Life under Jo Yapp has got off to a losing start, with Canada spoiling her official welcoming party by recording a 33-14 win at Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening.
After consecutive wins late last year to finish the international season on a high, the Wallaroos were intent on starting 2024 with a bang under their new coach.
But the Wallaroos missed the jump and never quite recovered, as Canada, who warmed up for the match with a 50-7 thrashing of the United States of America a fortnight ago, rolled up their sleeves and went to work on their rivals.
Behind a dominant forward pack, the visitors ran in five tries to the Wallaroos’ two to record the comfortable win.
“We definitely expected a physical Canadian side,” Yapp said.
“Unfortunately, we just got a really slow start and that first sort of 10 to 15 minutes, we just were losing the collisions and maybe that’s because not having that hit out that they’ve [Canada] had was tough.
“But then once we got into the game, we competed really well against them.”
Canada celebrate a try by McKinley Hunt during their Pacific Four Series win over the Wallaroos at Allianz Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Sydney. (Photo by Brett Hemmings – World Rugby via Getty Images)
Yapp’s side struggled to build any real momentum in the match, with their inability to rely on their set-piece hurting their chances.
Indeed, the Wallaroos won just 55 per cent of their scrums, losing four feeds along the way, as the pressure told on the home side.
Without a set-piece to rely on, the Canadians enjoyed the lion’s share of territory and front-foot ball as they made 152 carries to the Wallaroos’ 82.
Michaela Leonard’s side was also killed by the Canadians’ offloading game, with the visitors able to free their arms 14 times compared to one.
Nor did the home side find any ascendency through their kicking game, with Canadian playmaker Claire Gallagher getting one over Arabella McKenzie.
Arabella McKenzie runs into the teeth of the Canadian defence during the Wallaroos’ loss at Allianz Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Sydney. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The lack of possession meant the Wallaroos’ lethal outside backs, including Maya Stewart and Desiree Miller, were starved of opportunities out wide.
Despite the heavy loss, Yapp praised her side’s character in denying Canada another try at the death.
“That game we created massive attacking opportunities, where we had a lot of space on the edge and it was just execution or that last pass,” Yapp lamented.
“Execution let us down, I think the positive things were that we really created opportunities and I also think the character that the girls showed in the last five minutes, it would have been easy to let them in that last five minutes with the score line.
“But the attitude the players showed, to really front up and to keep them out, I think showed the type of group they are.”
The result immediately dials up the pressure on the Wallaroos ahead of next Friday’s clash with the USA, with Yapp’s side needing one win from their opening three matches to qualify for WXVI later this year.
“Yeah, 100 per cent and that was coming into this whole competition, it’s about finding out exactly where we’re at,” Yapp said.
“We’ve had eight days together, and I think on the back of that performance, there’s loads of positives, but we know now exactly what we need to do.”
The Wallaroos easily accounted for the USA last year, but Leonard said they couldn’t take their North American opponents for granted.
“I definitely don’t think you want to lean on it,” Leonard said.
“You can take some confidence from it, but every year is different, every team’s different.
“We’ve made a lot of changes this year as well and any game’s winnable, so we definitely won’t be going into the Friday game banking on that, but we’ll be making sure we focus on ourselves, get our execution right, and make sure we play our game on Friday night.”
Canada raced out of the blocks by scoring two tries inside the opening 10 minutes, as loose-head prop McKinley Hunt crossed before her front-row partner Sara Cline got on the end of a powerful rolling maul.
The Wallaroos looked to have hit back through loose-forward Siokapesi Palu, who was one of the home side’s best, but a little knock on at the ruck from front-rower Brianna Hoy was later spotted.
There was no denying the Wallaroos soon after though as Tania Naden followed Cline’s lead and also scored from a rolling maul.
But Canada regained the momentum soon after as Cline grabbed her second.
The visitors continued to go through the Wallaroos in the second half as Hunt grabbed her second in the 44th minute.
A yellow card to Canadian winger Maddy Grant for a deliberate knock down gave the Wallaroos a sniff, with the home side also being awarded a penalty try.
But the Wallaroos couldn’t make the most of numerical advantage, with tight-head prop DaLeaka Menin making it a night to remember for the Canadian front-row as she scored the final points of the evening in the 50th minute.
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