Schell scores six as Canada open World Cup with big win

Women's Rugby World Cup - Pool B

Canada (24) 65

Tries: Schell 6, De Goede, Boag, Crossley, Corrigan, Paquin

Cons: De Goede 4, Tessier

Fiji (0) 7

Try: Lomani

Con: Vueti

Julia Schell scored a staggering six tries in the second half as second seeds Canada got their Women's Rugby World Cup campaign off to a strong start with a 65-7 win against Fiji in York.

Schell began her try blitz shortly after the amateur Fijians had got on the scoreboard themselves, showing superb pace and power for her six scores in the space of 23 minutes.

Fiji could not deal with the full-back making runs from deep, as Schell became the second woman in World Cup history to finish a match with a six-try haul, after American Krista McFarren against Sweden in 1994.

However, the impressive achievement is not a record, as it has been beaten in the past, with New Zealander Portia Woodman scoring eight against Hong Kong in 2017.

Schell revealed afterwards her double hat-trick had been partly inspired by a lighthearted bet with a spectator.

"I think as a team we didn't start as we wanted to, we had some calm chats at half-time and ramped it up," she told World Rugby.

"A guy over there told me he would give me $200 if I scored, so I need to go and speak to him."

Julia Schell had only scored three tries in 25 Canada appearances before Saturday

This was a highly satisfactory opening to the World Cup for Canada, a team who - if the tournament goes according to seedings - are lined up to face England in the final at Twickenham.

Canada head coach Kevin Rouet said: "I'm very happy with the way we finished the game. The games will be tougher and tougher. To score 65 points, we're happy with that.

"People expect us to deliver now. People put us as favourites and the players need to be relaxed with that and go game by game. You felt that tension at the beginning of the game."

A fast start from Canada saw them score their first of 11 tries after six minutes through Sophie de Goede.

The 26-year-old flanker captained Canada to fourth place at the World Cup in 2022 but missed the 2024 Olympics with a serious knee injury.

The Saracens back row, regarded as one of the world's best players for her barnstorming carries, will aim to make up for lost time in this tournament.

Gillian Boag, Caroline Crossley and Alysha Corrigan extended the lead in the first half, but one hiccup came as Taylor Perry made head-on-head contact in the build-up to a disallowed try. The Canadian fly-half was sin-binned but avoided a red card following a review.

Fiji responded in the second half with a superb try - a slick passing move ending in Kolora Lomani crossing over.

Of greater concern for Canada was starting wing Fancy Bermudez limping off shortly after the break with a leg injury.

But they showed their teeth through Schell's six-score show, with Karen Paquin adding number 11 following a late line-out, as they began another attempt to finally land a first global title.

Canada are one of four nations to have played at every edition of the Women's World Cup but have never won it - the closest they came was when they were losing finalists against England in 2014.

Sophie de Goede scored the opening try for Canada at York Community Stadium

Line-ups

Canada XV: Kassil, Boag, Menin, de Goede, O'Donnell, Crossley, Forteza, Senft, Pelletier, Perry, Bermudez, Tessier, Symonds, Corrigan, Schell

Subs: Tuttosi, Hunt, DeMerchant, Beukeboom, Paquin, Smith, Apps, Seumanutafa

Fiji XV: Senivutu, Tawake, Robanakadavu, Coates, Nakesa, Daunimoala, Fisher, Komaitai, Railumu, Kinita, Adi Tove, Neihamu, Adivitaloga, Delaiwau, Vueti

Subs: Naliva, Vasuturaga, Matarugu, Serevi, Naisewa, Lomani, Luvu, Nailolo