ANALYSIS – Rugby Canada’s speed and lineout were elite in the win over France Rugby at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. There were also some big defensive plays made throughout the game that prevented France from winning the game.
Rugby Canada’s Lineout Led To A 46-24 Win
Rugby Canada’s Speed and Lineout Played a Huge Role in Win
The biggest reason for Canada winning was their speed and lineout. Looking at speed, here were some of the tries:
- Alexandra Tessier finds a running Fancy Bermudez, who scored a fantastic try for Rugby Canada.
- Shoshanah Seumanutafa passed the ball to Paige Farries, who used her speed to score Canada’s first try of the game.
There were also a few examples of Canada using the lineout to their advantage, including:
- Emily Tuttosi scored a try following a line-out as she pushed through the try line in the 66 minute.
- Laetitia Royer scored a great individual try following a line-out.
Canada Made Some Defensive Plays Throughout the Game
Rugby Canada really played well as they made some fantastic defensive plays when France Rugby looked like they were gaining momentum. Some examples include:
- After a bad lineout by France, Emily Tuttosi was first to the play and ended a scoring opportunity for the French.
- Fabiola Forteza early in the game created a turnover in Canada’s favour when the game was close.
READ MORE: Rugby Canada’s veteran lock: Tyson Beukeboom
Overall, even though some mistakes led to France’s first two tries, Canada was exceptional. Canada’s captain, Tyson Beukeboom hinted at the mistakes as something to improve on:
“I think we have a couple things definitely to work on. For defense, they caught us a couple times sleeping. It’s just us keeping the pedal on for 80 minutes, and I think we felt maybe a little complacent on defense, and they took advantage of that.”
However, Canada’s ability to come with big defensive stops when needed was a big reason why Canada starts the WXV 1 competition with a win.
France Failed to Convert Kicks in the Second Half
While it was not the biggest factor in the game, it did play a role. The first one was the penalty kick that was missed. That kick could have made the game a one-try possession game. They also missed the kick when Nassira Konde scored the try. These mistakes made it a five-point Canada game, which France, in the second half, would not get any closer for the rest of the game.
It is also important to note that the yellow card was picked up late in the game, but the game at that point was almost out of reach for France.
Other Factors: Fancy Bermudez Continues to Play Well
With two tries in both the New Zealand and France games this year and a silver medal in the rugby seven’s competition, Bermudez is firing on all cylinders. One of her best attributes might be her speed as the try that she and Paige Farries delivered was a beautiful try and one that seemed to be practised on the training grounds.
READ MORE: Kévin Rouet: The Women’s 15’s Rugby Canada Head Coach
One can also not forget Laeticia Royer, who scored a try and won player of the match in Sunday’s game. She scored a great individual try and was an excellent player throughout the game against France. Additionally, Asia Hogan-Rochester scored her first-ever try in the 15’s game for Rugby Canada. This is what head coach Kévin Rouet had to say about the game:
“I think we’re we are going in the right direction. We win against New Zealand at the Pacific Four Series. We never did that. Now we win with consistency against France, and that’s new for us also.”
Asia Hogan-Rochester also had a memorable game as she scored her first-ever try with the senior women’s 15’s national team debut this past Sunday.
What Is Happening With The Other WXV 1 Games
The first WXV 1 game ended with England easily winning against the U.S. with a 61-21 scoreline at BC Place. They are right now first in the WXV 1 competition with five points. Ellie Kildunne was the star of the game for England, scoring a hat-trick of tries in the game. This game also marked the first WXV 1 game that the U.S. has ever participated in.
For the other WXV 1 debutant, Ireland went up against the defending Rugby World Cup (women’s) champions, New Zealand, and won the game 29-27. It was an unforgettable game for Ireland and a team Canada cannot underestimate next Saturday.
Games Coming Up for Both Canada and France
READ MORE: 2024 Rugby Canada WXV 1: Momentum Is High Heading Into BC
For Canada and France, they will both travel to the Langley Events Centre in Langley, British Columbia on October 5. Canada’s opponent will be Irelend at 3:45pm PT (6:45pm ET), while France will play against the U.S. at 2:30pm PT (5:30pm ET).
Note: The Langley Events Centre is in the township of Langley, British Columbia, which is not to be confused with the city of Langley. Both Langley’s are a part of Greater Vancouver.
Photo Credit: Rugby Canada X Account on September 29, 2024.
