Canada opened the scoring just five minutes into the game after a successful lineout and maul moved the ball deep into the United States’ end. The Canadian forwards used several phases to push closer to the try line before fly-half Claire Gallagher dove over the line for the game’s opening score, her first of two in the match.

Four minutes later, Tyson Beukeboom, playing in her 66th international match for Canada, scored to extend the visitors’ lead to 10-0. Beukeboom’s try came after another dominant maul which saw the Canadians drive the ball more than 20 metres down the field just shy of the USA’s try line.

Following a lengthy defensive stand on their own try line, Canada conceded their only points of the match, cutting their lead down to 10-7 with 18 minutes gone. However, Canada responded just three minutes later when lock Laetitia Royer sliced through the USA defensive line and ran 20 metres for the third Canadian try of the first half.

Gallagher added her second try of the game in the 70th minute and Julie Omokhuale, earning her second cap for Canada, scored her first career international try to complete the scoring for Canada in the 79th minute, securing the victory with a final score of 50-7.

Canadian rugby fans watch the encore broadcast of the match against the USA on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET.

Canada’s next Pacific Four Series match will be against Australia on May 11 at 12:05am PT/3:05am ET (5:05pm local time) in Sydney, with the team then travelling to Christchurch to take on the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the New Zealand Black Ferns, on Saturday May 18 at 9:35pm PT/Sunday May 19 12:35am ET (4:35pm local time on May 19).

All of Canada’s Pacific Four Series matches will be streamed live on TSN+ with an encore broadcast for Canada’s match against Australia (TSN1 on Saturday May 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT.) and New Zealand (Sunday May 19 on TSN2 at 8:00 a.m. ET / 5:00 a.m. PT and TSN1 at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT

Canada’s Roster Named for Opening Match of Pacific Four Series Against USA

The Canadian women are back in action on Sunday as they start their Pacific Four Series tour which takes them to USA, Australia and NZ. The top 3 teams from the Pacific Four will advance to the WXV 1 tournament along with the top 3 teams from the Six Nations. The WXV 1 tournament will be hosted in BC this September/October.

There are a few changes from the team that finished the WXV 1 tournament with a win against France in November 2023. Sara Cline comes into the side as starting hooker, moving incumbent Emily Tuttosi to the bench. Olivia DeMerchant starts ahead of McKinley Hunt at loosehead prop. Laetitia Royer takes Courtney Holtkamp’s spot as starting second row, moving Holtkamp to the bench. Sophie de Goede moves from #8 to openside flanker, #6 Gabrielle Senft moves to #8 and Pam Buisa comes into the roster as starting blindside flanker.

In the backs Julia Schell moves to the bench and Claire Gallagher gets the start at #10. Shoshanah Seumanutafa starts at outside centre with Fancy Bermudez moving to the reserves. Madison Grant gets the start at wing with Krissy Scurfield staying with the 7s program. At fullback Sabrina Poulin starts with Sarah-Maude Lachance not in the roster.

The match will be live streamed on TSN+ at 1:30pm PT on Sunday.

from Rugby Canada

Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, Kevin Rouet, has selected the roster for Canada’s opening match of the World Rugby Pacific Four Series against the USA.

The Pacific Four Series, an annual competition between Canada, USA, Australia and the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, New Zealand, kicks off with the tournament’s opening match between Canada and USA at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California at 1:30 p.m. PST on Sunday April 28 (4:30 p.m. EST). Canada has won eight straight matches against their rivals from the United States, including a 50-17 victory to begin last year’s Pacific Four Series.

Edmonton’s Sara Cline is set to start her first international match for Canada at hook after coming off the bench to earn her first two caps for Canada in 2023. Tyson Beukeboom starts at lock and will earn her 66th cap for Canada, putting her just one behind Canada’s all-time women’s cap leader, Gillian Florence. Captain Sophie de Goede moves from her regular position at number 8 to the flank with Gabrielle Senft set to start at the back of the forward pack.

Pamphinette Buisa and Sabrina Poulin both will start the match, recently representing Canada at the HSBC SVNS Series in Hong Kong earlier in April. Olivia Apps, captain of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, starts on the bench as a reserve.

“After bringing the squad back together for the first time since the fall last week, all of the players, coaches and staff are excited to begin the tournament with a match against the USA,” said Rouet. “All of our players have been playing at a high level in Canada and around the world since our last game together. They are eager to get back on the field on Sunday as we look to continue to build momentum for the next two matches with a strong showing against our long-time rivals.”

Due to a pre-camp injury, Cassandra Tuffnail has been replaced by Mya Brubacher on Canada’s 30-player squad.

More information on the Pacific Four Series, including the full schedule and results, can be found on the official website for World Rugby.

WHERE TO WATCH

Canada vs USA will be streamed live on TSN+ on Sunday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET., with an encore broadcast on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET.

TSN+ is the stand-alone digital streaming service from Canada’s Sports Leader, and is home to an extensive slate of live sports coverage from around the world, including Rugby Canada matches. For more information on TSN+, including subscription options, visit TSN.ca/TSN+.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM PACIFIC FOUR SERIES MATCH DAY ROSTER vs USA

1. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
2. Sara Cline (Edmonton, AB) – Leprechaun Tigers / Western Force
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC / Ealing Trailfinders
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat
6. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
7. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC / Saracens
8. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Stade Bordelais
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
11. Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Saracens
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC/Exeter Chiefs
13. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – UBC / Chiefs Manawa
14. Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores
15. Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC

FINISHERS

16. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
17. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
18. Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Stade Français Paris
19. Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
20. Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
22. Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph RFC /Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders
23. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – NorWester Athletic Associations / Westshore RFC

Posted in Front Page, National Women's XVs.