Canada ran in seven tries to open its Women’s Rugby World Cup marketing campaign with a snug 41-5 win over Japan on Saturday, reeling off 36 straight factors to snap an early 5-5 tie at Northland Events Centre in Whangarei, New Zealand.
The greater Canadian forwards had the benefit within the scrum and lineout, used the driving maul to achieve metres at will and pressured the Japanese on the breakdown. The Canadian backs, in the meantime, kicked successfully for territory.
But coach Kevin Rouet will little doubt need his workforce to remove errors that stymied different assaults, particularly within the second half. Canada was responsible of 16 dealing with errors and 17 turnovers, in comparison with 9 and eight, respectively, for Japan.
“It was not a fairly sport,” mentioned the French-born coach, who now calls Quebec City house. “We did the sport plan in the beginning. After that I feel we may have performed a greater job. But it is a win.”
Hooker Emily Tuttosi scored three tries, scrum half Brianna Miller had a pair and Paige Ferries and Mikiela Nelson added single tries for third-ranked Canada. Captain Sophie de Goede kicked two conversions whereas Miller booted one.
A surprising hat-trick to kickstart her workforce’s <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RWC2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RWC2021</a> journey 🇨🇦<br><br>The <a href=”https://twitter.com/Mastercard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Mastercard</a> Player of the Match is Emily Tuttosi 👏<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/JPNvCAN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#JPNvCAN</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/POTM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#POTM</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Priceless?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Priceless</a> <a href=”https://t.co/MyeiyYw6zB”>pic.twitter.com/MyeiyYw6zB</a>
—@rugbyworldcup
Canada earned a bonus level inside the first half-hour of the match in scoring its fourth attempt to led 27-5 on the half.
“It was a superb sport for us. We began sturdy, set to work some kinks out,” mentioned de Goede, whose mom and father each captained Canada. “I nonetheless assume we’ve a stronger efficiency in us. I feel we’ll hold constructing from this. But huge credit score to Japan. I assumed they performed as anticipated. Very well-disciplined. Good construction.”
Maki Takano scored the lone attempt for No. 13 Japan, whose coach is former Canadian worldwide Lesley McKenzie.
“I’m really actually glad with numerous the issues that we did within the sport,” mentioned McKenzie. “We needed to be bodily. They’re a bodily workforce and we needed to fulfill that and present that we’re a special workforce than [the one that] got here in 2017 [and finished 11th].”
The sport kicked off at 10:15 p.m. ET Saturday (3:15 p.m. Sunday, New Zealand time).
The Canadians now head to Auckland the place there play No. 5 Italy subsequent Saturday (Sunday, New Zealand time) and the No. 6 United States on Oct. 22 (Oct. 23, New Zealand time), each at Waitakere Stadium.
Italy defeated the U.S. 22-10 on Saturday within the different Pool B match in Whangarei, pulling away within the second half after holding a slim 7-5 lead on the break. While the four-try efficiency earned the Italians a bonus level, Canada stands first within the pool on factors differential.
Rouet needed to make a late lineup change earlier than kickoff with Julia Schell changing the injured Taylor Perry at fly half. Anais Holly joined the replacements on the bench. Schell earned her fifth cap for Canada.
Canadian starters Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin and Elissa Alarie are showing of their third World Cup.
The Canadians went forward early when Sara Kaljuvee blocked Komachi Imakugi’s tried clearing kick deep within the Japanese finish, with Farries touching down for the primary attempt to a 5-0 lead.
Japan answered shortly with Takano crashing over the road within the fifth minute. But it was Canada the remainder of the best way.
Taking benefit of a pair of penalties to Japan, the Canadians scored off a driving maul from a lineout with Tuttosi touching the ball down within the 14th minute as rain started to fall. The conversion gave Canada a 12-5 lead.
Miller saved the scoreboard turning within the twenty fourth minute, slicing by the Japanese defence to extend the margin to 17-5. Tuttosi scored once more within the twenty ninth minute from the again of the maul off a lineout after one other penalty allowed the Canadians to kick deep into Japan territory.
Miller scored her second attempt within the thirty fifth minute, beating a defender after one other driving maul by the Canadian forwards neared the Japan try-line for a 27-5 lead.
Japan saved operating however was unable to dent the Canadian defence. Irish referee Joy Neville warned the under-pressure Japanese in every half for taking too many penalties.
While second-ranked New Zealand is the defending champion, England is the heavy match favorite. The top-ranked Red Roses ran in 14 tries Saturday in thumping No. 21 Fiji 84-19 to increase their win streak to 26 matches courting again to July 2019.
Canada has certified for all 9 World Cups, ending runner-up to England in 2014. The Canadian women, who got here into Saturday’s sport with a profession report of 21-16-2 on the match, have positioned fourth 3 times, in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Canada was fifth on the 2017 World Cup whereas Japan was eleventh. Japan’s greatest end on the match was eighth in 1994.
Canada beat Japan 57-0 of their solely different assembly, on the 1994 World Cup in Scotland.
This match was initially scheduled to kick off final September however was postponed because of the pandemic.