Ireland's progress in the Rugby World Cup satisfies Scott Bemand, despite their loss against Canada.
Ireland Suffers Loss to Canada in Women's Rugby World Cup Warm-up
Ireland faced a challenging defeat in their final Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Canada, with the final score reading 47-26 in favour of the Canadians. The game, held at Affidea Stadium in Belfast, was a high-stakes challenge for both teams, serving as a valuable preparation for the upcoming World Cup.
Canada dominated the first half, scoring seven tries and leading Ireland 33-7 at the interval. The first quarter saw two converted tries for Canada, one from Florence Symonds and Justine Pelletier. Paige Farries added another try just before halftime, ensuring a commanding 26-point interval buffer for Canada.
Ireland's head coach, Scott Bemand, acknowledged the team's poor first-half performance, marked by basic errors and missed tackles. However, he did not label it "unacceptable," instead viewing it as an opportunity to learn from mistakes and prepare for the tournament.
Neve Jones, the starting skipper for Ireland, was sent to the sinbin during the match. Despite a spirited second-half fightback from Ireland that saw them score 19 unanswered points, Canada effectively put the game out of Ireland's reach with a 40-7 lead with 25 minutes remaining.
Bemand used a total of 30 players over the course of Ireland's two warm-up games. Notably, Brittany Hogan was replaced by Claire Boles on 56 minutes, but this was due to a precautionary measure rather than a serious injury.
Anna McGann scored two tries for Ireland, one in the 59th and one in the 62nd minute, providing encouragement for the Irish team. However, Daleaka Menin's sending off for Canada allowed Symonds to score another try during her absence.
The final squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup will be announced on Monday morning. Bemand remains confident that his team will deliver their best performances in England, having generally been pleased with their performance in the two warm-up fixtures.
There have been concerns about the fitness of Edel McMahon, Aoife Wafer, and Christy Haney in recent weeks. The windy conditions during the game also contributed to points being scored. The Canada team included Julia Schell, who scored a try in the match.
Despite the loss, Bemand's assessment focused on learning from the mistakes and using the match as valuable preparation for the upcoming World Cup. The team will aim to eliminate rudimentary errors before their World Cup opener against Japan.
Sports enthusiasts should take note of Ireland's loss to Canada in their Women's Rugby World Cup warm-up match, as it offers valuable insights into both teams' preparations for the tournament. Canada showcased their dominance with a commanding 47-26 victory, with key players like Florence Symonds and Justine Pelletier contributing to their impressive performance in the first half. Ireland, on the other hand, is using this defeat as a learning experience to improve their game before their World Cup opener against Japan, particularly in eliminating basic errors.
