Canada pushes England to the restrict earlier than falling in Rugby World Cup semifinal


AUCKLAND, New Zealand — England downed a decided Canada 26-19 on Saturday to increase its profitable streak to 30 matches and transfer into the ultimate of the Rugby World Cup.

The high-tempo recreation was a showcase for girls’s rugby on a sunny however windy afternoon at Eden Park. Third-ranked Canada gave No. 1 England all it may deal with in a hard-hitting bodily affair.

There was a turning level within the fiftieth minute when England, after resolutely defending a chronic Canadian assault deep in its personal half, received the ball again. As a substitute of kicking to security, wing Claudia MacDonald elected to expire from behind her try-line. After reducing by the Canadian defence, she handed to Abby Dow who accelerated previous the final line of defence for a highlight-reel strive — her second of the day — and 23-12 lead.

Canada lastly breached the England defence within the 68th minute with lock Tyson Beukeboom crashing over for a transformed strive that minimize the result in 23-19.

Emily Scarratt’s Seventieth-minute penalty prolonged the English result in seven factors. Canada saved coming, forcing the English to make sort out after sort out. However England held on.

The Crimson Roses haven’t misplaced since a 28-13 defeat by the hands of New Zealand in July 2019. They usually have now received 9 straight over Canada.

The Canadian girls, in the meantime, got here into the semifinal on an eight-game win streak since a 28-0 loss to New Zealand in June on the Pacific 4 Sequence.

The English are an expert aspect with gamers underneath contract to the Rugby Soccer Union. Most of the Canadians have jobs exterior of rugby that they placed on maintain to organize for the World Cup.

England will play both No. 2 New Zealand or No. 4 France, who met within the second semifinal on the 50,000-capacity Eden Park, within the closing. The Canadian girls will play the loser of that recreation for third place.

Karen Paquin and Alysha Corrigan additionally scored tries for Canada, which trailed 15-12 after a primary half that noticed the Canadians taking part in into the wind. Captain Sophie De Goede kicked two conversions.

Marlie Packer additionally scored a strive for England. Scarratt booted a conversion and three penalties.

It was all-action from the kickoff with the Canadians making use of early stress solely to be let down by dealing with errors. England then attacked and, after a Canadian scrum penalty, kicked into the nook to arrange a driving maul from the lineout with Packer going over within the ninth minute.

Scarratt’s conversion gave England a 7-0 lead.

Dow capped off a free-flowing England assault, highlighted by a slashing run from fullback Helena Rowland that opened up the Canadian defence, with a Fifteenth-minute attempt to up the result in 12-0. Scarratt’s conversion try hit the put up.

Canada answered 4 minutes later after Justine Pelletier darted out from behind the scrum and raced down the sector, making metres earlier than launching a kick that Paquin bought to first to the touch right down to make the rating 12-5.

Canada was penalized for not rolling away within the breakdown after one other extended English assault, producing one other lineout close to the Canadian try-line. The ball was spun huge this time and England lock Abby Ward crashed over however couldn’t get the ball down with Canadian defenders holding her as much as deny the strive.

Canada’s driving maul received back-to-back penalties and, after a Canadian lineout 5 metres out from the England try-line, Corrigan went over within the thirty fifth minute for a transformed strive that tied the rating as 12-12.

Scarratt gave England a 15-12 lead with a penalty on the stroke of halftime after Canada was penalized for an infraction on the breakdown.

England got here out with goal within the second half and Scarratt kicked one other penalty for an 18-12 lead within the forty third minute after Canada’s Sara Kaljuvee was penalized once more on the breakdown.

England misplaced Rowland to damage early within the second half. And prop Vickii Cornborough was despatched to the sin-bin within the 54th minute for repeated England violations.

Canada coach Kevin Rouet caught with the identical beginning 15 that beat the seventh-ranked Individuals 32-11 in final weekend’s quarterfinal.

Each Canada and England got here into the match having received their 4 earlier matches on the event. And each groups boasted a robust pack with efficient driving mauls.

The significance of the Canadian pack was proven by the truth that Rouet, for the second recreation in a row, had seven forwards and only one again on the bench.

The Canadians misplaced veteran ahead Laura Russell and fly half Taylor Perry to damage on the eve of the event. Scrum half Brianna Miller was dominated out after an damage towards Italy.

The event was initially slated for 2021 however was postponed because of the pandemic.

Canada’s greatest end on the event was second in 2014 when it misplaced 21-9 to England within the closing. The Canadian girls positioned fourth in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and have been fifth final outing in 2017.

England has by no means completed out of the highest three on the event.

The Crimson Roses additionally received in 1994 and have completed runner-up five-times (shedding to the U.S. in 1991 and New Zealand in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2017). They have been third in 1998.

England got here into the sport with a 28-3-1 all-time edge over Canada. The Crimson Roses had received the earlier eight conferences, outscoring the Canadians 360-110, since a 52-17 loss within the Ladies’s Rugby Tremendous Sequence in July 2016.



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