Canada starts 2024 Pacific Four Series campaign with dominant victory over USA

April 28, 2024 (Los Angeles, USA) – Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team began the 2024 Pacific Four Series with a 50-7 win against the USA at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California on Sunday afternoon.  

With Canada leading 17-7 at half-time, it was the last 40 minutes of play that secured the victory for Canada. Captain Sophie de Goede scored twice for her Canadian side at the 50th and 55th minutes. 

Before the two scores from de Goede, Alex Tessier found Madison Grant on the wing with a miss pass to the sideline. Grant beat the last two USA defenders with a step back inside and scored underneath the posts, with another conversion from de Goede Canada extended the lead to 38-7. 

“It was a very physical game, especially in the first half which we always know it will be against the USA playing at home,” said de Goede. “We really had to weather that first half and then pick up the tempo in the second half. I am proud of how we did that today. We just needed to make sure we were moving the ball faster and being proactive with our positioning.”  

Prior to kick off, a last-minute lineup change saw Olivia Apps join the starting 15, replacing Justine Pelletier at scrumhalf. Mahalia Robinson joined the bench and earned her second cap for Canada after coming on in the second half.  

Canada opened the scoring just five minutes into the game after a successful lineout and maul moved the ball deep into the United States’ end. The Canadian forwards used several phases to push closer to the try line before fly-half Claire Gallagher dove over the line for the game’s opening score, her first of two in the match.  

Four minutes later, Tyson Beukeboom, playing in her 66th international match for Canada, scored to extend the visitors’ lead to 10-0. Beukeboom’s try came after another dominant maul which saw the Canadians drive the ball more than 20 metres down the field just shy of the USA’s try line.  

Following a lengthy defensive stand on their own try line, Canada conceded their only points of the match, cutting their lead down to 10-7 with 18 minutes gone. However, Canada responded just three minutes later when lock Laetitia Royer sliced through the USA defensive line and ran 20 metres for the third Canadian try of the first half.  

Gallagher added her second try of the game in the 70th minute and Julie Omokhuale, earning her second cap for Canada, scored her first career international try to complete the scoring for Canada in the 79th minute, securing the victory with a final score of 50-7.  

Canadian rugby fans watch the encore broadcast of the match against the USA on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET. 

Canada’s next Pacific Four Series match will be against Australia on May 11 at 12:05am PT/3:05am ET (5:05pm local time) in Sydney, with the team then travelling to Christchurch to take on the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, the New Zealand Black Ferns, on Saturday May 18 at 9:35pm PT/Sunday May 19 12:35am ET (4:35pm local time on May 19).  

All of Canada’s Pacific Four Series matches will be streamed live on TSN+ with an encore broadcast for Canada’s match against Australia (TSN1 on Saturday May 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT.) and New Zealand (Sunday May 19 on TSN2 at 8:00 a.m. ET / 5:00 a.m. PT and TSN1 at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT).