New Zealand Ties 27-27 with Canada
Sports News – New Zealand Ties 27-27 with Canada. CHRISTCHURCH — Sylvia Brunt slotted a last-gasp try in the dying seconds to keep defending women’s world champions New Zealand to a 27-27 tie with Canada in the Old Mutual-Weet-Bix Women’s Rugby Series competition on Saturday in Christchurch.
Black Ferns back Ruahei Demant just planted the winning three-pointer before the final whistle, only for it to rebound off the goalpost.
Both the Black Ferns and the Canadians traded blows in the dying stages, forcing several substitutions before Brunt squeaked over the line.
Shoshanah Seumanutafa touched down with two minutes remaining to give Canada a 27-22 lead after she burst over the line despite the efforts of two would-be tacklers. Schell’s unsuccessful conversion kept the Black Ferns behind by five points at the end of the game.
The teams went into the break at 12-12 after a tough, physical opening half that showed both were still learning each other’s styles.
Both sides carried plenty of importance from the fixture, recognizing that their World Rugby positions — Canada behind New Zealand but still firmly in the top five — are unlikely to change much before the World Cup in England this fall.
Canadian and Kiwi tacklers provided physically demanding stops, with Canada’s Karen Paquin dropping a Black Ferns player in the first half. Tighthead lock Julianne Zussman and hooker Carly Anderson stood out in the set pieces as Canada led the way with their lineout work and won a few scrums.
Hogan-Rochester left the pitch with Canada trailing 17-0 at halftime and did not return. Canada then lost captain Alex Tessier after she failed a head injury assessment and backrower Gabrielle Senft with an injury.
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Canada made history last year by narrowly defeating New Zealand 22-19 in Christchurch to claim first place in the 2022 Pacific Four Series. Saturday’s game was played back at Apollo Projects Stadium.
Canada had never beaten New Zealand until last year, when it won a match for the first time. Before the match on Saturday, New Zealand had scored 718 points and conceded just 176 against Canada.
Canada’s Hogan-Rochester, Menin, Corrigan, and Apps each notched a try of their own. Schell kicked a conversion.
Fifteen-year-old Ayesha Leti-I’iga scored twice, and outside back Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored New Zealand’s other try. The other scorer added two conversions and a penalty.
A victory for the Black Ferns on Saturday would have catapulted them into second position on the global standings.
New Zealand got the go-ahead 19-12 in the 54th minute after Leti-I’iga collected Brunt’s well-placed grubber kick to power over for her second try. Eighteen-year-old fullback Sorensen-McGee set the stage with a twisting run behind a trio of tacklers.
The Canadians struck back almost immediately as Olivia Apps scored a try after a push over the line by the New Zealand forwards. She then missed the attempted conversion to the side, meaning Canada was still behind by two points. Canada continued to pressure and seized the opportunity to regain the lead in the 64th minute after capsizing New Zealand with Lindsay Corrigan’s overlap try.
Neither side scored again until Demant nailed a conversion near the Demant women’s team evened up the game with a penalty kick in front of the posts.
Canada defeated the ninth-ranked U.S. 26-14 in the first game of the tournament. Australia suffered a 38-12 loss against the All Blacks in their first game of the tournament in Newcastle on Saturday.
Canberra saw Australia and the USA go head-to-head.
The Canadians end the series with a match against Australia on May 23 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. New Zealand and the U.S. face off in Auckland on that day also.
The Pacific Four Series provides a valuable opportunity for the Canadian team to come together before competing at the Rugby World Cup later this year in England. Canada is in Pool B with Scotland, Wales, and Fiji, who are ranked No. 7, No. 1,0, and No. 16, respectively.
The Canadian squad for Saturday’s fixture included players from their winning Sevens side at the HSBC Sevens World Championship last year.
Famed winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe made her long-awaited return on Saturday in 15s instead of sevens, after last playing for New Zealand in the World Cup final last November.
Canada had first won the Pacific Four Series in 2021 after two matches with the U.S. were played because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. They ended up in second place behind New Zealand both years after the competition increased to include four countries.
Canada has won 11 and tied two matches since their last defeat by France in the Bronze Final last November at the World Cup. Canada’s only remaining defeats were by England and New Zealand.
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