The USA National Women’s team pulled off something of an upset in the Super Series on Wednesday evening, defeating home team Canada 36-28 in Red Deer, Alb. to move to 1-1 in the competition.

The Eagles fell behind 21-8 in the first half, but fixed their defensive lapses and ran in some impressive tries to come back.

Canada scored in the first minute, breaking through a porous midfield defense after a lineout and maul, and leaving USA wing Kelsi Stocker with a 4-on-1 to contend with. Stockert tackled No. 8 Cindy Nelles nicely, but Nelles offloaded brilliantly and the ball went out to flanker Latoya Blackwood for the try.

Andrea Burk kicked the conversion to make it 7-0. But the USA rebounded after that, getting some possession and working through some phases. Canada’s defense held, but they were penalized in the ruck, and Kimber Rozier put the kick over to make it 7-3.

Canada’s second try came after a long period with the ball. The USA tackles were there, but Canada started to make inroads with tough runs up the gut with their forwards. Then they spun it wide, and reconsolidated with the forwards. After that flyhalf Alex Tessier offloaded out of the tackle to lock Maria Samson on her hip. The second row committed the defense and passed out to wing Lisa Gauthier to make it 14-3.

A penalty against Canada allowed the Eagles to take a lineout at the Canada 22. The USA throw was long but scrumhalf Deven Owsiany gathered and fed the backs. Fullback Jessica Wooden took an excellent line into the backline and then put the ball out to wing Cheta Emba Heavirland. She was dragged down, but captain Jane Paar picked up and was just over in the corner. 14-8 Canada.

Canada looked like they were going to score right after that, laying in some powerful hits with the ball in hand. But the USA defense held for a time. But when USA flanker Joanna Kitlinski was penalized for a high tackle, Canada scrumhalf Lori Josephson saw immediately that the Eagles weren’t ready. She tapped quickly and passed out to center Andrea Burk, who fended off two tacklers and went 60 meters. Tessier kicked the conversion and Canada led 21-8 after only 20 minutes.

But the USA did a little better when they slowed down the game. Their forwards looked solid in the scrums and mauls, and it was there that they could tire out their opponents.

It was from a scrum that the USA scored, with Kitlinski taking a quick pass from No. 8 Jordan Gray and racing in up the #1 channel and in under the posts. It was a nifty set play, with the halfbacks faking a weakside move, and when Canada scrumhalf Josephson went to tackle Gray, Kitlinski had no one to tackle her.

Rozier kicked the conversion, and suddenly it was 21-15.

The defenses were much more solid after that, although they were helped by the fact that both teams, but especially Canada, tried to force the offloads out of the tackle. Passes that worked in the first 20 minutes started to not work.

The scrum proved a good scoring platform once more for the USA with about ten minutes left in the first half. First from a scrum at midfield Gray picked and then fed Stockert at pace. The wing was dragged down by fullback Julianne Zussman just short of the line. But Zussman made no attempt to release the tackled player and was penalized - she was lucky to avoid a yellow card. The Eagles opted for a scrum five meters out, and Gray picked up, faked a pass, and was over. Rozier was good on the kick, and the USA had the lead 22-21. 

The Eagles took that lead into the second half, and Canada was determined to pin the Eagles in their end. But the scrum once again got things started. This time it was a weakside move, with hands out to Wooden, who raced down the sideline, chipped over the last defender, got the bounce, and raced in under the sticks. 29-21 USA.

Canada had some good scoring chances, but the USA cover defense was just good enough. And their work with the ball in hand was good, too. The Eagles tried on several occasions to run out of their 22, but were patient, taking the kick when nothing more was on offer. The Eagles almost scored from long range from another scrum, this time sending Kitlinski up the middle and almost seeing Stockert over in the corner. 

It took a while, but the Eagles did finally get the killer blow. Sub forward Samantha Pankey powered through the middle and flattened her tackler. Rozier was there to recover the ball, fed Gray, who passed quickly to Wooden, who was powering in at full gallop. No one could touch the fullback, and it was 36-21.

Canada almost got tat try back when Blackwood blocked a kick and gathered with no one near her. But the ball kind of rolled down her body after the block and she was called for a knock-on. Finally, with time ticking away, Canada got their first try in about 50 minutes, when Zussman cut back against the grain and exploited some iffy USA tackling for a try. Zussman converted her try, and that made for a bonus point for Canada for four tries, but it wasn’t enough.

For the USA, it was an game of great heart and determination, and a little patience, in coming back from 21-8 down. Kitlinski was all sorts of problems with the ball, and Wooden and Stockert were electric in space. But it came down to the forward pack. Their work in the scrum, especially, made it all happen. Wooden was named player of the game, rightfully so, but she would certainly say the platform she got from her forwards helped her out.

The USA is now 1-1 with a bonus point, the same was England (who lost to New Zealand 26-7). England is in 2nd on points difference. Next up for the USA, 2-0 New Zealand.

USA 36
Tries: Paar, Kitlinski, Gray, Wooden 2
Convs: Rozier 4
Pens: Rozier

Canada 28
Tries: Blackwood, Gauthier, Burk, 
Convs: Burk 2, Tossier, Zussman

USA
1. Catherine Benson (Faaee @ 62')
2. Kathryn Augustyn (Pankey @ 57')
3. Hope Rogers
4. Stacey Bridges
5. Molly Kinsella (Washington @ 62')
6. Joanna Kitlinski
7. Elizabeth Cairns (Parsons @ 68')
8. Jordan Gray
9. Deven Owsiany (Lui @ 71')
10. Lauren Rhode (Dalal @ 66')
11. Cheta Emba Heavirland @ 57')
12. Kimberly Rozier
13. Jane Paar
14. Kelsi Stockert
15. Jessica Wooden

Reserves
16. Samantha Pankey
17. Baylee Annis
18. Tiffany Faaee
19. Alycia Washington
20. Sara Parsons
21. Jennifer Lui
22. Nicole Heavirland
23. Bianca Dalal

Canada
1. Laura Russell (C)
2. Mary-Jane Kirby (Folk @ 69')
3. Olivia DeMerchant (Picketts @ 71')
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Provencal-Aube @ 62')
5. Maria Samson (Murphy @ 46')
6. Barbara Mervin (menin @ 71')
7. Latoya Blackwood
8. Cindy Nelles
9. Lori Josephson (Neilson @ 69')
10. Alex Tessier (Smith @ 53')
11. Lisa Gauthier
12. Andrew Burk (Allen 66')
13. Amanda Thornborough
14. Katie McNally
15. Julianne Zussman

Reserves
16. Tiffany Picketts
17. Julia Folk
18. DaLeaka Menin
19. Camille Provencal-Aube
20. Jacey Murphy
21. Gillian Allen
22. Jess Neilson
23. Natasha Smith