By Jonathan Bowen
The USA will be disappointed with their 32-11 loss to Canada in quarter-finals. It was the second time they had lost to Canada in two weeks however the team should proud of what they achieved at the tournament and will take a lot away from the experience. There is a feeling this is just the beginning of a very prosperous period for US women’s rugby.
The game kicked off just after the torrential rain which had soaked Waitakere that morning had stopped. On a side note, the support for both teams at the game was just awesome, To see so many supporters at the game in their Canadian and USA colors was just amazing.
The USA started the game like a team on a mission. They played arguably some of the best rugby they have played all tournament in the first 10 minutes of the game. Sadly, for them they couldn’t keep it up for the full 80 minutes.
The USA started the game with intent by claiming possession of the ball from their own kick off and kept the pressure on the Canadians until the seventh minute. That is when Canada conceded a penalty from a non-intentional high tackle which led to the USA kicking for touch and from the corresponding lineout created a maul which they marched across the try line for Jojo Kitlinski to score the first try for the USA.
Canada got themselves back into the game when a clearing kick from Tess Fury pushed the play from inside Canada’s own half into the USA 10-meter line. The USA then lost their own lineout and conceded a penalty from which Canada took full advantage of by pushing the play within five meters from the try line. From there what happened next was enviable, Canada won their own lineout and mauled the ball, pushing the USA defensive line back over their own try-line where McKinley Hunt was able to fall over the line and score.
Canada’s first try seemed to kick them into gear, Sophie De Goede made a wonderful line break which put the USA on the back foot and an opportunist kick and chase move started by Elissa Alarie led to Karen Paquin winning the foot race to the try line and scoring the try.
The USA were at sixes and sevens when Jeannie Detiveaux passed the ball directly into Carly Waters who quite obviously wasn’t concentrating on the play, highlighting that the USA had lost the passion they had from the first ten minutes of the game.
The signs were starting to show that it just wasn’t going to be the USA’s day. When, after some fabulous play by the USA forward pack, Hope Rogers managed to break the Canadian defensive line and like a worm, crawled her way across the try line, the try wouldn’t count though after the video referee found that the ball had been knocked on from a preceding maul.
The rain reappeared just before half time, but it wasn’t a distraction for Alev Kelter who managed to score a penalty from 25 meters out that gave the USA team hope going into half time. The half time score was 12–8 to Canada.
When the second half kicked off it was the Canadians that started with bang and within a minute of the restart Paige Farries for Canada found herself in some space 22 meters out from the try line and with some fancy foot work scored an easy try. The USA did try to keep up the fight and passion up in their game, Alex Kelter scored a penalty from 40 meters out make the score 19-11.
Alev did herself and her team no favours when after getting her team back into the game she was involved in a nasty head clash which saw her sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Alev being sent to the sin bin would kick the USA team back into life and the team would start to play some of their best rugby of the half. It wouldn’t take the Canadian team long to retake control of the match and when Sophie De Goede kicked a penalty for Canada to stretch their lead, the USA team looked like a beaten side.
The Canadians would show no mercy from that point on, they would go onto score another try through Alex Tessier and score another penalty to see out the game 32-11.
Canada was the better side on the day and will now go onto to face England in the semifinals.
I got to speak to Sophie De Goede after the game and she said beating the USA is never easy and the team are looking forward to the challenge of facing England next week.
In the other quarter-final game, England played Australia in the torrential rain on Sunday in Waitakere. The game was played more on a lake than a rugby field. England showed why they are the favorites to win the tournament and mastered the conditions far better than the Australians winning the game comfortably 41-5.
Given the way England played in the conditions I think they would be happy if it rained for the next two weekends in Auckland.
The Blackferns put on awesome display against Wales is front of a full house in Whangarei on Saturday winning the game easily 55-3, This was a statement of intent by the Blackferns to the other team basically saying come and get us.
France defeated Italy 39-3 in the early game on Saturday in Whangarei. It took the French team a while to get their combinations right. Early mistakes and handling errors did them no favors. The French team did eventually find the right gear and were basically just too good for Italy. Italy has been the surprise packet at this world cup. Look out for them in next year’s Women’s Six Nations tournament, I think they will give a few sides a scare in the competition next year.
Next week the tournament moves to its spiritual home in Auckland, Eden Park. Canada will play England in the first semifinal and New Zealand will then play France in the second.
Both games have the potential to be classic not to be missed rugby games.
In other rugby news, the USA men’s rugby team kick off their last chance to qualify for the World Cup in France next year through the qualification tournament being held next week in Dubai, UAE. The USA will play Kenya, Hong Kong, and Portugal in a tournament they desperately need to win. With the men’s Rugby World Cup coming to the USA in 2031 qualifying is a must to ensure the team continues to gain experience playing top tier nations before they look to host the tournament themselves. Make sure you get behind the team over the coming three weeks and show your support.
The Irish team will start their autumn tour series next week with a game against South Africa, followed by games against Fiji, and Australia. The Ireland A team will also play the All Blacks XV next Friday night at the RDS in Dublin. As part of the tour Munster will play a South Africa A team at a sold out Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. I have no doubt the match will be another classic which will be etched into the memories of Munster fans. It has been confirmed that ex-Munster head coach Rassie Eramus will be the head coach of the South Africa A team. It will be interesting to see how the Munster fans respond to his appearance back in in cork!
If you want to keep up to date with all the latest rugby news you can find me on Instagram @jb052006 or and at twitter@Jonatha25906847.