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England defeated Canada 27-17 at Wanderers Grounds in Halifax on Saturday to claim the Women’s u20 Tri-Nations Cup. It capped an undefeated tour for the visitors, who looked composed despite torrential rain in the first half and a Canadian team intent on winning the collisions.
Heavy contact marked the early going with Canadian props Idia Ihensekhien and Val Wideski both putting in thumping tackles. England’s kicking game – superior throughout the tournament – was once again creating major problems for their opponents. Lucy Attwood plugged the corner and after Harley Tucker was sent to the bin for deliberately collapsing an England drive, the scrum went to work against the shorthanded pack and earned a penalty try.
Canada fired back through their captain. After holding out to return to full strength, they finally made it into scoring position and amidst a mass of bodies de Goede had just enough strength to make the line. Tausani Levale’s conversion drifted wide but Canada were within two points.
Attwood knocked over a routine penalty before England grabbed a second try before the break. Ellena Perry did the job this time after the scrum once again set the platform. England took their 10 point lead to halftime thanks to the Canadian handling errors.
The onslaught continued for the entirety of the third quarter. With Lagi Tuima suffering a shoulder injury Ellie Green moved to flyhalf with Phoebe Murray sliding to outside centre. She showed a deceiving turn of pace to take the outside on her opposite and then slipped back inside the cover. Sarah Beckett was there in support to take the short pass and slide into the corner for the try.
A fourth score came to senior international Abby Dow. Largely shackled to this point, Dow came in off her right wing to the midfield at a set piece and caught the Canadian defense in sixes and sevens. The gap opened and the winger sped through virtually untouched until crossing for the score. Green added the extras to give her team a commanding 27-5 lead.
As they did in the their first encounter Canada stayed in the game. Their defense tightened up and with Annie Kennedy now directing play at flyhalf England were on the back foot. With the defense stretched quick hands found Madison Gold loitering on the wing and the midfielder finished in style with de Goede taking over the kicking duties.
One last score would come on full-time. Again Canada pressed and in a near identical fashion quick hands found Mackenzie Carson in space, the hooker throwing a cut-out pass to replacement fullback Hannah Daniels who had the legs to finish in the corner. de Goede’s conversion sailed wide but the partisan crowd roared with approval of the late effort.
SCORING
CANADA 17
Tries – S. de Goede (25′), M. Gold (66′), H. Daniels (80′)
Cons – T. Levale 0/1, S. de Goede 1/2 (67′)
Yellow cards – H. Tucker (10′)
ENGLAND 27
Tries – Penalty try (11′), E. Perry (32′), S. Beckett (51′), A. Dow (60′)
Cons – L. Attwood 0/1, E. Green 1/2 (61′)
Pens – L. Attwood 1/1 (30′)
TEAMS
CANADA u20
1 Idia Ihensekhien, 2 Mackenzie Carson, 3 Val Wideski, 4 Abby Duguid, 5 Keegan Branter, 6 Harley Tucker, 7 Courtney Holtkamp, 8 Sophie de Goede (capt.), 9 Sasha Guedes, 10 Tausani Levale, 11 Asia Hogan, 12 Madison Gold, 13 Sarah-Maude Lachance, 14 Brooke Bazian, 15 Annie Kennedy
Replacements: 16 Erika Barton, 17 Maya Montiel, 18 Amelia Hatfield, 19 Zoe Goodwin-Sutton, 20 Aly MacDougall, 21 Celia Martensson, 22 Hannah Daniels, 23 Rachel Hickson
ENGLAND u20
1 Ellena Perry, 2 Leah Bartlett, 3 Hannah Botterman, 4 Rosie Galligan, 5 Hollie Cunningham, 6 Amelia Harper, 7 Charlie Wilcock, 8 Sarah Beckett, 9 Ella Wyrwas, 10 Lucy Attwood, 11 Lilian Stoeger-Goddard, 12 Phoebe Murray (capt.), 13 Lagi Tuima, 14 Abby Dow, 15 Victoria Laflin
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Detysha Harper, 18 Ellie Mulhearn, 19 Akina Gondwe, 20 Rianna Manson, 21 Brooke Bradley, 22 Ellie Green, 23 Jessica Cooksey
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Jones (RC)
Assistants: James Acker (RC) & Ryan Alguire (RC)
