Comprehensive victory for Canada over USA in Spain

Canada opened the Pacific Four tournament with a comprehensive 50-17 victory over the USA on Saturday afternoon. Played at the neutral venue of Madrid, it was the 8th consecutive success for the Canadians against their North American rivals and left no doubt as to who was the better side with eight tries to the Maple Leafs and two for the Eagles.

From the start it was the Canadian pack who were dominant. Accuracy cost the USA at the lineout and their scrum was flattened, leading to the first try of the game. It went to Emily Tuttosi on the back of a driving maul, with Sophie de Goede stepping up to make it a full seven.

Tuttosi found de Goede at the back with a throw-in just inside Canadian territory. The ball came off the top and was spun wide where Sabrina Poulin was waiting. An outside angle took her beyond the outstretched arms of the front line defense and she showed a clean pair of heels to the cover.

Gabby Cantorna had a chance to put the Eagles on the board but her penalty attempt drifted wide. Instead it would be a double for Poulin, after de Goede made ground up the middle and Paige Farries down the left sideline. The third touch for de Goede on the move put Poulin into the corner.

At last the zero disappeared for the USA when Cantorna found her range on a three-pointer. Canada was in a try-scoring mood, however, and this time it was Fancy Bermudez who straight-armed two would-be tacklers to score under the posts on the stroke of halftime.

Eti Haungatau gave the Eagles something to cheer about with a long break early in the second half, but the attack was eventually held up. Again the Canadians came roaring back with a long sequence ending with Tyson Beukeboom sending Sarah-Maude Lachance in for the try. de Goede expertly curled the conversion over to make it 33-3 to the Maple Leafs.

Despite the lopsided scoreline there was no capitulation from the Eagles and Rachel Johnson made ground on the right side. Hope Rogers then punched over the line from close range as Sara Svoboda saw yellow for repeat infringements.

Beukeboom was next to cross for the Canadians after sustained forward pressure, but the USA had a response as McKenzie Hawkins placed a perfectly-weighted grubber for Lotte Clapp to regather and score. Bermudez then interjected and after a quick recycle Emma Taylor was in for her team’s seventh try.

Replacements came on and discipline for both sides faltered as Fabiola Forteza, Kate Zackary, and Autumn Czaplicki were each dispatched in rapid succession for deliberate knock-ons. The final say went to the Canucks, with Gillian Boag attacking the short side from a lineout. de Goede’s kick rang off the uprights, a rare moment of normalcy from the game’s outstanding player.

The spring tour to Spain has now concluded for both teams. They will now prepare for matches against New Zealand and Australia, with Canada set to host the remainder of the Pacific Four matches at a venue yet to be confirmed in July.

 

SCORING

CANADA 50
Tries – E. Tuttosi (9′), S. Poulin 2 (22′, 35′), F. Bermudez (40′), S. Lachance (49′), T. Beukeboom (59′), E. Taylor (69′), G. Boag (76′)
Cons – S. de Goede 5/8 (10′, 23′, 40’+1′, 50′, 60′)
YC – S. Svododa (53′), F. Forteza (71′)

USA 17
Tries – H. Rogers (53′), L. Clapp (66′)
Cons – G. Cantorna 1/1 (54′), M. Hawkins 1/1 (67′)
Pens – G. Cantorna 1/2 (38′)
YC – K. Zackary (74′), A. Czaplicki (75′)

 

TEAMS

CANADA
1 Brittany Kassil (17 Maya Montiel 44′), 2 Emily Tuttosi (16 Gillian Boag 70′), 3 DaLeaka Menin (18 Alex Ellis 70′), 4 Tyson Beukeboom (20 MP Fauteux 77′), 5 Courtney Holtkamp (19 Emma Taylor 54′), 6 Fabiola Forteza, 7 Sara Svoboda (21 Pamphinette Buisa 67′), 8 Sophie de Goede (capt.), 9 Justine Pelletier, 10 Alex Tessier (23 Julia Schell 60′), 11 Paige Farries, 12 Sara Kaljuvee (22 Mahalia Robinson 75′), 13 Fancy Bermudez, 14 Sarah-Maude Lachance, 15 Sabrina Poulin

USA
1 Hope Rogers (17 Maya Learned 56′), 2 Joanna Kitlinski (16 Jett Hayward 50′), 3 Catie Benson (18 Tiara A’au 73′), 5 Alycia Washington (19 Megan Neyen 70′), 5 Evi Ashenbrucker, 6 Rachel Ehrecke (20 Georgie Perris-Redding 50′), 7 Rachel Johnson, 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Carly Waters (21 Olivia Ortiz 63′), 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Lotte Clapp, 12 Gabby Cantorna (23 Bulou Mataitoga 54′), 13 Eti Haungatau (22 Kristin Bitter 71′), 14 Autumn Czaplicki, 15 Tess Feury

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Amber McLachlan (Australia)
Assistants: Aurélie Groizeleau (France) & Lorena Martinez (France)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)