Ireland lose to hosts Canada in second WXV1 match

Canada (21) 21

Tries: penalty try, Gallagher, Omokhuale Cons: Tessier 2

Ireland (3) 8

Tries: Considine Pens: O'Brien

Ireland went down 21-8 to hosts Canada in Vancouver in their second match of the WXV1 tournament.

Having secured a shock win over world champions New Zealand in their opening game, Scott Bemand's side were keen to add the scalp of the world-ranked number two side but fell just short despite a spirited performance.

A penalty try and scores from Claire Gallagher and Julia Omokbuale helped Canada to a 21-3 half-time lead, with Ireland's Eimear Considine scoring the only try of the second half.

Canada have now won two out of two in the competition, having scored seven tries in defeating France in their first match, and will face England in their final fixture of the competition.

The Maple Leafs have extended their run of winning games to six.

Ireland's last game will be against the USA on Friday 11 October at 20:30 BST.

Ireland put together phase after phase in the opening 15 minutes but were unable to turn their dominance of territory and possession into points and Canada fought back, only to be stubbornly held up by Ireland on their line.

With 25 minutes on the clock, Ireland prop Linda Djougang became the first player to be yellow-carded, for a deliberate knock-on.

She was followed to the sin-bin by her fellow front row Niamh O'Dowd less than a minute later, the Irish being reduced to 13 players after conceding a penalty try for pulling down a maul that was bound for the line.

Despite their significant numerical disadvantage, Ireland remarkably began to exert pressure and on 32 minutes it was the turn of Canada prop Alexandria Ellis to receive a yellow card for slowing the ball down.

O'Brien knocked over the resulting penalty to reduce the deficit to four points but soon after fly-half Gallagher crossed for the hosts and Tessier converted.

A strong scrum laid the platform, the ball went quickly through the hands, and Gallagher found space to run in in the corner.

Three minutes later it was flanker Julia Omokhuale who raced clear to touch down after Justine Pelletier had stolen the ball at the breakdown. Tessier again added the extras to put 18 points between the sides at the break.

Ireland reduced their arrears six minutes into the second half when Aoife Wafer bulldozed her way through a number of Canadian defenders and O'Brien's subsequent cross-field kick was collected by Considine, who dotted down in the corner.

That proved to be the only score of a hard-fought and sometimes scrappy second half as Canada ran out the victors.

Canada: Taylor Perry; Fancy Bermudez, Shoshanah Seumanutafa, Alex Tessier, Alysha Corrigan; Claire Gallagher, Justine Pelletier; Brittany Kassil, Emily Tuttosi, Alex Ellis; Tyson Beukeboom, Courtney Holtkamp; Pamphinette Buisa, Caroline Crossley, Gabrielle Senft.

Replacements: Sara Cline, McKinley Hunt, Rori Wood, Laetitia Royer, Fabiola Forteza, Julia Omokhuale, Olivia Apps, Julia Schell.

Ireland: Stacey Flood; Eimear Considine, Eve Higgins, Enya Breen (capt), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Dannah O’Brien, Emily Lane; Niamh O’Dowd, Clíodhna Moloney, Linda Djougang, Dorothy Wall, Fiona Tuite, Erin King, Aoife Wafer, Brittany Hogan

Replacements: Neve Jones, Siobhán McCarthy, Andrea Stock, Grace Moore, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Nicole Fowley, Aoife Dalton

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)