Player, coach, pundit. Lesley McKenzie has done it all as far as Rugby World Cups are concerned and on the eve of the tournament’s biggest ever match, the former Canadian international and current Japan head coach laid out exactly how she thinks her compatriots can spoil England’s party.
“They’ve got to start really fast, and they want to keep that game tempo,” McKenzie said. “They’ve got to keep the ball in play. They’ve got to make sure that the game looks as unstructured and feels as chaotic as possible.”
Since guiding Japan to a thrilling Pool C win over Spain, as well as highly creditable performances v New Zealand and Ireland, McKenzie has been keeping an eagle eye on proceedings in her role as a pundit for the BBC.
And what she saw in the semi-finals has convinced her it is possible for Sophie de Goede and co to do what no other Canadian team has ever done.
“How do you construct a game that suits England? You slow it down, and you make sure it’s a power game and a structure game but if Canada can keep that sort of control out of the grasp of the English, they’ll be alright,” McKenzie declared.
“They’re massively energetic. They’re very fit. So they can play that style.”
Too excited, too early?
Peaking once is hard, but to do it twice in a week however, is even tougher. Something that does concern the 44-year-old, who represented Canada at both RWC 2006 and 2010.
“That is a risk and a danger because it (the semi-final win) was such an emotive win,” McKenzie said. “I can say that as a as a coach you’ve got to be objective and you’ve got to be dispassionate. You have more work to do. But from the look of some of those players that was a realisation of a dream that obviously a lot had been carrying. And that can be a little bit too exciting, a little bit too early. Whereas we’ve not seen England really hit their stride yet.”
Critical Canadians
If Canada are to delve deep and find their mojo once more, McKenzie knows who will be leading the charge.
“Sophie de Goede, she’ll have another great performance,” McKenzie said, before adding, “It’s going to be absolutely critical for the front row to stand up to this test, because they they normally stay in the game for big minutes, the Canada starting front row. Whereas England essentially change them at a half (time), and they’re both really combative, both sets of front rows. So that’s going to be a big challenge that Canada’s presented with.
“Justine Pelletier (scrum-half) can she continue to be accurate? Can she continue to make great decisions and keep the tempo high?
“And then what has (Alex) Tessier (captain and inside-centre) got in the bank in terms of how she’s going to manage that game and that territory? Because they found some good kick space last week, but she’s not always had a real consistency in her kicking game, so she’ll need to have a great game.
“Caroline Crossley (blindside flanker) may also have an impact.”
Sprinkling stardust
One area McKenzie does fancy Canada getting the better of England is in the back three.
“The way they play is so abrasive, when they choose to target the edges,” McKenzie said of Asia Hogan-Rochester, Julia Schell and Alysha Corrigan. “Whether they got the ball or haven’t got the ball, they’re so aggressive.
“I think that’s real danger to ground for England. We’ve not really seen Abby Dow be busy enough for people who like to see Abby Dow make a mark on games. I think England’s back three haven’t really shown that they like rough stuff, whereas Canada will be absolutely going after that.”
As the finale of a tournament that McKenzie awards “10 out 10” to draws ever closer, the Canadian is still not quite sure she can pick a winner.
“Oh gosh, I would go within a score, mid-20s, 29-27 but I am absolutely abstaining from saying who (will win),” McKenzie said with a smile.