Canada on verge of Super Series success

Photo: Rugby Canada

Canada go into the final round of the 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series with one hand on the title, as the only unbeaten team in the competition.  They will take on France tomorrow, followed by USA against England

The Canadian and French XVs have yet to be announced, but Canada will start as favourites after two big wins against England and the United States over the past week. It has been a remarkable turnaround for the “Red Nation”, who finished last in the series last year after three defeats.

France began the week well with a narrow win over the United States, but after making 11 changes to that team, were beaten by England. Despite being under pressure for most of the game, France only lost on the final play. Having experimented against England, France now return to probably the strongest side they can select from their squad on this tour, with 10 changes from the Egland  - and they will need it against a Candian side that is playing superbly and wil huge confidence.

Although - short of a massive loss to France - Canada have the Series wrapped up, Canadian Coach Shaun Allen is determinded to go out with a third win. Again he has stayed with effectively the same team that saw off England and the USA with just one change from the last game. Frédérique Rajotte, who started in Canada’s 52-17 win over England in its tournament opener, is recalled to the starting lineup in place of Katie McNally.

“We’ve selected a similar squad for all three fixtures and are looking to have the players build on their strong performances from each game and to build consistency in our execution,” Allen said. “It is important that, coming into the third test of the series, that players are executing their specific roles efficiently. The turnaround between games has been quite short which has forced us to be very specific with our focus. Following our review of the USA game we identified positives and negatives from all aspects of our play and we are looking to see a sharper performance to close out the Women’s Rugby Super Series.

“The group has been very focused over the past three days on the recovery process and the small things that are controllable this late in the tour. The squad, led by the leadership group, has maintained exceptional camaraderie and has blended their professional approach to their preparation with fantastic banter and humour. If we maximize our individual units and our team’s performance, the outcome of the series will take care of itself.”

The game will be followed by the United States v England.

The Women's Eagles are the only team without a win so far this year, having won just one game in last year’s series. After a narrow defeat to France, the United States were well=beaten by Canada in round two

Stacey Bridges once again captains the team. Saturday's match kicks off at 3 p.m. local time (10pm BST). The main change is off the field with Associate Coach Peter Baggetta taking charge of the match due to Head Coach Pete Steinberg being absent for personal reasons.

"I think you can safely say we've both developed our coaching philosophies and philosophies of the game together," Steinberg said. "There are very few people I've met in America that understand the game the way Peter understands it in the detail he understands it and is able to present such a clear vision to the team."

"It helps that we've been coaching together for about a dozen years," Baggetta added. "It won't be that much different for the players. The processes will stay the same."

With Cheta Emba and Jane Paar returning to the US’s Olympic Training Centre, Naya Tapper, also in consideration for Olympic selection, will get her first start with the XVs national team having scored a try in two substitute appearances this month. World Cup veteran Sylvia Braaten also steps into the starting XV with Christiane Pheil and Alycia Washington reclaiming starting roles in the forwards.

"We were willing to take that risk," Baggetta said of debuting 13 players against England north of the border in 2015. "We're starting to see the fruits of that. We've been creating opportunities, which is a big step forward for us as a team because in the past we haven't created as many opportunities. What we have to do is exploit to finish those opportunities, and that's where experience comes in.

"If you look at the first half of Tuesday's Canada game, until they scored that last try it's a 10-5 game and it's a dogfight going back and forth. They scored at the end of the half and I think for a number of players that was really difficult. I met with the leadership team; we have to start believing we can win these games. That self-belief is really important."

"They play a different style than both France and Canada," Baggetta said of English team. "We feel that there are some areas we can take advantage of with the way that England plays. It's been a long time since we've beaten England, so it's always been a target."

England have made four changes to the side that beat France for their final game of the 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series. Katie Mason and Bianca Blackburn return to the starting XV, almost with Izzy Noel-Smith and Richmond prop Vickii Cornborough.

In addition Worcester centre Ceri Large also starts to earn her 50th senior England cap.

Coach Scott Bemand said: “The win against France was great for many reasons and now we’re looking to take the confidence we gained into this final game of the series.

“The USA will pose a very different challenge to Canada and France. Both sides have had a quick turnaround to this game, but the girls have recovered well. USA will be looking to get a win from the series and so we know that they will come at us hard but we’ve got to continue to build momentum from Tuesday and deliver what we know we’re capable of as a side."

