Canada's Claire Gallagher (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a try against Australia during second half rugby action at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa on Friday, July 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – The Canadian women’s rugby 15s team wrapped up the Pacific Four Series with a dominating 45-7 win over Australia’s Wallaroos at TD Place Friday night.
Canada wraps up the series with a 2-1 record, while Australia was 1-2.
Led led by captain Sophie de Goede and Tyson Beukeboom Canada dominated from the start and never looked back.
Leading 26-7 to start the second half, Canada didn’t take long to put the game further out of reach starting with Claire Gallagher scoring her first international try at the 45th minute and Beukeboom picking up her second of the game to make it 40-7.
The Wallaroos made things more difficult for themselves when they were forced to play much of the second half down two players after Daleaka Menin and McKinley Hunt each took a yellow card, resulting in ten-minute suspensions.
With a commanding lead Canada made a number of substitutions, but continued to dominate and Beukeboom completed the hat trick at the 68th minute with a dive across the goal line making it 45-7.
The home team opened the scoring at the 16-minute mark as de Goede scored her first of two try’s. The Australians came right back and tied the game as Grace Hamilton was able to punch her way in, but that was the last time the Wallaroos would get past Canada.
Canada extended its lead as Sarah Maude Lachance crossed the goal line at the 28-minute mark and just over five minutes later when Beukeboom, who picked up her 60th cap, finished off a solid effort by de Goede.
In the final minutes of the half the captain displayed her strength and agility and scored her second try of the half.
Earlier in the evening New Zealand defeated the United States 39-17 to finish the series with a perfect 3-0 record, whereas the Americans were winless going 0-3.
New Zealand, Australia and Canada each qualified for the top WXV tier, a new annual global women’s rugby 15s event similar to a world championships in other sports. The U.S. will play in Tier 2.
New Zealand will host the inaugural WXV competition for the world’s top six teams starting Oct. 21. England, France and Wales have already qualified.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2023.
