Women's Rugby World Cup: Canada 52-0 Wales

Lleucu George puts in a tackle for Wales

Canada hammered Wales at the women's Rugby World Cup to ensure they will face Australia for fifth place.

Rowland Phillips' team had limited Canada to a 15-0 win at the pool stage, but could find no answer to their opponents' power and pace in Belfast.

Wing Elissa Alarie scored a first-half double as Canada dominated in an eight-tries-to-nil rout.

Ireland, who earlier lost to Australia, await Wales on Saturday with seventh place on the line.

Phillips named the starting XV who had performed admirably in the teams' first encounter.

But Canada felt they had something to prove after that performance and the defeat by New Zealand that consigned them to the fifth-place play-off semi-final.

They did so in style from Alarie's opening try wide out as she profited from a powerful scrum.

Fly-half Brianna Miller and lock Cindy Nelles went over before Alerie finished off again.

Flankers Jacey Grusnick and Karen Paquin burst clear in quick succession after the break.

And after Canada's pack forced a penalty try at a scrum, replacement Barbara Mervin ended the scoring as they kept Wales scoreless.

Wales head coach Rowland Phillips said: "It's a shame because we picked up a lot of momentum and confidence from the first Canada game but other than the lineout, we came off second best in all areas.

"We never got a foothold in the game. It is disappointing but we are clear where we want to take this team and we know we have a lot of work to do. We' just got to get on with it."

Teams

Canada: Julianne Zussman; Elissa Alarie, Brittany Waters, Amanda Thornborough, Frederique Rajotte; Emily Belchos, Brianna Miller; Carolyn McEwen, Laura Russell, Olivia DeMerchant, Cindy Nelles, Latoya Blackwood, Jacey Grusnick, Karen Paquin, Kelly Russell.

Replacements: Jane Kirby, Britanny Kassil, DaLeaka Menin, Kayla Mack, Barbara Mervin, Chelsea Guthrie, Andrea Burk, Alex Tessier.

Wales: Dyddgu Hywel (Scarlets); Elen Evans (RGC), Gemma Rowland (Dragons), Hannah Jones (Scarlets), Jess Kavanagh-Williams (Scarlets); Elinor Snowsill (Dragons), Sian Moore (Dragons); Caryl Thomas (Scarlets) Carys Phillips, (Ospreys, capt), Amy Evans (Ospreys), Rebecca Rowe (Dragons), Mel Clay (Ospreys), Alisha Butchers (Scarlets), Rachel Taylor (RGC), Sioned Harries (Scarlets)

Replacements: Morfudd Ifans (Scarlets), Cerys Hale (Dragons), Meg York (Dragons), Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys), Shona Powell-Hughes (Ospreys), Keira Bevan (Ospreys), Robyn Wilkins (Ospreys), Jodie Evans (Scarlets).

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron

Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Marie Lematte

TMO: Kevin Beggs