Dylan Coetzee
England dominated South Africa with a 75-0 victory to maintain their 100 percent record at the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Sunday.
Despite a decent start from the South Africans, it was England’s Rosie Galligan who scored the first try in the sixth minute, with the conversion missed by Zoe Harrison.
A dangerous tackle saw South African Catha Jacobs yellow-carded and England scored a converted Poppy Cleall try before the sin bin was over.
Galligan completed her brace before Shaunagh Brown, and Connie Powell scored tries of their own. Meanwhile, South African captain Nolusindiso Booi was also sent to the sin bin.
Everything would go England’s way after that, with Powell completing her brace in less than a minute after the break before Marlie Packer’s try 10 minutes later.
Galligan then scored her hat-trick before Cleall got her brace, and Sadia Kabeya got her first of the game.
Wing Abby Dow got in on the action in the 56th minute before Powell completed her hat-trick and Kabeya bagged her second.
England’s Sarah Bern was yellow-carded late on, but the damage was done. Harrison kicked a total of four conversions, while Helena Rowland kicked one in the massive victory.
Italy create history
Italy reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time after a 21-8 win over Japan.
Wing Maria Magatti was first on the scoresheet with a try in the 11th minute, which Michela Sillari failed to convert.
Japan would wait until the 33rd minute to score a try of their own through Kyoko Hosokawa, with Ayasa Otsuka missing the conversion. However, a Sillari penalty just before half-time gave the Italians an 8-5 lead at the break.
Otsuka responded with a penalty from Japan after the break to level the scores at 8-8 before Sillari cancelled out the Japanese penalty with her second three-pointer of the night.
A major moment in the game was the yellow card for Japan winger Komachi Imakugi, who was sent to the sin bin for head-on-head contact in the tackle.
Sillari would add another penalty in Imakugi’s absence before the game was secured with a converted try from hooker Bettoni late on to send Italy through to the knockouts.
Perfect Canada
Canada maintained their perfect record with a 29-14 win over the USA to progress to the quarter-finals.
Hooker Emily Tuttosi got the ball rolling after six minutes with the first try, her sixth of the tournament, as Sophie De Goede missed from the tee.
It only took the Canadians 10 more minutes to add to their score, with fly-half Alex Tessier scoring a converted try.
USA centre Alev Kelter ensured her team was still in the game as she scored and converted a try in the 21st minute. However, Canada responded just before the break with a Paige Farries converted try giving them a 19-7 lead at the break.
Canada managed to come through a period of sustained pressure from the USA that included a disallowed try to go on and score their fourth try on the hour mark through replacement front-row Olivia DeMerchant. De Goede would miss the conversion, but Canada still held a healthy 24-7 lead.
USA captain Kate Zackary responded with a converted try in the 71st minute before being yellow carded and opening the door for a late unconverted try by Canada’s Mikiela Nelson. – Planet Rugby
