Pool B of the 2021 Rugby World Cup began on 9 October 2022. The pool includes Canada and inaugural champions the United States, who finished 5th and 4th respectively in 2017. They are joined by Italy, who qualified as champions of the European Qualification Tournament, and by Japan, who qualified as the highest Asian team in the World Rankings following the cancellation of Asia Qualifying.
Standings
United States vs Italy
Team details FB 15Alev KelterRW 14Jennine DetiveauxOC 13Eti HaungatauIC 12Katana Howard LW 11Lotte ClappFH 10Gabby CantornaSH 9 Carly Waters N8 8 Kate Zackary (c)OF 7 Rachel JohnsonBF 6 Jordan MatyasRL 5 Jenny Kronish LL 4 Hallie Taufo'ou TP 3 Nick James HK 2 Joanna KitlinskiLP 1 Hope Rogers Replacements:HK 16Kathryn TrederPR 17Catherine Benson PR 18Charli Jacoby LK 19Kristine Sommer FL 20Georgie Perris-Redding SH 21Olivia Ortiz CE 22Meya Bizer WG 23Tess FeuryCoach: Rob Cain FB 15Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi RW 14Aura MuzzoOC 13Michela SillariIC 12Beatrice RigoniLW 11Maria MagattiFH 10Veronica Madia SH 9 Sofia StefanN8 8 Elisa Giordano (c)OF 7 Giada Franco BF 6 Ilara Arrighetti RL 5 Sara Tounesi LL 4 Valeria FedrighiTP 3 Lucia Gai HK 2 Melissa Bettoni LP 1 Silvia Turani Replacements:HK 16Vittoria Vecchini PR 17Gaia Maris PR 18Sara Seye LK 19Beatrice Veronsese FL 20Isabella Locatelli FL 21Franceca Sgorbini SH 22Sara Barattin WG 23Alyssa D'IncàCoach: Andrea Di Giandomenico Player of the Match: Giada Franco (Italy) Assistant referees: Julianne Zussman (Canada) Tyler Miller (Australia) Television match official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) Notes: This was Italy's first win over the United States. Giordana Duca was originally named as a lock for Italy, but withdrew before kickoff due to injury. She was replaced by Sara Tounesi while Beatrice Veronese took Tounesi's place onto the bench.
Japan vs Canada
Team details FB 15Rinka MatsudaRW 14Hinano NaguraOC 13Mana FurutaIC 12Shione Nakayama LW 11Komachi ImakugiFH 10Ayasa OtsukaSH 9 Megumi Abe N8 8 Ayano Nagai OF 7 Iroha NagataBF 6 Seina SaitoRL 5 Maki Takano LL 4 Yuna Sato TP 3 Sachiko Kato HK 2 Nijiho Nagata LP 1 Saki Minami (c) Replacements:HK 16Hinata Komaki PR 17Misaki Suzuki PR 18Makoto Lavemai LK 19Kie Tamai FL 20Otoka Yoshimura SH 21Moe Tsukui FH 22Minori Yamamoto FL 23Kyoko Hosokawa Coach: Lesley McKenzie FB 15Elissa AlarieRW 14Maddy GrantOC 13Sara KaljuveeIC 12Alex TessierLW 11Paige FarriesFH 10Julia Schell SH 9 Brianna Miller N8 8 Sophie de Goede (c)OF 7 Karen Paquin BF 6 Fabiola FortezaRL 5 Tyson Beukeboom LL 4 Courtney Holtkamp TP 3 DaLeaka Menin HK 2 Emily Tuttosi LP 1 Brittany Kassil Replacements:HK 16Gillian Boag PR 17Mikiela Nelson PR 18Alex Ellis LK 19Ngalula Fuamba LK 20Emma Taylor FL 21Gabby Senft SH 22Justine Pelletier WG 23Anaïs Holly Coach: Kévin Rouet Player of the Match: Emily Tuttosi (Canada) Assistant referees: Amber McLachlan (Australia) Doriane Domenjo (France) Television match official: Lee Jeffrey (New Zealand) Notes: This was Canada's 150th test match. Taylor Perry was originally named at fly-half for Canada, but withdrew due to injury. Julia Schell was promoted from the bench while Anaïs Holly took Schell's place on the bench.
