Canada cruise into Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals while Fiji stun Wales

Avoiding England was the objective on a beautifully bright and breezy day in Devon. But if they keep performing like this, avoiding Canada will become an equally pressing concern. They top Pool B after an assured display in attack and defence and are likely to face Australia in the quarter-finals, presuming things go to form in Brighton later. Emily Tuttosi, the Canada hooker, scored two of their six tries to earn the player of the match award.

Scotland, also through to the last eight after wins against Wales and Fiji, battled until the end but were overpowered by well-drilled and cohesive opponents. Scotland have lost seven out of eight matches against Canada, the solitary success coming at the 1994 Rugby World Cup. You have to go back to 1998 for the last time they defeated England, who they are now poised to play in the last eight. History is against them, but they lack neither ability nor fighting spirit.

“They’ve shown real improvement,” Bryan Easson said of his side. “That was the second-best team in the world. I think the last time they conceded that many points was against the Black Ferns.”

Tyson Beukeboom of Canada had emerged into the sunshine first, an 81st cap making her the country’s record appearance-maker, male or female. The Canada replacements Brittany Kassil and Courtney Holtkamp followed together to mark their 50th caps, a milestone also achieved by the Scotland lock Sarah Bonar.

After a nip-and-tuck opening Scotland were pushed back and the front-rower McKinley Hunt smashed over after an ominous show of strength from Canada’s pack. Julia Schell’s fierce tackle-and-jackal on Rhona Lloyd showed Canada’s defensive excellence before, somewhat confusingly, Helen Nelson was taken off after a clash of heads with her teammate Lisa Cockburn, who appeared to have come off worse, and was replaced several minutes later.

Scotland rallied and Rachel McLachlan’s astute pass sent Lloyd roaring over on the right. It was just the second try Canada’s high-energy defence had conceded all tournament.

Evie Gallagher was shown a yellow card for a bit of breakdown cynicism before a penalty try came Canada’s way after more muscular phase play.

Six minutes before half-time, a stunning score for Tuttosi showcased Canada’s skills in the loose, with Sophie de Goede displaying power and finesse to send her hooker charging to the line. It was a 14-point game at the break.

A stunning line run by Gallagher sent her over 11 minutes after half-time, narrowing the gap to seven, but poor defence from Scotland allowed Tuttosi to power over again from a lineout drive. Nelson surged onto a long lineout throw at the other end moments later, but the try was disallowed via a TMO check.

When Kassil applied a superb close-range finish between the sticks and De Goede converted, it was a 21-point gap. Faint hope provided by Fran McGhie’s score for Scotland was swiftly extinguished when Olivia DeMerchant scored Canada’s sixth, converted by Alex Tessier. Both teams live to fight another day, but no one will relish playing Canada.

“Nothing was perfect, but happy with the win,” said Canada’s head coach Kévin Rouet. “We were too nice with them, we let them play multiple phases of rugby.

“You never know in rugby. Anything could happen. If it’s USA, if it’s England [in the quarter-final] – you have to face England to win the World Cup, whether it’s quarter-final or final.”

Having marked her 50th cap, Bonar said: “We showed we can compete against the best in the world. The difference was any mistake we made, they punished us, but there are plenty of learnings to take ahead of a big week next week … if it is England we probably had good preparation today.

“It will be about how best can we look after the ball, discipline, changes in momentum … it’s about managing those situations.”

Can Scotland capitalise on the pressure felt by England, the tournament favourites? “We’ll concentrate on ourselves,” Easson said. “If they feel the pressure of a Rugby World Cup, as they have done previously, that’s up to them. We’ll concentrate on ourselves and prepare accordingly like we did this week … Looking forward to it – it’s exciting.”

Fiji consign Wales to wooden spoon

Nothing like a bit of inside knowledge. Ioan Cunningham, the former Wales women’s head coach, orchestrated Fiji’s dramatic 28-25 victory over his former charges at Sandy Park to ensure the Pacific Islanders signed off from the tournament on a life-affirming high.

Wales are consigned to last place in Pool B after three defeats from three. Both sides were already eliminated, so it was not on the same scale as the defeat suffered by the men’s side in 2007. But still it will hurt.

With a quarter of the match remaining, both sides had crossed four times but Fiji led by eight, on course for a historic second win at the tournament. Litiana Vueti, the full-back, had converted all of the tries.

Wales appeared to have narrowed the gap when Carys Cox burst over the try-line on 54 minutes but after a TMO check, the outside-centre was adjudged to have knocked on.

Cox’s searching run on 70 minutes had the Fiji defence scrambling, before Seren Lockwood made more metres and Lisa Neumann touched down in the corner – but Lleucu George’s missed conversion meant there was still three points in it.

Several times Wales threatened the try-line in the dying seconds, choosing against a kick for the draw and running the ball instead. But a breakdown penalty and then a final scrum for Fiji stopped them in their tracks. William, Prince of Wales, appeared to take the defeat with good grace as he shook hands with the Fiji great Waisale Serevi up in the stands, but Welsh rugby is in an uncomfortable place.