Rugby Canada
Wallaroos slump again

AUSTRALIA will play-off for seventh place after suffering another loss to the United States at the women's rugby World Cup in Edmonton, Canada.

The Americans beat the Wallaroos 10-6 in a pool match four days ago and scored five tries to two for a 29-12 victory today.

The Wallaroos again enjoyed most of the possession and territory but struggled to convert pressure into points.

The US had no such problems with No.8 Tina Nesberg bagging two first-half tries for a 10-0 lead at half-time before winger Ellie Karvoski scored a hat-trick of tries to build a 29-0 lead.

Winger Tricia Brown and captain Selena Worsley scored late consolation tries for Australia.

"Once again we played very well to get into attacking areas but were unable to convert the territory to points," Wallaroos coach Steve Hamson said.

Women's Rugby World Cup sees a flurry of tries

Three first-half tries by fullback Amiria Marsh propelled defending champion New Zealand to a 50-0 victory over Samoa at the Women's Rugby World Cup on Monday.

Also, France brought Australia to earth with a 24-10 win, England overwhelmed South Africa 74-8, Scotland outlasted Kazakhstan 32-17, the US rebounded from an opening loss to England by defeating Ireland 24-11, and Canada spanked Spain 79-0.

Only New Zealand, France, England and Scotland remain unbeaten after two rounds. With semi-final berths at stake in Friday's last preliminary round, key matches include England vs. France and Australia vs. US, with points difference likely to be needed.

Most of Samoa's squad play in New Zealand but its knowledge was no help as the Black Ferns posted eight tries following a 10-try rout of host Canada last Friday.

Bokkies proud of World Cup efforts

EDMONTON, Canada - Tough Samoan defence and punishing tackles paved the way for a 43-10 victory over South Africa at St Albert Rugby Club at the 2006 IRB Women's Rugby World Cup.

The South Africans delivered their best performance of the tournament, but found the physical Samoans extremely tough to handle.

David Dobela, the South Africa coach, said he was proud of the effort of his team despite the outfit's failure to register its first win of the tournament.

"This is our first time at the World Cup, not knowing how physical the other teams were. We need to improve a lot more in terms of the physicality in order to compete successfully at this level," Dobela explained.

South African captain Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe said her team was determined to deliver an improved performance: "We've been trying to make a statement.

New Zealand thumps Canada at women's rugby World Cup

Winger Claire Richardson scored three of New Zealand's 10 tries Thursday as the two-time defending champions sliced open the Canadian defence to kick off the Women's Rugby World Cup with a commanding 66-7 win in Edmonton.

"It's a great score to come out in the first game, especially against Canada," Richardson told The Score TV network after the game. "It's awesome."

The Black Ferns led 24-0 late in the first half before Julia Suguwara scored for the home team on a glorious solo effort after a Canadian lineout win and ensuing ruck.

The Vancouver scrum half ran at the New Zealand defence, before chipping the ball and gathering it in the try area.

Richardson and Stephanie Mortimer opened the scoring for New Zealand with incisive runs down the flank.

Canada's rugby elite bare it all for calendar

Rugby cover girl Sommer Christie is baring it all for team and country in the 2006-'07 World Cup calendar featuring Canada's best muckers in the buff.

"I have no problem with the nudity," said Christie, 26, who put her career as an athletic therapist on hold to represent Canada in August at the World Cup in Edmonton.

"The calendar is tastefully done and it's for a good cause," the Montrealer said from Boulder, Col., where the Canadian national women's team split a pair of test matches against team USA.

Christie said she was honoured to be selected for the cover of the $20 wall calendar, in which body privates are kept, well, private.

Her family and friends are cool with the sexy photo that reveals little more than a patriotic Maple Leaf tattoo on the shoulder of the blonde scrum half.

Painfully predictable

Valiant but vanquished, Team Canada will have to watch the world of women's rugby unfold as it should, at least for now, with England and New Zealand in a pitched battle for supremacy on Sunday.

The Canadians made a go of it all right, losing a 20-14 nailbiter to the sagging English in the better of two Women's Rugby World Cup semifinals Tuesday at Ellerslie Rugby Park. While the hosts lost a heartbreaker of a game, they gained a foothold near the pinnacle of their sport and it doesn't take much to envision them in the final in 2010.

"We're that close, one try away from the world cup final," said scrumhalf Julia Suguwara. "There's not much more you can ask from us."

Were it not for a deft defensive move by England's Kim Shaylor, there would be no reason to ask anything of these Canadians, only preparations to make for the game of their lives against New Zealand in front of perhaps 6,500 fans at Commonwealth Stadium.