Full-time: Canada 40-19 Scotland

It’s been an excellent contest and one which Canada deserved to win, despite Scotland’s very best efforts. Nine tries shared and Scotland thought they got to within 7 at one point, but their opponents were clinical, especially from close range, and top Pool B.

Scotland will likely now face England next Saturday for a place in the 2025 Rugby World Cup semi-finals. A mouth-watering prospect.

Try Canada

And that’s that. Another try from close range for Canada, who have just ploughed on throughout this second half and dominated in close quarters. It’s Olivia DeMerchant who goes over, with Alex Tessier landing the conversion. 40-19.

Try Scotland!

Well, who else could it be? It may be too late for the final result to be affected, but Fran McGhie scores another beauty to add to her collection. Caity Mattinson pops from the base and the speedster does the rest, scoring her sixth try of the competition, in just three games. Nelson converts to make it 33-19 with five minutes to go. Surely not..?

Scotland still throwing everything at it

Rhona Lloyd bursts through and is so close to offloading successfully to Chloe Rollie, but the ball just won’t stick to the full-back’s hands. The game is close to being out of reach, but try telling that to Scotland..

Try Canada

Brittany Kassil is the beneficiary of a textbook series of rumbles, with Sophie de Goede clipping over the extras from a fifth Canada try. 33-12.

Penalty Canada

Perhaps Canada are starting to turn the screw here in Exeter. Emma Wassell and Elis Martin are both pinged for a side entry and Canada will once more go deep. Anne young on for Leah Bartlett at loosehead.

Try Scotland?

Helen Nelson take a bow! A long line-out throw by Lana Skeldon is on the money and Scotland’s stand-off hares onto it, brilliantly dotting down.. but wait.. it’s called back as Nelson had been offside in running to within 10m of the line-out before the ball was thrown. It’s the right call, much to Scotland’s chagrin.

Comedy of errors affords Scotland a chance

Right on the hour mark, Canada full-back Julia Schell has a moment of madness inside her 22, mixing up with her winger and fumbling the ball. It’s a penalty for crossing and Scotland now kick to touch..

First Scotland subs

Jade Konkel, Alex Stewart and Caity Mattinson take to the field for Sarah Bonar, Rachel McLachlan and Leia Brebner-Holden respectively.

Try Canada

A fourth try does indeed come for Canada, with Emily Tuttosi going over for her second from that line-out play. De Goede’s conversion is a cracker. 26-12.

Canada threatening

She’s certainly the central figure so far today, Evie Gallagher. A few minutes after her try, she plays the scrum-half illegally and Alex Tessier finds a very promising touch from the penalty. Canada well set here – can Scotland hold out again?

Try Scotland!

It’s that menace Evie Gallagher! Leia Brebner-Holden steps from the base of the ruck, allowing Gallagher the opportunity to go through a gap in the Canadian defence and, despite desperate clutches, go over to haul her side to within a converted try after Helen Nelson converts. 19-12. Game on.

Canada relieve the pressure.. for now

Things don’t go to plan, though. Canada spoil things and Scotland are adjudged to have transgressed at the line-out. But then Canada’s own line-out isn’t straight and Scotland opt for the attacking scrum. It’s tense, it’s nervy and it’s on a knife-edge.

Handy penalty for Scotland

Fran McGhie is at it again, experiencing a high tackle when trying to outpace her opposing winger Alysha Corrigan. Scotland line-out on the Canadian 22 and another penalty for jumping across! Scotland will edge even closer with another kick to touch. Scotland in the ascendancy…

McGhie sparks into life

We’ve waited patiently for sight of Fran McGhie and the flying winger firmly introduces herself in the second-half action with a trademark slaloming run to pierce Canada’s midfield. Scotland eventually win a penalty for the tackler not releasing but Helen Nelson’s attempted touch-finder is hooked and easily fielded. Canada knock on and we’ll reset from a scrum close to half-way.

Rollie with booming kick

And straight away, territory is gained when Chloe Rollie booms a kick that bounces on and on and close to Canada’s 22. Knocked on at the line-out as well; this couldn’t have started better for Scotland..

Final 40 in Pool B

The task is considerable, but Scotland are still very much in this game, especially considering they are likely to benefit from the direction of the Sandy Park wind. no changes from Bryan Easson.

Wright: Let’s start the second half well

Scotland front-row forward Molly Wright has offered her take on how the first half played out: “We’ve had a fiery start for sure. The first 30 I think has been really positive for Scotland, we were in the fight. We have adapted to a lot of challenges, especially with Evie’s yellow card and Canada capitalised in that moment. Set piece looks neutral. We need to start second half strong, and rattle them.”

Half-time: Canada 19-5 Scotland

Scotland do indeed hold out, winning a penalty at that scrum and kicking the ball dead. An intriguing half, with three Canadian tries and a Scottish counter from Rhona Lloyd. Evie Gallagher’s yellow card turned the tide but Scotland are very much in this Pool B decider.

Good scramble defence by Scots

Again, Scotland show great determination in trying to keep their opponents at bay, and it ends in a scrum when Canada are spooked into a knock on. Just about at the interval and Scotland will benefit from the conditions in the second half.

Scots trying to hold on before half-time

A lovely probing kick by Canada centre Alex Tessier gets Chloe Rollie in a spot of bother. The full-back opts not to kick and her offload to Lisa Thomson is fumbled; it’ll be a scrum inside Scotland’s 22.

Try Canada

It’s two in rapid succession. Scotland’s kick-off went out on the full and from the resulting scrum, Canada’s phase play is just too quick, three pick-and-goes eventually seeing hooker Emily Tuttosi stretch out for the try. Conversion missed and it’s 19-5.

