Canadian women defeat U.S. 42-10 in final home game before Rugby World Cup
The second-ranked Canadian women extended their winning streak against the 10th-ranked U.S. to 11 straight games, but it took time to subdue a determined American side in a physical, frenetic contest before an announced crowd of 11,453 at TD Place Stadium.
Canada has one more World Cup tune-up on Aug. 9 against No. 5 Ireland in Dublin. The team is scheduled to fly from Toronto on Saturday.
Canada, which finished fourth at the last World Cup in November 2022, opens World Cup play in England against No. 14 Fiji on Aug. 23 in York, then face No. 9 Wales on Aug. 30 in Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 in Exeter.
The U.S. will play in Group A at the World Cup, drawn with No. 1 England, No. 8 Australia and No. 15 Samoa.
McKinley Hunt, Gabby Senft, Olivia DeMerchant, Florence Symonds and Mikiela Nelson scored tries for Canada, which was also awarded a penalty try. Sophie de Goede, in her first start since having knee surgery, kicked four conversions. Julia Schell added a conversion.
Freda Tafuna scored the lone try for the U.S. McKenzie Hawkins booted a conversion and a penalty
The Canadian women have won four straight, improving to 5-0-1 this year. They hold a 29-19 edge over the Americans in the all-time series, having won 11 in a row since a 20-18 loss in July 2019 in Chula Vista, Calif.
Canada, missing some of its top players, won 26-14 the last time they met, May 2 in Pacific Four Series play in Kansas City.
Canada led 14-10 after a fast-paced first half Friday that saw a yellow card shown to each team. The Canadian attack was blunted by handling errors, penalties and some resolute American defence.
De Goede returned to the starting lineup, after making a 20-minute cameo off the bench July 12 in a 33-5 win over the 12th-ranked Springbok women in South Africa. That marked the first action for the 26-year-old from Victoria since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on June 21, 2024, in a non-contact scrimmage against the U.S. on the final day of a Canada sevens camp.
Normally a back-rower, de Goede partnered veteran Tyson Beukeboom in the second row with Laetitia Royer nursing an injury.
The Americans went ahead in the second minute, retrieving the ball of their own kickoff and launching a multi-phase attack that ended with Tafuna bulling her way over from close range in the second minute for a converted try.
De Goede was sent to the sin bin in the 12th minute for an illegal cleanout of American centre Alev Kelter at the breakdown, forcing Canada to play a woman short for 10 minutes. Already trailing 7-0, Canada avoided giving up points while down a player, however.
Canada pulled even at 7-7 in the 27th minute on a penalty try awarded by Australia referee Ella Goldsmith after repeated U.S. infractions during a Canadian attack at the goal-line. American lock Hallie Taufoou was sent to the sin bin on the play.
Down a player, the U.S. went ahead 10-7 in the 32nd minute on a Hawkins penalty with Canada called for a high tackle.
Helped by a U.S. penalty, Canada went ahead on the stroke of halftime as Hunt touched down for a try that confirmed by the television match official.
Canada conceded 11 penalties to the Americans' five in the first half.
American wing Cheta Emba was sin-binned in the 42nd minute for a deliberate knock-down of a pass that snuffed out a promising Canadian attack. Canada kicked to touch on the ensuing penalty and Senft scored from the back of the maul from the lineout with the conversion upping the Canadian lead to 21-10.
A de Goede try in the 59th minute was negated by an obstruction call against veteran flanker Karen Paquin.
Canada got tries from DeMerchant in the 63rd minute, Symonds in the 65th and Nelson in the 75th as Canada's bench turned up the heat.
The Americans were coming off a 31-24 win over Fiji on July 19 in Washington, D.C., snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Canada is 15-5-1 since finishing fourth at the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to England, with the other to No. 3 New Zealand. Canada and New Zealand played to a 27-27 tie in May in Pacific Four Series play.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
4 hours ago
- CBC
Vancouver's set to co-host World Cup next year. Who stands to benefit?
