7-try Canada beat much-changed Ireland

Canada ran in seven tries to put a much-changed Ireland team to the sword in this one-sided Women’s November Series clash at the UCD Bowl, reports Irish Examiner

Published by John Birch, November 19th, 2016

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7-try Canada beat much-changed Ireland

While head coach Tom Tierney was trying to expand his player pool, Ireland’s lack of experience up front was ruthlessly exposed by the dominant Canadian pack as the visitors stormed to a 48-7 victory.

Andrea Burk, one of Canada’s stars from last July’s Women’s Super Series title win, converted tries from DaLeaka Menin, Julianne Zussman and Karen Paquin and kicked a penalty for a 24-0 interval lead.

Ireland’s bench made a timely impact after half-time, helping Nikki Caughey get over for the hosts’ only try, but further touchdowns from Emily Belchos, Laura Russell, Magali Harvey and Zussman gave the world’s third-ranked side a comprehensive win in their first hit-out of the season.

Both captains, Paula Fitzpatrick and Kelly Russell, were heavily involved early on, Fitzpatrick ripping the ball free in a tackle and Russell attacking hard off the back of two scrums.

Canada’s physical forwards were really relishing the task, and after they won a scrum against the head and pinched a ruck ball in the Irish 22, the momentum was built for prop Menin to muscle over just to the right of the posts. Centre Burk, who landed the conversion, then broke through midfield to keep Canada on the front foot.

Ireland struggled to get out of their own half, not helped by two missed touchfinders from out-half Caughey off a free-kick and penalty, while the Canadian defence gave very little away in the loose.

Good harrying and pressure from Alison Miller and Anna Caplice led to a penalty and a much better attacking platform, Caplice’s fellow new cap Nichola Fryday winning the resulting lineout in crisp fashion. However, a second lineout - this time in the Canadian 22 - was overthrown by Zoe Grattage.

Canada clawed back the territory with a Kelly Russell break and subsequent kick chase, with their dominant scrum then earning a central 25th-minute penalty which Burk sent over for a 10-0 scoreline.

The influential Canadian centre also added the extras to Zussman’s well-taken try on the half hour, the pacy full-back taking a return pass from Elissa Alarie to raid in from the left wing.

Ireland lost the services of their combative full-back Mairead Coyne to injury, following a couple of heavy collisions with Latoya Blackwood and Burk, and leaked a third try just on the stroke of half-time.

The Canadians continued to thrive on turnovers, out-half Belchos almost gathering an intercept before her forwards won back possession at the coalface and heavily-involved flanker Paquin rumbled over from a close-in ruck, with Burk converting.

With six replacements on for the start of the second period, including a completely new front row, Ireland made immediate improvements to their game, and it showed on the scoreboard.

Caughey’s clever kick to the right touchline pinned Canada back in their own 22 and with possession soon back in Irish hands, an incisive run from flanker Caplice got them into scoring range. The pressure eventually paid off when Larissa Muldoon fed Caughey to dive over the line, with the try scorer nailing a terrific conversion from the right.

But that good work was undone when Canadian pressure forced Caughey to kick poorly from behind the Irish whitewash, the ball gobbled up by Magali Harvey who linked with Zussman who attacked out to the left and the supporting Belchos made it over in the corner.

It was all hands to the pump for Ireland after replacement prop Lindsay Peat went off her feet at a 56th minute ruck and saw yellow for repeated infringements.

Canada showed their clinical edge to notch two more tries in the next ten minutes, although Ireland held them at bay initially with Sene Naoupu's vital tackle on speedy winger Alarie and a hard-earned turnover by Miller on the opposite side of the pitch.

However, the overworked Irish defence splintered for hooker Laura Russell to strike for a seven-pointer from a close-in ruck, and the Canadian backs showed their class in the 66th minute when 2014 World Player of the Year Harvey was released on the right wing and she expertly evaded two last-ditch tackles for try number six.

