Canadian women dominate Australia in 45-7 Pacific Four Series rugby win
BRISBANE - Defending champion Canada ran in seven tries en route to a lopsided 45-7 women's rugby win over Australia on Friday, completing an unbeaten run through the Pacific Four Series.
The second-ranked Canadians must now await the outcome of No. 3 New Zealand's home game against the ninth-ranked U.S. on Saturday in North Harbour to see whether they retain their title.
Canada and New Zealand went into the final round tied on eight points after their 27-27 draw last Saturday in Christchurch. But New Zealand held the tiebreaker edge over Canada — a plus-26 points differential compared to plus-12 for Canada.
The Canadians (2-0-1) achieved their goal Friday by defeating Australia (1-2-0), scoring four tries for a bonus point and running up the score. A New Zealand bonus-point win Saturday and the title will be decided by points differential.
Canada's points differential now stands at plus-50. But the Black Ferns will undoubtedly add to their differential, having thumped the U.S. 57-5 when they met in last year's Pacific Four Series.
Canada improved to 7-0-0 all-time against No. 6 Australia.
Canada dominated set pieces, pushing back the Wallaroos in the scrum and winning lineouts. The Canadians led 26-0 at the half and could have added to the lead, with another try called back for obstruction and handling errors ending other attacks.
But the Canadian passing was silky-smooth for most of the game with the backs looking dangerous and hard-running forwards pounding the Australian defence.
McKinley Hunt, Karen Paquin, Julia Schell, Laetitia Royer, Krissy Scurfield, captain Alex Tessier and Fabiola Forteza scored tries for Canada. Schell booted five conversions.
Desi Miller scored Australia's try with Faitala Moleka adding the conversion.
The two teams could meet again in the World Cup quarterfinals this summer in England.
The game at Suncorp Stadium was the first half of a doubleheader, followed by a Super Rugby matchup between the Queensland Reds and Hurricanes.
Canada had lost just one of its nine previous matches (7-1-1) while the Wallaroos had won five of their last six.
Canada opened tournament play with a 26-14 win over the U.S. on May 2 in Kansas City. Australia lost its opener 38-12 to New Zealand in Newcastle, Australia, before bouncing back to beat the U.S. 27-19 in Canberra.
The Australians were under pressure from the get-go Friday and Canada went ahead in the third minute with Hunt touching down at the back of a prolonged rolling maul after Canada stole a Wallaroos lineout.
Paquin went over in the 11th minute after a powerful run by prop DaLeaka Menin for a 14-0 lead with Schell scoring in the 19th minute off another errant Wallaroos lineout. A Canada try off a rolling maul in the 25th minute was called back for obstruction.
When the Wallaroos did make it deep into the Canadian end later in the first half, they were unable to penetrate the defence.
Royet scored Canada's fourth try, earning the bonus point, on the stroke of halftime after Australia was penalized at the breakdown.
The Wallaroos came out with purpose in the second half, only to see a try in the 43rd minute called off for a knock-on. Australia kept coming and Miller scored two minutes later.
Canada added tries by Scurfield (48th minute), Tessier (52nd) and Forteza (72nd) to complete the victory. Another Forteza try was called back for a forward pass while Schell, looking to improve Canada's points differential, missed a penalty in added time when her kick hit the goalpost.
The match was refereed by transplanted Canadian Maggie Cogger-Orr, a native of Markham, Ont., and former McMaster University rugby player who moved to New Zealand in 2014.
All four Pacific Four Series teams are preparing for the World Cup, which kicks off Aug. 22 in England. The Canadians have been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji.
Canada's next games are against No. 12 South Africa in Pretoria on July 5 and Gqeberha on July 12. Its final tune-up is Aug. 9 against No. 5 Ireland in Belfast.
Canada won last year's Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch. The Canadian women had lost all 17 meetings with New Zealand before that.
Canada also won the inaugural Pacific Four Series in 2021, when the event consisted of a two-game series with the U.S. due to COVID travel restrictions. The Canadians finished runner-up to New Zealand in 2022 and 2023 when the competition was expanded to four teams.
Canada improved to 12-5-1 since losing 36-0 to France in the third-place game at the World Cup in November 2022. Four of those losses were to England, with the other to New Zealand.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025
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