World Cup soccer is just a year away from descending on Vancouver. And while some are thrilled about international football stars coming to their backyard, others are concerned about the potential negative effects of hosting one of the biggest sporting tournaments in the world. "There's a concern that the city is really not seeing this as an opportunity to bring the community in ... but an opportunity to shut the community out in order to invite particular kinds of visitors to the expectations of FIFA," Meg Holden, an urbanist at Simon Fraser University, told The Current guest host Catherine Cullen. Holden's concern stems from a 98-page document detailing the stipulations of Vancouver's deal with FIFA to host part of the 2026 World Cup, which was made public on July 15 thanks to a three-year legal battle from independent journalist Bob Mackin. Vancouver and Toronto will both represent Canada as co-host cities during the tournament, jointly hosted in 2026 by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. But even though just seven games will be played at BC Place in Vancouver, some people have big concerns about its impact on the community, and who will actually see the profits. Branding, traffic, 'beautification' rules applied According to the document, Vancouver will have to enforce what's called a controlled area on a match day, as well as the day before a match day, within two kilometres of BC Place. That means the city will be required to cover up or remove "any advertisement and commercial identification located within the controlled area," though what that will look like is unclear. The document also says that public sales of food, beverages, fan items, souvenirs or similar products in the controlled area "must be in accordance with the restrictions defined, and further instructions provided by FIFA." In an emailed statement to the CBC, the Vancouver Host Committee said the controlled area "is in place specifically for the purpose of preventing unauthorized marketing to ensure protection of the FIFA Intellectual Property (IP), also known as their brand." It said that it will not require businesses in the area to close. City beautification, which involves making the city "as attractive as possible," is also mandatory within that same radius, along with traffic restrictions. Holden says this is especially alarming, as that includes Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, which has struggled with crime and homelessness, and could make life difficult for the most vulnerable. "Air quality inside can be terrible. Air quality outside could be terrible if we have a bad forest fire season. What are the plans to make life tolerable for people?" said Holden. City councillor Mike Klassen told CBC's On The Coast guest host Amy Bell that the city won't displace anyone, including those who live in the Downtown Eastside. Klassen said he wants the city to be "really sensitive and supportive" of people in the downtown core, but also wants to ensure "our city sparkles" as tens of thousands of spectators from around the world are about to visit. WATCH | Vancouver councillor addresses business concerns over FIFA contract: Vancouver councillor addresses business concerns over FIFA contract 11 days ago Cost of doing business FIFA is leaving additional costs for venues, policing, organizing, or security to the city. Organizers estimate it will cost between $532 million and $624 million to host the event in Vancouver. Some of that will be covered by the provincial government. Despite reassurances from the city, Jules Boykoff says residents should be very concerned about what hosting a World Cup event will mean for them. Boykoff is a professor of politics and government at Pacific University in Oregon, and has taken a deep dive into the long-term impacts of mega sporting events. "These sporting events, like the FIFA World Cup of soccer or the Olympic Games, tend to benefit the upper echelons of economic society at the expense oftentimes of working class people in the host city," he said. The province has said it estimates about a million out-of-province travellers will visit Vancouver between 2026 and 2031 because of the event, which will lead to an additional $1 billion in visitor spending. But Boykoff, who has written six books on the impact of the Olympic Games on host cities, finds it's usually the big sponsors who are raking in the extra cash, not local businesses. WATCH | Vancouver's FIFA World Cup contract could affect downtown restaurants: Vancouver's FIFA World Cup contract could affect downtown restaurants 13 days ago "When you look at those rosy forecasts that were made in the bid process for the FIFA World Cup, they've really wilted under the heat of reality," said Boykoff. "I mean, costs are increasing in city after city, and these cities are facing real fiscal pressure." In 2018, Chicago withdrew its bid to host World Cup games, saying it felt FIFA could not provide necessary details around how Chicago residents would be impacted. Then in 2021, Montreal withdrew its bid over a lack of provincial government support. Edmonton had a bid to host games, but wasn't chosen. Meanwhile, Boykoff says the World Cup means big bucks for its host organization. FIFA reported over $7.5 billion US in revenue between 2019 and 2022. PR firm Pitch Marketing Group estimates FIFA's revenue will surpass $10 billion US at the 2026 World Cup. According to Vancouver's 98-page contract, FIFA will keep the revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships. "So they have money and they could spread it around, but they tend to be quite miserly with it and look out for their own interests, not the city in which they're visiting," said Boykoff. City accountability Meg Holden says the City of Vancouver already took a big misstep when it originally promised a field at Memorial South Park as training grounds for the Canadian men's national team, switched to the existing National Soccer Development Centre at UBC following public outcry. The host committee says it's working with major businesses within the area to minimize disruptions, and will be ramping up that outreach to include local businesses, stakeholders and residents over the next year. Holden says the city could benefit from doing something similar to what it did ahead of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. It hosted a plebiscite about the Winter Games, giving people a chance to voice their concerns and hopes for the big-time event.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
