Red Roses defeat Canada in Dunedin
The Red Roses scored seven tries at Forsyth Barr Stadium to beat Canada 45-12 in round two of WXV1.
- Tries: Kildunne, Atkin-Davies (4), Breach, MacDonald Conversions: Aitchison, Rowland (4)
- Tries: Tuttosi, Farries, Conversions: de Goede
Four tries from Lark Atkin-Davies, one each for Ellie Kildunne, Jess Breach and Claudia MacDonald, as well as 10 points off the tee secured the victory in Dunedin.
Canada's response came via Emily Tuttosi and Paige Farries tries, and two points from the boot of Sophie de Goede.
The Red Roses struck inside the opening 10 minutes, as Aitchison stabbed a clever grubber behind the Canadian defence and onto their try line. Full back Sarah-Maude Lachance fumbled the ball, which enabled Kildunne to swoop in behind her and get downward pressure for the game’s first score.
Canada regathered to threaten the English line, and went through 18 phases before Aitchison was judged to have made deliberate knock on, which saw her receive a yellow card. The Canucks took immediate advantage of the extra player from the resulting five metre line out, as hooker Tuttosi collected the ball she threw at the back of a rolling maul, and powered over the line.
Not to be outdone, Red Roses hooker Atkin-Davies scored two tries in four minutes - both off the back of dominant lineout rolling mauls, and with Rowland successfully converting both, England led 21-5 at the break.
Canada struck early into the resumption, benefitting from an English handling error, they turned defence into immediate attack as outside centre Shoshanah Seumanutafa beat one defender with a pass into the path of Farries, who cantered her way to the line unopposed from half way. De Goede converted to cut the deficit to nine points.
But momentum shifted back in favour of England as Atkin-Davies claimed her hat-trick on 50 minutes, and fourth on the hour mark, in the same fashion as her previous two. Rowland converted one of them, for a 33-12 lead, as Canada replacement Julia Schell was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle on captain Marlie Packer.
Kildunne provided the moment of the match with 12 minutes remaining in the Test, making a break from 60 metres out, she rounded defenders before stepping back inside and switching with replacement Breach - who accelerated over the line for her 36th Test try.
England's seventh score was a superb MacDonald effort just minutes later, and confirmed a famous win for Louis Deacon's side, whose final WXV1 match will be a meeting with the Black Ferns at Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium next week.
Teams
Red Roses
15. Ellie Kildunne, 14. Abby Dow, 13. Helena Rowland, 12. Amber Reed, 11. Claudia MacDonald, 10. Holly Aitchison, 9. Natasha Hunt, 1. Mackenzie Carson, 2. Lark Atkin-Davies, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Zoe Aldcroft, 5. Catherine O'Donnell, 6. Morwenna Talling, 7. Marlie Packer, 8. Alex Matthews
Replacements
16. Connie Powell, 17. Hannah Botterman, 18. Maud Muir, 19. Rosie Galligan, 20. Maisy Allen, 21. Ella Wyrwas, 22. Tatyana Heard, 23. Jess Breach
Canada
15. Sarah-Maude Lachance, 14. Paige Farries, 13. Shoshanah Seumanutafa, 12. Alexandra Tessier, 11. Florence Symonds, 10. Claire Gallagher, 9. Olivia Apps, 1. McKinley Hunt, 2. Emily Tuttosi, 3. DaLeaka Menin, 4. Tyson Beukeboom, 5. Courtney Holtkamp, 6. Gabrielle Senft, 7. Sara Svoboda, 8. Sophie de Goede
Replacements
16. Gillian Boag, 17. Brittany Kassil, 18. Alexandria Ellis, 19. Ashlynn Smith, 20. Sara Cline, 21. Justine Pelletier, 22. Julia Schell, 23. Madison Grant.
FIXTURES AND RESULTS
Red Roses 29-12 Canada
WXV
Red Roses 45-12 Canada
Red Roses v New Zealand - 4 November - Go Media Mount Smart Stadium
