Canada Dominates Wales 42-0, Secures Rugby World Cup Quarterfinal Berth
Canada advanced to the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with a commanding 42-0 victory over Wales on Saturday in Manchester, England.The win, fueled by a dominant forward pack and a relentless attack, sets up a quarterfinal clash with Scotland to determine the pool B winner.
The Canadian front five proved particularly formidable, conceding only two set-pieces – both lineout overthrows – and consistently disrupting Welsh scrums. this platform allowed Canada to build extended phases of play, culminating in a 15-meter rolling maul try.Prop McKinley Hunt led the try-scoring effort with a brace, while replacement prop Brittany Kassil added another. Lock Sophie de Goede was named player of the match, showcasing an all-around performance with 20 carries, 10 tackles, and a perfect six-for-six record on conversions.
Despite a spirited start from Wales, who spent the opening ten minutes pressing in the Canadian 22, they were unable to convert possession into points. canada quickly seized control, scoring four tries in a 15-minute burst during the first half. Hunt scored twice, followed by tries from wings Alysha Corrigan (after 12 phases) and Asia Hogan-Rochester, who showcased impressive skill with a 70-meter run, evading tackles with both a fend and a hurdle.
The second half saw a decrease in discipline, with both teams receiving yellow cards. A potential try from Canada’s Gabrielle Senft was disallowed due to a knock-on, but a subsequent review resulted in a sin-bin for Wales’ Georgia Evans for a hazardous tackle.Canada capitalized on the numerical advantage, adding tries through flyhalf Taylor Perry and Kassil, the latter coming from a powerful 15-meter driving maul.
Canada themselves were reduced to 14 players when Olivia DeMerchant received a yellow card for a head-high tackle, but Wales failed to capitalize on the possibility.
This victory marks Canada’s eighth consecutive win against Wales since 2007, and the third time they have shut out the Welsh in that span. Scotland also advanced on Saturday, defeating Fiji 29-15, marking their first quarterfinal appearance since 1998.
