Ireland 26-47 Canada
Canada proved too quick, too slick and ultimately sent Ireland off to the World Cup with a dispiriting 47-26 defeat at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast.
The world number two side outscored Ireland seven tries to four and, despite a second-half surge from the hosts, were a class above throughout.
Expecting a step up from last weekend’s win over Scotland, Ireland had no real answer to the power and pace of the visitors, but had themselves largely to blame for many of the five first-half tries with poor discipline and poor tackling proving costly.
Canada were 14-0 up when Béibhinn Parsons got the home crowd on their feet with a well-taken try but that was as much as Ireland had to show for in a mistake-riddled 40 minutes.
Anna McGann led an Irish comeback of sorts in the second half, scoring twice in three minutes, while Parsons grabbed her second in the closing stages.
Head coach Scott Bemand will on Monday name his 32-player squad for the World Cup, where they face Japan, Spain and New Zealand, and he’ll have plenty to work on before their opening game in Northampton on 24 August.
Ireland briefly held possession at the start with Béibhinn Parsons taking a fine catch from the kick off but when they conceded a scrum penalty after five minutes, they were soon behind.
They appeared to have gotten out of jail when they won a turnover close to the line after Canada had won a variey of penalties inside the Irish 22.
However, out-half Dannah O’Brien missed touch from the kick and second row Sophie de Goede punched up the middle to put Canada on the front foot.
Captain Alexandra Tessier offloaded to centre partner Florence Symonds, who brushed Enya Breen aside and cut past O’Brien to score under the posts.
The hosts, who had made 10 changes to the side that beat Scotland last weekend, fell further behind when scrum-half Justine Pelletier encountered no defenders at a ruck on the 22 and ran in.
However, Ireland did manage to land a blow after the visitors were temporarily reduced to 14 with prop DaLeaka Menin sin-binned for a high tackle on Ivana Kiripati.
Grace Moore and Niamh O’Dowd brought Ireland into the 22 with strong carries before the ball came to Parsons on the wing.
Béibhinn Parsons scored Ireland’s first-half try
The Galway women was well marshalled and taken down by two tacklers but showed great awareness to release and pick up before a ruck formed and raced in for a try converted by O’Brien.
But some aimless kicking and poor tackling kept handing Kevin Rouets’ side chances and they were able to take full advantage.
Aoife Dalton missed a straight-up tackle on Symonds on the 22 and the centre scored under the posts.
Captain Neve Jones paid the price for the team’s continued transgressions, seeing yellow after coming in from the side, one of 11 first-half penalties conceded.
The powerful Canada pack kept the ball in tight on the line with Menin powering over after Karen Paquin and Fabiola Forteza were stopped short.
Ireland got back to 15 for the final passage of play but couldn’t see out the half, Breen kicking out on the full to give Canada possession on the 22.
More poor tackling allowed the Canadians to get front-foot ball and winger Paige Farries scored in the corner, with second row de Goede kicking her fourth conversion of the half for a 33-7 lead.
Whatever the mitigation from so many players seeing their first action of the season, Bemand could not have been happy with so much of the display and Ireland came out fired up at the start of the second half.
Aoibheann Reilly made 30 yards on a break off the back of a scrum and Ireland camped inside the Canada 22.
Captain Sam Monaghan, who had come on for Kiripati on the flank, and Fiona Tuite secured possession at the lineout but the ball was fumbled forward under the posts and the North Americans cleared into the Irish half.
It didn’t take long for Canada to get their first score of the half when O’Brien was careless with the ball in contact and full-back Julia Schell ran on from 60 yards.
But Ireland’s response was impressive, with McGann scoring two tries in three minutes.
Their best passage of play brought them into the 22 and Flood floated a pass for McGann, who finished well in the corner.
Moments later the Connacht back had doubled up, this time coming off her wing to cut through the Canada midfield and stretch for the line.
However, it was fitting that Canada finished off the scoring.
Flood had been sent to the bin for a high tackle and De Goede powered over and then converted her own try.
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen; Anna McGann; Dannah O’Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones (capt), Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Fiona Tuite, Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Follon, Sam Monaghan, Claire Boles, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins.
Canada: Julia Schell; Alysha Corrigan, Florence Symonds, Alexandra Tessier, Paige Farries; Claire Gallagher, Justine Pelletier; McKinley Hunt, Gillian Boag, DaLeaka Menin; Sophie de Goede, Tyson Beukeboom; Karen Paquin, Caroline Crossley, Fabiola Forteza.
Replacements: Emily Tuttosi, Brittany Kassil, Olivia DeMerchant, Courtney O’Donnell, Pamphinette Buisa, Olivia Apps, Shoshanah Seumanutafa, Sarah-Maude Lachance.
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)