Six-try Schell As Canada Open World Cup With Big Win

Women's Rugby World Cup - Pool B

Canada (24) 65

Tries: Schell 6, De Goede, Boag, Crossley, Corrigan, Paquin

Cons: De Goede 4, Tessier

Fiji (0) 7

Try: Lomani

Con: Vueti

Julia Schell scored a staggering six tries successful nan 2nd half arsenic 2nd seeds Canada sewage their Women's Rugby World Cup run disconnected to a beardown commencement pinch a 65-7 triumph against Fiji successful York.

Schell began her effort blitz soon aft nan amateur Fijians had sewage connected nan scoreboard themselves, showing superb gait and powerfulness for her six scores successful nan abstraction of 23 minutes.

Fiji could not woody pinch nan full-back making runs from deep, arsenic Schell became nan 2nd female successful World Cup history to decorativeness a lucifer pinch a six-try haul, aft American Krista McFarren against Sweden successful 1994.

However, nan awesome accomplishment is not a record, arsenic it has been beaten successful nan past, pinch New Zealander Portia Woodman scoring 8 against Hong Kong successful 2017.

Regardless, this was a highly satisfactory opening to nan World Cup for Canada, a squad who - if nan tourney goes according to seedings - are lined up to look England successful nan last astatine Twickenham.

A accelerated commencement from Canada saw them people their first of 11 tries aft six minutes done Sophie de Goede.

The 26-year-old flanker captained Canada to 4th spot astatine nan World Cup successful 2022 but missed nan 2024 Olympics pinch a superior knee injury.

The Saracens backmost row, regarded arsenic 1 of nan world's champion players for her barnstorming carries, will purpose to dress up for mislaid clip successful this tournament.

Gillian Boag, Caroline Crossley and Alysha Corrigan extended nan lead successful nan first half, but 1 hiccup came arsenic Taylor Perry made head-on-head interaction successful nan build-up to a disallowed try. The Canadian fly-half was sin-binned but avoided a reddish paper pursuing a review.

Fiji responded successful nan 2nd half pinch a superb effort - a slick passing move ending successful Kolora Lomani crossing over.

Of greater interest for Canada was starting helping Fancy Bermudez limping disconnected soon aft nan break pinch a limb injury.

But they showed their teeth done Schell's six-score show, pinch Karen Paquin adding number 11 pursuing a precocious line-out, arsenic they began different effort to yet onshore a first world title.

Canada are 1 of 4 nations to person played astatine each version of nan Women's World Cup but person ne'er won it - nan closest they came was erstwhile they were losing finalists against England successful 2014.

Canada XV: Kassil, Boag, Menin, de Goede, O'Donnell, Crossley, Forteza, Senft, Pelletier, Perry, Bermudez, Tessier, Symonds, Corrigan, Schell

Subs: Tuttosi, Hunt, DeMerchant, Beukeboom, Paquin, Smith, Apps, Seumanutafa

Fiji XV: Senivutu, Tawake, Robanakadavu, Coates, Nakesa, Daunimoala, Fisher, Komaitai, Railumu, Kinita, Adi Tove, Neihamu, Adivitaloga, Delaiwau, Vueti

Subs: Naliva, Vasuturaga, Matarugu, Serevi, Naisewa, Lomani, Luvu, Nailolo