USA U20s go one up against Canada

Photo: USA Rugby

Despite previous results, the USA team started the game as slight favourites, benefiting from both home advantage and an older, more experienced team. Ten of the home team’s squad had previous experience in the fixture, whereas only three Canadians had played before, and at least half of their squad are U19s.

Canada’s problems began from the start when, playing into a strong wind, their kickoff failed to travel 10 meters, giving the Americans a perfect platform. For the next six minutes the Canadians could not get a hand on the ball and despite their defensive efforts Asinate Serevi was able to open the scoring for the home team in the left corner.

Matters improved little for the visitors from the restart as the USA regained possession with Serevi again to the fore with a strong, 15-meter run, which drew a penalty. From the subsequent lineout the ball was quickly worked wide and inevitably it was Serevi on the end for her second try, this time converted by Gabriella Cantorna. Canada were 12-0 down with the clock showing barely 10 minutes.

The young Canadians regrouped and finally managed to retain possession. For the first time the home defence was under pressure and on 15 minutes fly half Jaelei Meyer pulled a try back for the visitors.

From the restart the USA quickly regain possession. The USA’s Ashlee Byrge chased down a clearance kick and put Canada’s full back under huge pressure, forcing a penalty. Byrge herself nearly scored from the position before Taylah  Pipkin picked up from the resulting scrum to reach over the line and score, extending the home team lead to 19-5 lead midway through the first half..

The Americans kept up the pressure, with Canada being forced to commit numbers to every breakdown just to keep possession. Nonetheless Dana Silerova very nearly pulled a try back for the visitors, but thanks to the defence’s pressure she was forced to pass forward with the posts in front of her.

Now with the wind Canada hit back after the break more energized than in the first half with two tries within five minutes. Meyer slipped away from one tackle in the 48th minute and was able to touch down over the line, and four minutes later wing Petra Woods dived over after a quickly taken penalty to cut the USA lead to 19-17, but Katie Svoboda’s conversion attempt to tie the score hit the crossbar and left post before bouncing away.

Next the USA struck back through Danielle Ordway, but soon afterwards the USA’s Tess Feury was shown a yellow card. Within a minute Canada had capitalized with a try from Jaelei Meyer narrowing the score to 26-22.

Once back to full strength the USA regain the initiative, and the ball soon found Serevi, who dummied her way through the defensive line to extend the lead to 33-22. Finally with time winding down, Caitlin Whiteside sprinted through the tiring Canadian defence to set up Leti Hingano for the match’s final try.

"Being against the wind was challenging in the first half," Canadian head coach Jen Boyd said after the game. "We did a reasonably good job using the wind in the second half but we lacked an effective chase. This cost us. We need to get into our defensive positions sooner and make our tackles. They are strong in the pack and have good finishing speed on the outside. We simply cannot afford to fall behind against them on Saturday."

USA

1. Azniv Nalbandian

2. Etta Mailau

3. Abby Vogel

4. Jennifer Johnson

5. Frieda Fetu'u

6. Taylah Pipkin

7. Michele Navarro

8. Kyla Chipman (C)

9. Carly Waters

10. Gabriella Cantorna

11. Ashlee Byrge

12. McKenzie Hawkins

13. Asinate Serevi

14. Tess Feury

15. Danielle Ordway

16. Emily Prentice

17. Sheila Decker

18. Sadia Crosby

19. Francesca Schaeffer

20. Adriana Zeiders

21. Katherine Ramage

22. Leti Hingano

23. Caitlin Whiteside

Canada

1. Jocelyn Berteit, (Calgary Rams) Calgary, AB

2. Gillian Boag, (Capliano/UBC) Calgary, AB

3. Joanna Alphonso, (Toronto Scottish) Toronto, ON

4. Natalie Kwiecien, (Waterloo County Rugby) Waterloo, ON

5. Jenna Thompson, (Montreal Barbarians) Montreal, QC

6. Brooke Newsome, (Brantford Harlequins) Toronto, ON

7. Katie Svoboda (Captain), (Belleville Bulldogs) Belleville, ON

8. Gabrielle Senft, (Regina Women’s Rugby Club)Regina, SK

9. Karina Stevenson, (Titans Rugby Club) Calgary, AB

10. Jaelei Meyer, (Regina Rage) Carlyle, SK

11. Dana Silerova, (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC) Montreal, QC

12. Kelsey Owen, (Oshawa Vikings) Toronto, ON

13. Britni French, (McMaster) Toronto, ON

14. Petra Woods, (Toronto Saracens) Toronto, ON

15. Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, PEI

16. Emily Tuttosi, (Saskatoon Kirin) Souris, MB

17. Alexandria Ellis, (Barrhaven Scottish) Ottawa, ON

18. Meggie Turgeon, (Abenakis de Sherbrooke), Sherbrooke, QB

19. Morgan Walker, (Abbotsford) Abbotsford, BC

20. D’Arcy Dickinson, (Calgary Hornets) Calgary, AB

21. Justine Pelletier, (Club de Rugby de Québec) Quebec City, QC

22. Maddison Brattan, (Highland RFC) Toronto, ON

23. Maddy Graham, (Edmonton Leprechaun Tigers) Edmonton, AB