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'We came here wanting to win the Rugby World Cup and the first step is to get wins and bonus points'

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 16: Paige Farries of Canada scores a try during the Pool B Rugby World Cup 2021 match between Italy and Canada at Waitakere Stadium on October 16, 2022, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

A 22-12 victory over Italy sees Canada sitting atop their group and second in the seedings, with the prospect of a game against their old rivals USA looming.

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Sophie de Goede, the Canadian captain, was unequivocal on the team’s goals post-game. “We came here wanting to win the Rugby World Cup and the first step is to get wins and bonus points and we managed to do that in our first two games in this pool. Again, it’s very tough opposition like, we saw Japan yesterday against the USA, they are a very tough side, they were very tough in our game as well, and then coming out today against Italy. Gosh, that was the most exhaustive game we’ve played. So, all credit to them and I’m just really happy that we were able to come away with the win today.”

“It’s a Rugby World Cup game, so there’s just that much more meaning behind it.” De Goede explained as she looked forward to next weekend. “Canada v USA is a very meaningful important game for us already. So, there’ll be a lot of emotions behind the game and we can regulate that the best and stay compose under the pressure.”

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Italy vs Canada | Match Highlights | Rugby World Cup 2021

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Italy vs Canada | Match Highlights | Rugby World Cup 2021

“Like we knew going into this pool that each game would be difficult and then we needed a win and a bonus point ideally from every game and so we’re two from two now and we’ll just look to go get that third next weekend.”

“The cool thing about this trophy is the sound from the game embedded in it.” De Goede shared, after being awarded one of the tournament’s unique POTM trophies. ”That will always remind me of the support of my friends and the fans. It’s a very big honour. The fans are a part of the trophy.”

Canada’s head coach Kevin Rouet was complimentary of his team as they battled against tricky conditions to get the job done. “It was a windy day today. I think we managed the first half with the wind with us and we came back after halftime knowing that the wind would be against us. So, keep the possession, do simple stuff and for the first 20 minutes of the second half I was very pleased with what I’ve seen. So, I’m very happy for the girls.”

“We know our set pieces are good, so when you have a good stuff you need to use it. We need to use more our scrum.” Rouet explained, focusing on the set piece dominance his team displayed early on and how they segued to a more running style as the game wore on. “In the second half we had to open the game, use more foot game and moving ball. So, I was enjoying watching that in the first 20 minutes of the second half.”

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With a game against the US next week and the possibility of replaying it a week later in the quarter-finals, as the Eagles are currently 7th in the seedings, it’s important for Canada to keep clear heads and Rouet knows his charges are in for a battle! “Against USA it can be quite emotional sometimes. We know them, they know us. I know that after the tough game against Japan and the loss against Italy they want to make some things on this game. It will be a huge fight against them. We are ready, but we know them, so it’s good.”

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Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
N
Nickers 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Very poor understanding of what's going on and 0 ability to read. When I say playing behind the gain line you take this to mean all off-loads and site times we are playing in front of the gain line???


Every time we play a lot of rugby behind the gain line (for clarity, meaning trying to build an attack and use width without front foot ball 5m+ behind the most recent breakdown) we go backwards and turn the ball over in some way. Every time a player is tackled behind the most recent breakdown you need more and more people to clear out because your forwards have to go back around the corner, whereas opposition players can keep moving forward. Eventually you run out of either players to clear out or players to pass to and the result in a big net loss of territory and often a turnover. You may have witnessed that 20+ times in the game against England. This is a particularly dumb idea inside your own 40m which is where, for some reason, we are most likely to employ it.


The very best ABs teams never built an identity around attacking from poor positions. The DC era team was known for being the team that kicked the most. To engineer field position and apply pressure, and create broken play to counter attack. This current team is not differentiating between when a defence has lost it's structure and there are opportunities, and when they are completely set and there is nothing on. The reason they are going for 30 minute + periods in every game without scoring a single point, even against Japan and a poor Australian team, is because they are playing most of their rugby on the back foot in the wrong half.

43 Go to comments
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Nickers 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

43 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline? Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?
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