Francois Ratier’s charges rounded off the afternoon’s scoring with a 78th-minute unconverted effort from Zussman, taking advantage of an overlap on the left after the Irish defence was again caught narrow.

Both Canada and Ireland will play New Zealand, who are top of the world rankings, during the coming week. The Black Ferns, who edged out England 25-22 today, will meet Canada at Donnybrook next Wednesday (kick-off 1pm), before Ireland get a shot at them in their final November Series match at UCD tomorrow week (kick-off 2pm).

Scorers: Ireland: Try: Nikki Caughey; Con: Nikki Caughey; Canada: Tries: DaLeaka Menin, Julianne Zussman 2, Karen Paquin, Emily Belchos, Laura Russell, Magali Harvey; Cons: Andrea Burk 5; Pen: Andrea Burk

HT: Ireland Women 0 Canada Women 24

TIME LINE: 7 minutes - Canada try: DaLeaka Menin - 0-5; conversion: Andrea Burk - 0-7; 25 mins - Canada penalty: Andrea Burk - 0-10; 29 mins - Canada try: Julianne Zussman - 0-15; conversion: Andrea Burk - 0-17; 39 mins - Canada try: Karen Paquin - 0-22; conversion: Andrea Burk - 0-24; Half-time - Ireland 0 Canada 24; 47 mins - Ireland try: Nikki Caughey - 5-24; conversion: Nikki Caughey - 7-24; 54 mins - Canada try: Emily Belchos - 7-29; 56 mins - Ireland yellow card: Lindsay Peat; 62 mins - Canada try: Laura Russell - 7-34; conversion: Andrea Burk - 7-36; 66 mins - Canada try: Magali Harvey - 7-41; conversion: Andrea Burk - 7-43; 78 mins - Canada try: Julianne Zussman - 7-48; conversion: missed by Andrea Burk - 7-48; Full-time - Ireland 7 Canada 48

IRELAND: Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht); Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht), Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls), Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht); Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Ulster), Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Zoe Grattage (Highfield/Munster), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster), Katie Norris (Blackrock/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Tullamore/Leinster), Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster), Anna Caplice (UL Bohemians/Munster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's/Leinster) (capt).

Replacements used: Jackie Shiels (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for Coyne (32 mins), Leah Lyons (Highfield/Munster) for Grattage, Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster) for Hayes, Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) for Reidy, Elaine Anthony (Highfield/Munster) for Norris, Larissa Muldoon (Railway Union) for Healy (half-time), Claire McLaughlin (Cooke/Ulster) for Caughey (half-time-42, blood sub), McLaughlin for Fowley (42), Grattage for Lyons (57-66, temp sub), Hayes for Caplice (60-66, temp sub), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemians/Munster) for Fitzpatrick (65).

CANADA: Julianne Zussman (Castaway Wanderers); Elissa Alarie (Westshore), Alex Tessier (Montreal Barbarians), Andrea Burk (Capilano RFC), Magali Harvey (Club de Rugby Quebec); Emily Belchos (Westshore), Chelsea Guthrie (Stratchona Druids); Carolyn McEwen (Burnaby Lake Rugby Club), Laura Russell (Toronto Nomads), DaLeaka Menin (Calgary Hornets), Latoya Blackwood (Westshore), Kayla Mack (Wild Oats), Jacey Grusnick (Aurora Barbarians), Karen Paquin (Club de Rugby Quebec), Kelly Russell (Toronto Nomads) (capt).

Replacements used: Tyson Beukeboom (Aurora Barbarians) for Blackwood (50 mins), Mackenzie Higgs (Aurora Barbarians) for Belchos (55), Barbara Mervin (Westshore) for Paquin (60), Olivia DeMerchant (Woodstock Wildmen) for McEwen, Demi Stamatakis (SFU) for Menin, Brianna Miller (SAB RFC) for Guthrie (all 63), Gillian Boag (Capilano/UBC) for L Russell (65), Brittany Waters (Castaway Wanderers) for Tessier (67).

Referee: Marie Lematte (France)

Autumn series results

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