Canadian women dispatch U.S. in Pacific Four Series rugby opener

Fullback Sabrina Poulin scored two of Canada's eight tries in a 50-17 rugby romp over the U.S. in the opening match of the Pacific Four Series on Saturday.

Emily Tuttosi, Fancy Bermudez, Sarah-Maude Lachance, Tyson Beukeboom, Emma Taylor and Gillian Boag also scored tries for fourth-ranked Canada, which led 26-3 at the break on a sunny, breezy afternoon at Estadio Nacional de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Captain Sophie de Goede added five conversions.

De Goede was a force to be reckoned with from her No. 8 position, opening up the U.S. defence with powerful runs that opened up space for the supporting backs.

Beukeboom, a veteran lock, earned cap No. 58 for Canada, second only to the retired Gillian Florence's 66 caps.

Hope Rogers and Lotte Clapp scored tries for the seventh-ranked Americans, who had no answer for Canada's free-flowing offence despite a brief surge early in the second half. Gabby Cantorna kicked a penalty and a conversion while McKenzie Hawkins added a conversion.

The four-team Pacific Four Series will resume in June when No. 6 Australia hosts No. 2 New Zealand before all four teams converge on Canada in July for the final matches of the tournament. The top three teams will qualify for the inaugural WXV, a new three-tier annual global women's international 15s competition, while the bottom team will move on to the WXV second tier.

The WXV is scheduled for October-November.

Canada finished runner-up to New Zealand at last year's Pacific Four Series. The U.S. was third and Australia fourth.

Both Canada and the U.S. won warmup matches in Madrid last weekend with Canada thumping No. 13 South Africa 66-7 and the U.S. downing No. 11 Spain 20-14.

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