Canada dominate USA in Chula Vista

A huge second half for Canada saw them score 29 unanswered points en route to a 39-5 win over the Women’s Eagles in Chula Vista on Tuesday. Replacement lock Tyson Beukeboom led the way with a hat-trick as Canada outscored the USA seven tries to one in the first match of the Can-Am Series.

Resolute defense from both sides combined with handling errors to produce a stalemate for the opening 25 minutes. The USA surprised Canada by taking a scrum against the head early but that seemed to spark some life in the Canadian forwards and from then on it was complete dominance up front.

It was the scrum that set the platform for a Canadian attack in USA territory and a searing line from Karen Paquin saw the standout openside fly over to score the opening try. Andrea Burk couldn’t add the conversion, a recurring theme for goal kickers in the slight San Diego breeze, but Canada had advantage.

No sooner had the game been restarted when the USA replied. Jordan Gray tore off the back of a retreating scrum and just got past the outstretched arms of Jacey Grusnick to tear into open space. From the recycle a lovely wide pass from Sylvia Braaten found center partner Alev Kelter and the sevens star was in for the tying score. Her conversion was also off target but the USA was now very much in the game.

Canada’s opted for a more direct approach and again it was the scrum that offered the starting point. Kelly Russell couldn’t connect with a wide open Frédérique Rajotte on the blind side, but the ball was recycled and within moments Carolyn McEwan burrowed her way over from close range for Canada’s second score. That would make it a 10-5 game, where it would stand through to the break.

Whatever coach François Ratier said to his charges seemed to work a charm as Canada came out firing in the second stanza. Beukeboom entered the game in the second row and made an immediate impact, and after Christiane Pheil was sent to the bin for killing the ball in a scoring position it was Beukeboom who drove over for her first try of the day. Soon after captain Russell made it look easy, crossing from the back of a scrum that was already on the front foot.

Beukeboom nabbed her second from in close and a third with a clean break through the middle, her long strides taking her untouched to the line. Magali Harvey landed a conversion and added another with Brianna Miller spun over from a scrum just a minute before full-time.

While the scoreline looked good for Canada at the final whistle they will be disappoint with an error-strewn first half against a clearly outgunned USA side. Once they settled into the match and went through their patterns they looked near unstoppable.

The result might not have been a surprise but the Eagles can take heart from their defense, which saw several shuddering tackles send Canadian attackers reeling. Kelter was immense on both sides of the ball while the physicality of wingers Kristen Thomas and Naya Tapper also impressed. Whether they can find reinforcements up front to stem the red tide will determine their fate in the second match on Saturday.

 

SCORING

USA 5
Tries – A. Kelter (28’)
Yellow cards – C. Pheil (43’)

CANADA 39
Tries – K. Paquin (25’), C. McEwan (34’), T. Beukeboom 3 (44’, 59’, 67’), K. Russell (49’), B. Miller (78’)
Cons – M. Harvey 2 (68’, 79’)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Tiffany Faaee (capt.) (17 Naima Reddick 53’), 2 Joanna Kitlinski (16 Phaidra Knight 71’), 3 Catie Benson (18 Jamila Reinhardt 65’), 4 Stacey Bridges, 5 Alycia Washington (19 Molly Kinsella 50’), 6 Christiane Pheil, 7 Nicole Strasko (20 Sara Parsons 61’), 8 Jordan Gray, 9 Joanne Fa’avesi (21 AnnaKaren Pedraza 53’ {23 Nicole Heavirland 56’-61’}), 10 Megan Foster (22 Kayla Canett 71’), 11 Naya Tapper, 12 Sylvia Braaten (23 Nicole Heavirland 61’), 13 Alev Kelter, 14 Kristen Thomas, 15 Jess Wooden

Not used: 16 Phaidra Knight

CANADA
1 Carolyn McEwan (17 Brittany Kassil 65’), 2 Laura Russell (16 Mary-Jane Kirby 65’), 3 DaLeaka Menin (18 Olivia DeMerchant 69’), 4 Kayla Mack (19 Tyson Beukeboom HT), 5 Latoya Blackwood (20 Cindy Nelles 69’), 6 Jacey Grusnick, 7 Karen Paquin, 8 Kelly Russell (capt.), 9 Chelsea Guthrie (21 Brianna Miller 71’), 10 Emily Belchos, 11 Frédérique Rajotte, 12 Andrea Burk (22 Brittany Waters 53’), 13 Amanda Thornborough, 14 Magali Harvey, 15 Julianne Zussman

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Kurt Weaver (USAR)
Assistants: Rose LaBrèche (RC) & Nick Ricono (USAR)