England downed a decided Canada 26-19 on Saturday to prolong its successful streak to 30 matches and transfer into the remaining of the Rugby World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand.
The high-tempo sport was a showcase for women’s rugby on a sunny however windy afternoon at Eden Park. Third-ranked Canada gave No. 1 England all it might deal with in a hard-hitting bodily affair.
There was a turning level in the fiftieth minute when England, after resolutely defending a chronic Canadian assault deep in its personal half, received the ball again. Instead of kicking to security, wing Claudia MacDonald elected to run out from behind her try-line. After reducing by way of the Canadian defence, she handed to Abby Dow who accelerated previous the final line of defence for a highlight-reel attempt — her second of the day — and 23-12 lead.
Canada lastly breached the England defence in the 68th minute with lock Tyson Beukeboom crashing over for a transformed attempt that minimize the lead to 23-19.
WATCH | England defeats Canada in semifinals:
Canada falls to England 26-19 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup semifinals. The Canadian women will play for the bronze medal on November 12.
Emily Scarratt’s Seventieth-minute penalty prolonged the English lead to seven factors. Canada stored coming, forcing the English to make sort out after sort out. But England held on.
The Red Roses haven’t misplaced since a 28-13 defeat at the arms of New Zealand in July 2019. And they’ve now received 9 straight over Canada.
The Canadian women, in the meantime, got here into the semifinal on an eight-game win streak since a 28-0 loss to New Zealand in June at the Pacific Four Series.
The English are an expert facet with gamers beneath contract to the Rugby Football Union. Many of the Canadians have jobs outdoors of rugby that they placed on maintain to put together for the World Cup.
“I’m so pleased with each particular person in our group and everybody that is been with us since the starting of this cycle,” stated an emotional Canadian captain Sophie de Goede.
England will play both No. 2 New Zealand or No. 4 France, who met in the second semifinal at the 50,000-capacity Eden Park, in the remaining. The Canadian women will play the loser of that sport 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 enjoying into the wind. Captain Sophie De Goede kicked two conversions.
Marlie Packer additionally scored a attempt 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 in 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 lead to 12-0. Scarratt’s conversion try hit the publish.
Canada answered 4 minutes later after Justine Pelletier darted out from behind the scrum and raced down the discipline, making metres before launching a kick that Paquin obtained to first to contact down to make the rating 12-5.
Canada was penalized for not rolling away in 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 could not get the ball down with Canadian defenders holding her up to deny the attempt.
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 in the thirty fifth minute for a transformed attempt 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 at the breakdown.
England got here out with function in the second half and Scarratt kicked one other penalty for an 18-12 lead in the forty third minute after Canada’s Sara Kaljuvee was penalized once more at the breakdown.
England misplaced Rowland to damage early in the second half. And prop Vickii Cornborough was despatched to the sin-bin in the 54th minute for repeated England violations.
Canada coach Kevin Rouet caught with the identical beginning 15 that beat the seventh-ranked Americans 32-11 in final weekend’s quarter-final.
WATCH | Canada takes down U.S. in quarter-finals:
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Canada beats the United States 32-11 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals and can face England in the semifinals.
Both Canada and England got here into the match having received their 4 earlier matches at the event. And each groups boasted a powerful pack with efficient driving mauls.
The significance of the Canadian pack was proven by the indisputable fact that Rouet, for the second sport 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 due to the pandemic.
England has by no means completed out of the high three at the event.
The Red 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 had been third in 1998.
England got here into the sport with a 28-3-1 all-time edge over Canada. The Red Roses had received the earlier eight conferences, outscoring the Canadians 360-110, since a 52-17 loss in the Women’s Rugby Super Series in July 2016.