It's Ledecky vs. McIntosh in the 800 freestyle, the centerpiece of the world championships
SINGAPORE (AP) — It's Katie Ledecky against Summer McIntosh in the final of the 800-meter freestyle, probably the most anticipated race at the swimming world championships in Singapore. The race is one of six finals on Saturday, but it overshadows everything else on Day 7. The championships wrap up on Sunday. Ledecky of the United States holds the world record (8 minutes, 04.12 seconds) set earlier this year. The 28-year-old American has dominated the distance for a decade and has already won gold in the 1,500 in Singapore. She also has a bronze in the 400. Ledecky, 28, has won nine Olympic gold medals — the most decorated female in history — and her first gold was in 2012 in the London Olympics in the 800. McIntosh is an 18-year-old Canadian. She's already won three golds in Singapore and she swam just a second off Ledecky's time earlier this year. If anyone is to dethrone Ledecky, it's McIntosh. This would be McIntosh's fourth gold as she goes for five individual golds in the worlds, a feat only achieved the legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps. The other five finals are: the women's 50 butterfly; the men's 50 free; the women's 200 backstroke; the men's 100 butterfly; and mixed 4×100 freestyle relay. The Americans and Australians have each won five gold medals through six days. The Americans lead in overall medals with 20, although their performance has been lackluster and slowed after much of the team came down with a case of 'acute gastroenteritis' in training camp in Thailand. __ AP sports:
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ex-Olympic champ Rowdy Gaines calls for changes at USA Swimming as team struggles in Singapore
SINGAPORE (AP) — Rowdy Gaines, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, minces few words when he broadcasts swimming for the American network NBC. And he didn't hold back in an interview with The Associated Press over the shaky state of American swimming. He's calling for big-time changes as the Americans struggle at the world championships in Singapore. The American team isn't winning as much as expected or dominating, it's battling a case of 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore, and the governing body — USA Swimming — has been without a CEO for a year. Gaines called the body 'rudderless.' 'Can you imagine any corporation going for a year without a CEO?' Gaines asked. Underwhelming Americans The Americans were also underwhelming a year ago at the Paris Olympics. They led the medal table, but won only eight gold medals, the lowest total since the 1988 Seoul Olympics. 'We're far from killing it,' said Gaines in a telephone interview from the United States. 'It's a major struggle and we can't hide our heads in the sand and say this is just a blip.' Gaines said he's been texting frequently with Greg Meehan, the national team director who was appointed four months ago. Meehan is also the head coach in Singapore. The American haven't said how many swimmers have fallen ill, but in an interview Meehan said 'the overwhelming majority of the team has gone through something' at the championship.' 'Greg and I have been going back and forth in a very good way, very positive,' Gaines said. He called Meehan a good choice and said he's had too little time to turn things around. Gaines also pointed out that the focus is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. These world championships, less so. 'I think he's (Meehan) going to be great,' Gaines said. 'He's got that calm reserve. He had great success at Stanford. He's coached some of the best swimmers ever. I think he's a good choice, he's just walking into a bit of a landmine.' Thailand training camp Like many, Gaines questioned why the Americans picked Thailand as a training camp site and noted that global swimming now has dozens of countries that can beat the Americans, and many of their elite athletes train in the States. Those include the two stars in Singapore: Frenchman Léon Marchand and Canadian Summer McIntosh. Marchand trains at the University of Texas at Austin, and McIntosh will be there this fall and join Bob Bowman's training group. Bowman is, of course, the former coach of American swimming legend Michael Phelps. 'You can blame it on the illness, you can blame it on the inexperience — most of these kids have never been in this situation — and you can blame it on logistics,' Gaines said. 'Thailand doesn't make sense to me in the first place.' He also put some blame on what he called the 'state of today's athletes.' 'I think in some cases there's an entitlement for a lot of these kids, they feel like — 'I should be in the finals of the world championships. And I can still do the peripheral stuff and not worry about making it all the way'.' 'I think there needs to be a more focused attitude on the task at hand,' he added. Post-Olympic blahs Gaines also noted that many swimmers struggle the year after the Olympics. They just finished a four-year cycle, so where is the motivation to start over again? 'It just beats you up because mentally and physically you are focused on four straight years, and the post-Olympic year can beat some people up. The post-Olympics is a real thing for all athletes whether you're from China or the United States.' On the positive side, he talked up the future of 10 to 15 young American male swimmers including Luca Urlando, the winner of the 200-butterfly and the only American man to win gold over the first five days. The championships end Sunday. 'The women are already very good,' Gaines added. Gaines said much of the problem is that USA Swimming has gone for a year without a leader. Tim Hinchey resigned as the CEO a year ago. He was replaced by Chrissi Rawak, who stepped down after just a few days. 'I do think changes need to be made, there needs to be a complete reset,' Gaines said 'But I don't think the sky is falling. But there needs to be some great leadership. Whoever they hire as CEO needs to be the leader that is sorely needed.' __ AP sports:
