Defending champion Canada ran in seven tries en route to a lopsided 45-7 women’s rugby win over Australia in Brisbane on Friday, completing an unbeaten run through the Pacific Four Series.
The second-ranked Canadians must now await the outcome of No. 3 New Zealand’s home game against the ninth-ranked U.S. on Saturday in North Harbour to see whether they retain their title.
Canada and New Zealand went into the final round tied on eight points after their 27-27 draw last Saturday in Christchurch. But New Zealand held the tiebreaker edge over Canada — a plus-26 points differential compared to plus-12 for Canada.
The Canadians (2-0-1) achieved their goal Friday by defeating Australia (1-2-0), scoring four tries for a bonus point and running up the score. A New Zealand bonus-point win Saturday and the title will be decided by points differential.
Canada’s points differential now stands at plus-50. But the Black Ferns will undoubtedly add to their differential, having thumped the U.S. 57-5 when they met in last year’s Pacific Four Series.
Canada improved to 7-0-0 all-time against No. 6 Australia.
Canada dominated set pieces, pushing back the Wallaroos in the scrum and winning lineouts. The Canadians led 26-0 at the half and could have added to the lead, with another try called back for obstruction and handling errors ending other attacks.
McKinley Hunt, Karen Paquin, Julia Schell, Laetitia Royer, Krissy Scurfield, captain Alex Tessier and Fabiola Forteza scored tries for Canada. Schell booted five conversions.
Desi Miller scored Australia’s try with Faitala Moleka adding the conversion.
The two teams could meet again in the World Cup quarterfinals this summer in England.
Canada had lost just one of its nine previous matches (7-1-1) while the Wallaroos had won five of their last six.
Canada opened tournament play with a 26-14 win over the U.S. on May 2 in Kansas City. Australia lost its opener 38-12 to New Zealand in Newcastle, Australia, before bouncing back to beat the U.S. 27-19 in Canberra.
All four Pacific Four Series teams are preparing for the World Cup, which kicks off Aug. 22 in England. The Canadians have been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji.
Canada’s next games are against No. 12 South Africa in Pretoria on July 5 and Gqeberha on July 12. Its final tune-up is Aug. 9 against No. 5 Ireland in Belfast.
Canada won last year’s Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch. The Canadian women had lost all 17 meetings with New Zealand before that.
Canada also won the inaugural Pacific Four Series in 2021, when the event consisted of a two-game series with the U.S. due to COVID travel restrictions. The Canadians finished runner-up to New Zealand in 2022 and 2023 when the competition was expanded to four teams.
Canada improved to 12-5-1 since losing 36-0 to France in the third-place game at the World Cup in November 2022. Four of those losses were to England, with the other to New Zealand.