United States:1. Catherine Benson ; 2. Kathryn Augustyn ; 3. Hope Rogers ; 4. Stacey Bridges (C) ; 5. Alycia Washington ; 6. Christiane Pheil ; 7. Elizabeth Cairns ; 8. Jordan Gray ; 9. Jennifer Lui ; 10. Kimberly Rozier ; 11. Naya Tapper ; 12. Sylvia Braaten ; 13. Nate Serevi ; 14. Saskia Morgan ; 15. Jessica Wooden;16. Samantha Pankey ; 17. Tiffany Faaee ; 18. Jamila Reinhardt ; 19. Molly Kinsella ; 20. Nicole Strasko ; 21. Deven Owsiany ; 22. Megan Foster ; 23. Tess Feury

England:1. Victoria Cornborough ; 2. Amy Cokayne ; 3. Laura Keates ; 4. Harriet Millar-Mills ; 5. Tamara Taylor ; 6. Alex Matthews ; 7. Izzy Noel-Smith ; 8. Sarah Hunter (C) ; 9. Bianca Blackburn ; 10. Amber Reed ; 11. Lotte Clapp ; 12. Ceri Large ; 13. Lauren Cattell ; 14. Lydia Thompson ; 15. Fiona Pocock16. Lark Davies ; 17. Rochelle Clark ; 18. Sarah Bern ; 19. Zoe Aldcroft ; 20. Poppy Leitch ; 21. Leanne Riley ; 22. Millie Wood ; 23. Katie Mason

Canada:1. Carolyn McEwen (Burnaby Lake Rugby Club), Vancouver, BC; 2. Jane Kirby (Highland RFC) Brampton, ON; 3. DaLeaka Menin (Hornets) Vulcan, AB; 4. Laura Russell captain (Toronto Nomads) Bolton, ON; 5. Kayla Mack (Wild Oats) Saskatoon, SK; 6. Barbara Mervin (Velox RFC) Peterborough, ON; 7. Latoya Blackwood (St. Anne de Bellevue/Toulouse) Montreal, QC; 8. Jacey Grusnick (Aurora Barbarians) Alliston, ON; 9. Chelsea Guthrie (Stratchona Druids) Edmonton, AB; 10. Emily Belchos (Markham Irish) Barrie, ON; 11. Frédérique Rajotte (Sainte Anne de Bellevue RFC) Sainte Anne de Bellevue, QC; 12. Andrea Burk (Capilano RFC) North Vancouver, BC; 13. Alex Tessier (Montreal Barbarians) Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QB; 14. Brittany Waters (Castaway Wanderers) Vancouver, BC; 15. Julianne Zussman (Castaway Wanderers) Montreal, QC16. Julia Folk (UVic/Castaway Wanderers), Regina, SK; 17. Demi Stamatakis (SFU) Vancouver, BC; 18. Olivia DeMerchant (Woodstock Wildmen) Mapledale, NB; 19. Tyson Beukeboom (Aurora Barbarians) Uxbridge, ON; 20. Fabiola Forteza (Club de Rugby de Quebec) Quebec, QC; 21. Brianna Miller (SABRFC), Pointe-Claire, QC; 22. Anais Holly (TMRRFC) Montreal, QC; 23. Katie McNally (Castaway Wanderers) Guelph, ON

France:1. Lise Arricastre (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); 2. Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier); 3. Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); 4. Céline Ferer (AS Bayonne); 5. Audrey Forlani (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); 6. Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); 7. Romane Menager (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); 8. Safi N’diaye (Montpellier); 9. Laure Sansus (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); 10. Camille Imart (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); 11. Laura Delas (Stade Tarbes Pyrénées Rugby); 12. Elodie Poublan (Montpellier); 13. Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny); 14. Julie Billes (Montpellier); 15. Audrey Abadie (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin)16. Agathe Sochat (Bordeaux); 17. Dhia Traore (Maylis Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); 18. Manon Andre (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); 19. Virginie Griere (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); 20. Yanna Rivoalen (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois}; 21. Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonne); 22. Carla Neissen (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); 23. Patricia Carricaburu (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées)