Six tries by Canada fullback Julia Schell led three try hat tricks in the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Saturday.
Schell scored all six in a row in 22 minutes in the second half as Canada hammered Fiji 65-7 in York.
Winger Francesca McGhie dotted down three for Scotland to beat Wales 38-8 in their make-or-break pool match in Manchester.
In the first match of the Manchester doubleheader, winger Desiree Miller bagged three of Australia’s 11 tries as Samoa was blanked 73-0.
France won the last and cagiest match of the day, beating neighbor Italy 24-0 in Exeter.
But the day's individual highlight was Schell, whose output tied for the second most tries in a World Cup match, beside the six by Krista McFarren of the U.S. against Sweden in 1994. The record was eight by Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand against Hong Kong in 2017.
Canada’s previous record was five in a match, most recently in 2017.
Scotland 38, Wales 8
Both Six Nations sides were under immense pressure to win. In Pool B, both are expected to beat Fiji but neither are expected to trouble Canada, leaving their matchup to likely decide the second quarterfinalist from the pool.
The game had a frantic, desperate air, and Scotland pulled away in the second half and won by a record 30-point margin.
Scotland should reach its first quarterfinals since 1998 after avenging the late-penalty loss to Wales at the 2022 World Cup that sent Scotland home early.
“For the last few years I've had the image of Keira Bevan kicking that late kick against us at the (2022) World Cup and we just did not want to see anything like that happening again,” Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm told the BBC.
“We had the mindset that we wanted to start strong and not take our foot off the throttle for the full 80 minutes. That's the biggest ever differential between Scotland and Wales and to do that in such a high pressure game as this just shows the character of the team.”
McGhie was over after just 54 seconds. Flyhalf Helen Nelson cleaned up a dropped catch and released McGhie to fly away.
Wales No. 8 Alex Callender leveled from a lineout drive but McGhie was quick to reply in the 17th minute and Scotland never trailed again.
The Scots put the game away with tries just before and after halftime.
Just before, the backs sent McGhie tearing up the middle, then big hitters Malcolm and Evie Gallagher softened the defense for scrumhalf Leia Brebner-Holden to plunge over.
Just after, wing Rhona Lloyd gave an overlap to McGhie, who slipped two defenders to score her third try — her 13th in 20 tests — and Scotland's bonus-point fourth for 24-8. Scotland cruised from there.
Australia 73, Samoa 0
Miller scored her three tries in the first half but left the field in the second half for an HIA after a head-on-head collision with Samoa's Melina Grace Salale.
Miller received a cut lip and Salale became the first player in the tournament to be red-carded.
The Wallaroos eclipsed their previous best World Cup score of 68-12 against South Africa in 2006.
Australia took only 92 seconds to get on the scoreboard, a lineout drive finished by hooker Katalina Amosa, who made her test debut only in May.
The Wallaroos had the bonus-point fourth try by the 15th minute. Miller was in support of fellow wing Maya Stewart to get her hat-trick try in the 33rd.
Two-try fullback Caitlyn Halse became the Wallaroos' youngest ever World Cup player at 18 — at least until the appearance in the tournament of teammate Waiaria Ellis, who is 17.
All of the Samoans made their World Cup debut. The Manusina played their first World Cup match in 11 years. They were better than the score suggested, growing into the game and matching Australia's intensity but not Australia's ruthless efficiency in the 22.
Canada 65, Fiji 7
Canada remained unbeaten in eight tests this year after its own opening statement win in York.
Canada had four tries inside 30 minutes. Lock Sophie de Goede, just back from an ACL tear, and hooker Gillian Boag scored the first two, and while flyhalf Taylor Perry was in the sin-bin for head contact, flanker Caroline Crossley touched down and set up wing Alysha Corrigan for their fourth try.
Fiji, down 24-0 at halftime, started the second half with a crowd-pleasing try from its own 22. All-action midfielder Josifini Neihamu swept upfield, captain Alfreda Fisher supported, and replacement back Kolora Lomani dotted down.
But the rest of the half was Canada's, notably Schell.
She said Canada coach Kevin Rouet sparked her during the break.
“Kevin told me to win my 1-v(ersus)-1 at halftime, so I like to prove him wrong,” she said.
Quick hands set up her first try, she stepped one defender and dragged another over the line for No. 2, she backed up Corrigan for No. 3, broke the line for No. 4, stepped two defenders for No. 5, and scored off a crossfield kick for No. 6.
Fiji replacement prop Bulou Vasutaraga became the second woman to receive a red card in the tournament when her yellow card for a dangerous high tackle in the 69th was upgraded to a 20-minute red.
France 24, Italy 0
France comfortably handled Italy without blowing out the score.
Les Bleues beat the Azzurre in the 2022 quarterfinals and won their three Six Nations contests since then by double digits. But Italy's renewed confidence from warmup wins over Japan and Scotland meant it took a long time for France to break down its neighbor.
Winger Joanna Grisez speared in the opening try in the 27th minute after Carla Arbez's looparound. Morgane Bourgeois converted from wide out and added a penalty on halftime for 10-0.
France's powerful pack and bench then made the result safe after an hour thanks to tries by forwards Assia Khalfaoui and Charlotte Escudero, at the end of 20 phases. Bourgeois slotted all four of her goalkicks.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Foster Niumata, The Associated Press
