Ireland Falls to Canada in Final Rugby World Cup Warm-up

Ireland suffered a 26-47 defeat to Canada in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up in Belfast. Canada dominated the first half with tries from Florence Symonds, Justine Pelletier, and Daleaka Menin. Ireland fought back with tries from Beibhinn Parsons, Ivana Kiripati, and Anna McGann, but Canada scored four tries in the second half to secure the win.

Ireland suffered a 26-47 defeat to Canada in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up match, held at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast. The game, which took place on Saturday, 9 August, saw Canada dominate the first half with tries from Florence Symonds, Justine Pelletier, and Daleaka Menin. Ireland fought back in the second half, with Beibhinn Parsons, Ivana Kiripati, and Anna McGann scoring tries. However, Canada's physical dominance led to four additional tries in the second half, securing a decisive victory.

The match was part of Ireland's final preparations for the Women's Rugby World Cup, scheduled to begin on Sunday, 24 August. Ireland will face Japan, Spain, and reigning champions New Zealand in Pool C. The loss to Canada, who are ranked second in the world, will serve as a valuable learning experience for the Irish team as they prepare for their tournament campaign [2].

Ireland's head coach, Scott Bemand, acknowledged the importance of the game as a final test before the World Cup. "We need to get our best performance out there to tee us up for the next six weeks," he said. Bemand's side made 10 changes from the team that defeated Scotland in Cork last week, with wing Beibhinn Parsons, fly-half Dannagh O'Brien, and the back row of Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati, and Brittany Hogan retaining their places [2].

The defeat to Canada, who were also the opposition in the WXV 1 series last year, will be a significant challenge for Ireland as they look to improve their performance and momentum. The Irish team will need to learn from this defeat and apply the lessons to their upcoming matches at the World Cup [3].

References:
[1] https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/sports/ireland-vs-canada-rugby-world-cup-warm-up-preview-with-neve-jones-and-scott-bemand-199959
[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cwy3n44g48no
[3] https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c707ng5yvjwo