Big wins for Canada and USA

Inspired by a tremendous forward effort and some clinical finishing out wide, Canada stormed past Scotland, 41-0 at the Surrey Sports Park, to keep alive their hopes of finishing the Women's Rugby World Cup in fifth place.

In providing a repeat display of their pool success against the Scots, the Canadians booked a mouth-watering final match of the tournament against staunch rivals USA, who beat Ireland 40-3.

The Scots will face Six Nations opponents Ireland in a battle for seventh place.

Spurred on by their disappointing loss against France, Canada started the match with intent. Barely 60 seconds were on the clock when number 8 Kelly Russell broke through from her own 22 with a strong run and after several raids at the line wing Heather Moyse slipped over to score the first try of the game.

Less than two minutes later, Olympic bobsleigh gold-medallist Moyse doubled the lead, again unchallenged by the Scottish defence, and with Anna Schnell twice successful with the extras the Canadians found themselves 14-0 up in seven minutes.

Startled to life, Scotland rallied and pushed on deep into Canadian territory through wing Katy Green but the resistance was short-lived as Moyse's fellow wing Maria Gallo crossed for a 19-0 lead. The half ended on a dour note as Scotland fly half Tanya Griffith was stretchered off after an unfortunate collision with Canada centre Sarah Ulmer.

Canada started the second half much as they had the first, driving on through the forwards and undeterred by their resilient opponents. Both sides held their shape well to entertain the generous crowd but it was not long before Mandy Marchak crossed for the Canadians to put the game beyond doubt.

Cheryl Phillips' magnificent try put further daylight between the teams and Schnell notched another two effortless points to bring the score to 35-0.

To their credit, Scotland never stopped battling and Phillips' second try came only after a terrific battle metres from the try line, but the final score of 41-0 underlined the chasm in class between the two sides.

The Irish were 22-12 winners when these sides meet in Pool B last Tuesday week, but the Americans' power and athleticism helped them dominate this 5th-8th place play-off at Surrey Sports Park. Ireland ended the first half 21-3 down and with lock in the sin-bin, as touchdowns from Victoria Folayan and Amy Daniels sandwiched a penalty try. A second seven-pointer from Daniels, on the hour mark, ended the game as a contest, and with influential centre in the sin-bin, Ireland leaked two late tries. who slotted in at out-half for the first time in the tournament, got the Irish back-line moving early on and the Americans needed some aggressive first-up defence to keep a fast-starting Ireland at bay. Cantwell and looked threatening with ball in hand, but the USA's impressive scrum gave them a platform from which they built their match-winning lead. Ireland fell behind in the eleventh minute when flanker Beckett Royce broke the defensive line and winger Folayan showed great pace and strength to finish off close to the posts, allowing out-half Christy Ringgenberg an easier conversion. They had the psychological advantage too when referee Sebastien Minery awarded them a penalty try after the Irish had illegally collapsed a maul close to their line. From a scrum in the Irish 22, the Americans set up a rolling maul from which the Irish were penalised. Ringgenberg tapped over the conversion for a 14-3 lead. The Americans launched a couple of kick chases which saw the ever alert Briggs scramble well, and a solid lineout gave Ireland some welcome possession as Kathy Flores' side continued to look dangerous. Another well-worked lineout saw the Irish forwards drive it up and earn a 25-metre penalty, on the half hour, which Briggs knocked over for her side's only points. Just when it looked like Ireland would draw closer, they lost Reilly to the sin-bin. And only a minute later, the Americans used scrum ball to send centre Daniels scampering through for their third converted try.

The USA had flanker Kristin Zdanczewicz yellow carded as the girls in green began to press, and winger Nathalie Marchino needed a textbook tackle to bring down Briggs on a superb attacking run. Any hopes of an Irish comeback were buried though by the Americans' fourth try. With 56 minutes on the clock, winger Folayan broke away from two tacklers and offloaded for Daniels to complete her brace, with Ringgenberg again adding the extras to secure the win.