A Challenging Start for Australia in the Pacific Four Series
Australia faced a tough challenge against Canada in the opening match of the Pacific Four Series, with the game ultimately being a test of endurance and resilience. The match took place in Sacramento, where the weather conditions played a significant role in shaping the outcome.
The game was delayed due to lightning strikes in the area, pushing the kickoff to 8:14pm local time after it was initially scheduled for 7pm. Despite the delays, officials deemed it safe for players to take the field, though no spectators were allowed into Heart Health Park. This absence of fans added an extra layer of difficulty for the Wallaroos as they tried to navigate the challenging conditions.
Canada, ranked world No.2, emerged victorious with a 24-0 win, although they had to work hard in the wet conditions against a scrappy Wallaroos side. This result marked an improvement from the 46-5 defeat that Canada inflicted on Australia during last year’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Julia Omokhuale, Pamphinette Buisa, Asia Hogan-Rochester, and Kiki Idowu scored Canada’s tries, supported by a dominant scrum performance. The Wallaroos, however, managed to finish the match with just 13 players, as hooker Brittany Merlo and centre Cecilia Smith received yellow cards.
The tournament serves as a trial for interim Wallaroos coach Sam Needs, with Rugby Australia set to make a decision on a long-term appointment following the series later this month. Despite the loss, there were some positives to take from the match.
Australia captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona reflected on the challenges faced during the game. “That game was almost unplayable,” she said. “The constant delay, then that rain, the cold, the grounds – like there are a lot of things that weren’t in our control. But in saying that, there’s positives to take away.”
She added, “Although we didn’t get on the scoreboard, we applied a lot of pressure, and that’s just something that we can control… It’s us being better than the last version of ourselves. You can see with the scoreboard, there’s a huge shift from that last quarter-final game back at the World Cup.”
Needs also saw some positives despite the loss. “The weather for both sides made for uncharacteristic mistakes,” he said. “It was hard to get the ball wide and it was hard to control the ball. The result doesn’t reflect the effort we put in and how we won some really big moments.”
He continued, “We didn’t execute some opportunities in the first half and in the second half we might’ve only got one or two chances. There were moments where our defence really stepped up. It’s hard to judge the attack for both sides, it was very scrappy.”
Despite the challenges, there were positive moments in the set piece, although other areas need refinement ahead of the next match against the United States in Kansas City on Saturday (AEST).
Australia is currently ranked seventh in the world, while the United States are eighth. In the earlier game on Sunday (AEST), New Zealand outclassed the United States 48-15. Winger Mererangi Paul scored a hat-trick, and fullback Renee Holmes grabbed a double for New Zealand, who lost prop Tanya Kalounivale to a second-half red card.
