Pacific Four – Round Two
This was the performance everyone, players, coaches, spectators, the nation had hoped for. It was as reassuring for the Black Ferns as it was concerning for the guests.
The Preliminaries
It was the hosts’ biggest test since the ill-fated autumn tour. It pitted second against third in world standings. Canada earmarked the game as their best chance of securing a first win against the world champions.
Both coaches have made changes to their sides, as was to be expected. (Full teams below)
The Match
The forecast rain mercifully stayed away, but the wind that helped the Ferns in the opening half died down after the break. The Maple Leafs certainly didn’t reap any advantage from it.
This will disappoint them intensely, as they held the hosts to a 6-0 lead at the break.
Taylor Perry’s fine kick to the left corner led to a drive that didn’t finish the job. ‘Held up!’ was the call, and was to set the tone for the game.
The Leafs’ pack couldn’t impose the mastery they had last week, so Sophie De Goede had to work harder to gain the initiative. Once more she was the pick of the team.
Hazel Tubic made her first big call when she hoisted a cross-kick that Ayesha Leti-I’iga took on the full. She galloped ahead, only to fail to pass inside to one of three support players. Despite this gaffe, the rest of her game was totally positive. The new No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker put in another stormer, an early effort allowing Tubic to post a first penalty. (3-0)
Canada compounded this error with another chance for Tubic that she accepted, (6-0)
On the half hour Tanya Kalounivale paid for a trio of infringements with a yellow card, but Canada, for all their enterprise, couldn’t take advantage. Ruby Tui offered herself at No 7 for an ensuing scrum.
Half-time 6-0
This was a disappointing return for a side enjoying the benefit of that strong wind. The need was for composure – ‘more haste, less speed’.
But the second half told a quite different story.
The dam broke on 46 minutes. The Ferns shipped the ball out to Tui on the right wing, helped by a copybook take-and-give from the debutant centre, Amy Du Plessis. Tui chipped over the defence and won the race to the line. (11-0) The next moment she was almost over again, and the Canadian defences were working overtime.
They had their next chance when Olsen-Baker was yellowed for a side entry, but yet another driving maul couldn’t find completion. The Canadian pack set these up more methodically than the Eagles had earlier in the afternoon, but still couldn’t ensure a clear grounding.
Their inability to get the scoreboard turning will be one of the biggest disappointments for them, matched by the way the Ferns steamrollered them in the last quarter. Not even the crowd can have expected them to concede another 22 points as the home favourites warmed to their task.
Wayne Smith’s call was: ‘Let the ball do the talking!’ And: ‘Play with freedom!’
The fourteen players did that with a finely executed front-peel from a line-out. Try Maia Loos (16-0)
Leti-I’iga made another great break and Alana Bremner was on hand to touch down. (23-0) With five minutes left Tui was in for her second – this time on the left and again Du Plessis was the provider via a long break. The crowd approved wildly.
A deflating experience for the visitors.
Result: New Zealand 28 Canada 0
Player of the Match: Ayesha Leti-I’iga
The Teams:
New Zealand:
15 Cheyelle Robins-Reti 14 Ruby Tui 13 Amy Du Plessis* 12 Ruahei Demant (captain) 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga 10 Hazel Tubic 9 Kendra Cocksedge 1 Phillipa Love 2 Luka Connor 3 Tanya Kalounivale 4 Maia Loos 5 Joanah Ngan-Woo 6 Alana Bremner 7 Tafito Lafaele 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Bench: 16 Georgia Ponsonby 17 Angel Mulu 18 Amy Rule 19 Chelsea Bremner 20 Liana Mikaele Tu’u/Kendra Reynolds 21 Ariana Bayler/Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu 22 Sylvia Brunt* 23 Renee Wickliffe
*uncapped
Canada:
15 Elissa Alarie 14 Renee Gonzalez 13 Sara Kaljuvee 12 Alexandra Tessier 11 Paige Farries 10 Taylor Perry 9 Brianna Miller 1 Olivia Demerchant 2 Emily Tuttosi 3 DaLeaka Menin 4 Tyson Beukeboom 5 Courtney Holtkamp 6 Pam Buisa 7 Sara Svoboda 8 Sophie de Goede (captain)
Bench: 16 Veronica Harrigan 17 Brittany Kassil 18 Maya Montiel 19 Abby Duguid 20 McKinley Hunt 21 Anais Holly 22 Maddy Grant 23 Alysha Corrigan
Officials:
Referee: Amber McLachlan (RA)
ARs: Lauren Jenner (NZR) and Tyler Miller (RA)
TMO: Sara Cox (RFU)
with thanks to rugbyreferee.net
Venue: The Trusts Arena, Waitakere, Auckland
Afterthoughts:
Smith made nine changes to his starting XV, but they will have been part of a long-term policy, allowing him to try out new faces versus Australia. Against a much tougher unit he reduced his debutants to two (Amy Du Plessis and Sylvia Brunt off the bench) and included seven who toured Europe in 2019.
Hazel Tubic made such an impression from the bench last week that she forces the skipper Ruahei Demant out one position to second five-eighth. But that is a move Demant had to make when Grace Brooker was injured early in the Northampton game last autumn, and Tubic herself has vast test experience dating back to 2011.
The game will have restored Kiwi confidence in their team. They played with a smile on their faces, and the management now has real competition for places.
The Setting
The Trusts Arena is a World Cup venue. It is in a delightful setting, a bowl surrounded by trees. The playing area cut up after the heavy rains and the Australia-USA match played earlier.
The cameras only rarely showed the main stand (before and after the game), but by the end it looked well filled. That will calm the worries of the RWC organisers about their chances of attracting really big crowds to the main event.
A Tribute
Maddy (Madison) Grant received top billing from Jen Boyd, her former coach in Ottawa: ‘As far as I’m concerned, she’s at the same level as Portia Woodman’ and : ‘’If she stays healthy, Madison Grant will be the best rugby player to ever come out of Canada – male or female, sevens or 15s.’
Phew!
