USA U20s win CanAm 2-0

Canada's women's U20 team lost 32-5 to the USA Saturday in game 2 of the Can-Am Cup.

Published by John Birch, August 23rd, 2015

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USA U20s win CanAm 2-0

Report and photo from Rugby Canada

By virtue of their 38-22 win in game 1, the USA claims the Can-Am Cup after winning the two games on aggregate by a score of 70-27.

"It was a good development tool for the U20 program," Canada's head coach Jen Boyd said. "Almost half of this team will return to the U20 program next summer. The learning curve was extremely steep and 23 athletes were introduced to elite rugby for the first time this week. Despite the overall result, we are happy with the skill development in the brief five day training camp that we had.

"It will be exciting to watch these athletes utilize these skills in their upcoming CIS seasons and raise the bar of rugby in Canada."

Mandy Graham scored Canada’s lone try while USA’s McKenzie Hawkins cleaned the board with three conversions and two penalty kicks for a total of 12 points. Caitlin Whiteside scored USA’s first try, while Michele Navarro, Jennifer Johnson and Asinate Serevi also added five points each.

Graham scored the first and only try for Canada of the game. Canada put up a strong defence for the first 20 minutes but were unable to hold off the USA offence for the rest of the game. With a number of penalties and turnovers Canada was unable to retain possession for long enough to push through the blue defensive wall.

Finding Canada’s weak spots, Whiteside scored USA’s first try in front of the posts after running around the outside of Canada’s defensive line. Hawkins put up an extra two points as she hit the conversion perfectly between the posts. These points changed the tide of the game and set off a chain reaction of tries for USA.

A great string of support and offloads led to USA’s second try by Navarro. Hawkins continued her kicking success with another two points and at half time USA was leading Canada closely by 14-5.

Canada kicked off the second half but USA kept the pressure on and after winning a lineout pushed a maul over the try line and Johnson touched the ball down for USA’s third try of the game. Hawkins put up another two points on the conversion making the score 21-5 for USA.

"The USA were more aggressive than us today," Boyd said. "They tackled harder and lower and won the contest at the breakdown. Our set piece, however, was very dominant.  Because of the development nature of this program, we guaranteed athletes a starting spot in at least one match over this tour. Changing our line up so severely also resulted in loss of continuity over the tour. "We are happy with the development of all 26 athletes over this tour."

USA had seemed to find Canada’s weaknesses as Hawkins off loaded the ball into space where it was handed off by Tess Feury and carried over the try line again near the corner by Serevi. The conversion was the first and only missed kick of the game by Hawkins. But, after Canada was penalized for not rolling away, she put up another three points with a penalty kick.

Canada was able to retain possession and put the ball into USA’s end for a chance to score, but a cover tackle from Feury saved the try and the ball was turned over to the USA again.

With less than fifteen minutes left, Canada won a lineout and passed the ball down the line but were unable to punch through the blue line of defence. USA took a penalty and Canada was able to retain possession but could not gain ground as the USA defence pushed them from sideline to sideline.

Canada was penalized again giving USA a lineout just past Canada’s 10 meter line. With only seven minutes left Canada took another penalty giving USA the opportunity to kick for points. Hopkins put up another three points sealing a 32-5 win.

"We need to remind ourselves that the duration of the camp was extremely short," Boyd said. "This is also a young squad as several of the more experienced U20’s are committed to the national senior women's team and the sevens program.  Many of these athletes will have the opportunity to practice these skills in the potential training camps this coming winter as well as the U20 tour in 2016.

"It will be an exciting group to work with moving forward."

Canada’s Roster for Game 2 of the U20 Women’s Can-Am Series (Name, Club, Hometown):

Canada: 1. Emily Tuttosi, (Saskatoon Kirin) Souris, MB; 2. Gillian Boag, (Capliano/UBC) Calgary, AB; 3. Alexandria Ellis, (Barrhaven Scottish) Ottawa, ON; 4. Jordan Podealuk, (LT’s), Edmonton, AB; 5. Meggie Turgeon, (Abenakis de Sherbrooke), Sherbrooke, QB; 6. Morgan Walker, (Abbotsford) Abbotsford, BC; 7. D’Arcy Dickinson, (Calgary Hornets) Calgary, AB; 8. Gabrielle Senft, (Regina Women’s Rugby Club) Regina, SK; 9. Justine Pelletier, (Club de Rugby de Québec) Quebec City, QB; 10. Maddison Brattan, (Highland RFC) Toronto, ON; 11. Maddy Graham, (Edmonton Leprechaun Tigers) Edmonton, AB; 12. Jill Tataryn, (Lethbridge Rugby Club), Lethbridge, AB; 13. Jaelei Meyer, (Regina Rage) Carlyle, SK; 14. Ali Wicklum, (Calgary Irish), Calgary, AB; 15. Dana Silerova, (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC) Montreal, QB; 16. Jocelyn Berteit, (Calgary Rams) Calgary, AB; 17. Joanna Alphonso, (Toronto Scottish) Toronto, ON; 18. Brooke Newsome, (Brantford Harlequins) Toronto, ON; 19. Katie Svoboda, (Belleville Bulldogs) Belleville, ON; 20. Petra Woods, (Toronto Saracens) Toronto, ON; 21. Britni French, (McMaster) Toronto, ON; 22. Karina Stevenson, (Titans Rugby Club) Calgary, AB; 23. Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, PEI;

USA: 1. Azniv Nalbandian; 2. Emily Prentice; 3. Abby Vogel; 4. Jennifer Johnson; 5. Taylah Pipkin; 6. Frieda Fetu'u; 7. Michele Navarro; 8. Kyla Chipman (C); 9. Carly Waters; 10. Gabriella Cantorna; 11. Caitlin Whiteside; 12. McKenzie Hawkins; 13. Asinate Serevi; 14. Tess Feury; 15. Danielle Ordway; 16. Kat Ramage; 17. Lanoira Duhart; 18. Sheila Decker; 19. Francesca Schaeffer; 20. Adriana Zeiders; 21. Ashlee Byrge; 22. Joie Krahling; 23. Leti Hingano

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