Canadian women's rugby team cruises to win over Wales in World Cup tune-up on home soil

Canada's senior women's 15s marked their final warm-up test match on home soil before the Rugby World Cup with a 31-3 win over Wales at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax on Saturday.

Tries from Paige Farries (2), Fabiola Forteza, Maddy Grant and Justine Pelletier — as well as a string of successful conversions from a combination of Brianna Miller and captain Sophie de Goede — were enough to seal the victory.

"I think the girls reacted well," said Canada's senior women's 15s head coach Kevin Rouet after the match.

In starting the match, Elissa Alarie earned her 40th cap for the national 15s team at fullback, while Alexandra Tessier received her 35th at centre and Miller scored her 30th at scrum half. Having entered the field as second-half substitutes, Laura Russell got her 53rd cap — pulling level with her sister, Kelly, as the third most-capped Canadian woman of all time — while Pelletier earned her 10th.

Olivia DeMerchant and Emma Taylor, who both call Halifax home, also played in the fixture with the former named in the starting lineup and the latter coming on from the bench in the second half.

Saturday's match began with early pressure from No. 9-ranked Wales which resulted in a penalty conversion from fly half Elinor Snowsill to give them the lead within nine minutes.

No. 4-ranked Canada soon found a foothold in the game, though, led by their dominant pack. In fact, the game's first try was scored when the hosts opted for a scrum on the five-metre line following a penalty and the ball was swung out to Farries who went over. Miller hit the conversion to make it 7-3.

Momentum was with the Canadians and they made it count when Forteza crossed the line for their second try 23 minutes in as they tightened their grip on