Try Canada

Yep, it was coming. Canada’s scrum is too dominant with a player up, and referee Barrett-Theron has no real option but to award the penalty try. 14-5.

Gallagher into sin bin

Evie Gallagher has come from an offside position to spoil that Canadian attack and after consultation with the TMO Rachel Horton, the Scotland Number 8 is shown a yellow card. Down to 14 for the remainder of the half and Canada with a penalty 5m out.

Pressure tells from Scottish defence!

Canada just had to score there – but Scotland’s indefatigable defence holds firm and forces a knock-on barely a metre from the line. Play is being brought back for a potential hint of foul play though..

Canada knocking on the door

The game is now being played at the other end of the pitch after that sustained Scottish territory – they also boast 65% of the possession so far. But Canada are lurking and, after making a mess of an attacking line-out, they have a scrum 5m out..

Nelson returns to the fray

Helen Nelson has passed her head injury assessment and is back on to replace Evie Wills.

Gallagher up to her old tricks at the breakdown

Canada looking to hit straight back and offering some lovely offloads but when de Goede is isolated, the limpet-like Evie Gallagher secures a Scottish jackal penalty, a trademark of the Number 8.

Cockburn also off for HIA

Molly Poolman makes her Rugby World Cup debut as Lisa Cockburn is taken off for an assessment from that earlier head clash with Helen Nelson.

TRY Scotland!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, patience is rewarded. Scotland rumble through Emma Wassell and after some juggling by Rachel McLachlan, Chloe Rollie finds Rhona Lloyd who goes over in the right-hand corner. The tricky conversion is missed by Lisa Thomson, but Scotland are on the board and right in this at 7-5!

Penalty Scotland

Canada collapse the scrum intentionally according to the ref, and Lisa Thomson dabs a kick into touch. Another Scottish attacking opportunity, and it’s a quickly-taken line-out. Sarah Bonar is all-but through but some last-ditch defending halts them. Another penalty for not moving away and Scotland will tap-and-go through Lana Skeldon..

Play halted for head knock; Nelson off for HIA

Helen Nelson and Lisa Cockburn collide and referee Aimee Barrett-Theron correctly stops play. Nelson is called to go off for a head injury assessment and Evie Wills comes on for her Rugby World Cup debut. Play will resume with a Scottish scrum around 15m from the line.

Another Scotland penalty

Canada Number 8 Gabby Senft is offside at that line-out maul and it looks for all the world like Scotland are in, but Chloe Rollie can’t get her pass to Rhona Lloyd to stick, and play comes back for that earlier transgression. Another Scottish line-out..

Scotland seeking route into proceedings

Scotland are enjoying their first sustained possession and territory, making use of a penalty advantage to get hands on the ball, although the opposition defence is passing the examination. Helen Nelson’s touch-finder gives Scotland a platform for an attacking line-out..

Try Canada

Numerous tight phase play and the Canadians eventually go over through loosehead McKinley Hunt. Sophie de Goede, the John Eales-esque kicking lock, converts and it’s 7-0.

Canada fluff their lines

A lovely series of offloads sees Alysha Corrigan burst through but the ball doesn’t stick, Scotland eventually clearing to touch. A lot of pressure now on the dark blue defence.

Tense amid scrappy opening

Canada knock on this time, but Emma Orr’s clearance is uncharacteristically sliced straight out and we’ll go back for that knock-on. Scotland win a free-kick from that phase and Evie Gallagher goes quickly in a bid to gain some early momentum. Ball straight out again, though. Canada line-out, the first of the day.

Early skirmishes

Asia Hogan-Rochester makes the first yards out wide for Canada, brutally handing off opposing wing Rhona Lloyd, but the ball is spilled and Scotland get the put-in for the first scrum of the afternoon. It’s reset twice which has taken some of the buoyancy out of things but Scotland get it away and Francesca McGhie gets her paws on the ball for the first time. Knocked on soon after, and now it’s Canada’s set piece.

We are go!

Lisa Thomson gets things started at sunny Sandy Park, her kick fielded by Canada’s Sophie de Goede and cleared. Thomson catches the return and beats three players as Scotland settle into early possession around half-way.

Kick-off incoming..

Scotland will kick off this decider and play left-to-right as viewed on tv (iPlayer, do check it out). The referee is South Africa’s Aimee Barrett-Theron, who will be assisted by a team by Australia, Portugal and Ireland. It’s a sell-out 15,600 crowd at Sandy Park. All that’s left is the national anthems and then we’re live.

The stakes in Pool B

Both Canada and Scotland are two-from-two at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, with each side having beaten Wales and Fiji in Pool B over the past two Saturday afternoons.

A miserly 30 points leaked between them, they have shared some 28 tries (Canada 17, Scotland 11).

The prize for the winner at Sandy Park today is not only top spot in the pool, but the avoidance of tournament hosts England in the quarter-final next weekend in Bristol. A big game, you’d say..

Sarah 50nar

A special day for the affable Scotland second row Sarah Bonar, who marks a 50th cap for her country in what is a fitting game for such an occasion. ‘Bonz’ made her international bow as a replacement in a 2016 Test against Spain and, nine years on, reaches a half-century in dark blue.

Today’s teams

It’s a 12pm kick-off today at Exeter’s Sandy Park, where conditions are relatively calm, and sunny, ahead of what promises to be a cracker of an encounter against the world’s second-ranked team:

A very good morning to one and all, and welcome to our Match Centre for the Pool B decider between Scotland and Canada at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. We’ll bring you live updates throughout as Bryan Easson’s side aim for top spot in the group.