United States vs Japan
Team details FB 15Meya Bizer RW 14Jennine DetiveauxOC 13Eti HaungatauIC 12Alev KelterLW 11Tess FeuryFH 10Gabby Cantorna SH 9 Olivia Ortiz N8 8 Kate Zackary (c)OF 7 Rachel JohnsonBF 6 Kathryn Johnson RL 5 Evelyn Ashenbrucker LL 4 Kristine SommerTP 3 Charli Jacoby HK 2 Joanna Kitlinski LP 1 Hope Rogers Replacements:HK 16Kathryn Treder PR 17Catherine Benson PR 18Nick James LK 19Jenny Kronish FL 20Elizabeth Cairns SH 21Carly Waters FH 22Megan Foster WG 23Lotte Clapp Coach: Rob Cain FB 15Rinka Matsuda RW 14Hinano NaguraOC 13Mana FurutaIC 12Minori YamamotoLW 11Komachi Imakugi FH 10Ayasa OtsukaSH 9 Megumi Abe N8 8 Seina SaitoOF 7 Kyoko Hosokawa BF 6 Iroha NagataRL 5 Maki Takano LL 4 Yuna Sato TP 3 Sachiko Kato HK 2 Kotomi Taniguchi LP 1 Saki Minami (c) Replacements:HK 16Hinata Komaki PR 17Nijiho Nagata PR 18Wako Kitano LK 19Kie Tamai FL 20Otoka Yoshimura SH 21Moe Tsukui CE 22Ria Anoku FL 23Ayano Nagai Coach: Lesley McKenzie Player of the Match: Kate Zackary (United States) Assistant referees: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy) Television match official: Ian Tempest (England)
Italy vs Canada
Team details FB 15Vittoria Ostuni MinuzziRW 14Aura MuzzoOC 13Michela SillariIC 12Beatrice RigoniLW 11Maria MagattiFH 10Veronica MadiaSH 9 Sofia Stefan N8 8 Elisa Giordano (c)OF 7 Giada Franco BF 6 Beatrice Veronese RL 5 Giordana DucaLL 4 Valeria FedrighiTP 3 Sara Seye HK 2 Melissa BettoniLP 1 Silvia TuraniReplacements:HK 16Vittoria VecchiniPR 17Gaia Maris PR 18Emanuela SteccaLK 19Isabella Locatelli FL 20Francesca Sgorbini SH 21Sara Barattin CE 22Alyssa D'Incà FL 23Francesca GranzottoCoach: Andrea Di Giandomenico FB 15Elissa AlarieRW 14Maddy GrantOC 13Sara KaljuveeIC 12Alex TessierLW 11Paige FarriesFH 10Julia SchellSH 9 Brianna Miller N8 8 Sophie de Goede (c)OF 7 Sara SvobodaBF 6 Fabiola FortezaRL 5 Tyson Beukeboom LL 4 Courtney Holtkamp TP 3 DaLeaka Menin HK 2 Emily Tuttosi LP 1 Olivia DeMerchant Replacements:HK 16Gillian Boag PR 17Brittany Kassil PR 18Alex Ellis LK 19McKinley Hunt LK 20Emma Taylor FL 21Karen Paquin SH 22Justine Pelletier WG 23Alysha CorriganCoach: Kévin Rouet Assistant referees: Aurélie Groizeleau (France) Doriane Domenjo (France) Television match official: Lee Jeffrey (New Zealand) Notes: Olivia DeMerchant (Canada) earned her 50th test cap. Sara Tounesi was originally named on Italy's bench at 19, but withdrew before kickoff due to injury. Francesca Granzotto came onto the bench at 23, pushing everyone between 19 and 23 down a number.
Japan vs Italy
Team details FB 15Rinka MatsudaRW 14Hinano NaguraOC 13Mana FurutaIC 12Minori Yamamoto LW 11Komachi Imakugi FH 10Ayasa OtsukaSH 9 Megumi Abe N8 8 Seina SaitoOF 7 Iroha NagataBF 6 Kyoko Hosokawa RL 5 Maki Takano LL 4 Yuna Sato TP 3 Sachiko Kato HK 2 Kotomi TaniguchiLP 1 Saki Minami (c) Replacements:HK 16Hinata KomakiPR 17Makoto Lavemai PR 18Otoka Yoshimura LK 19Masami Kawamura FL 20Sakurako Korai SH 21Moe Tsukui CE 22Shione Nakayama FL 23Ria Anoku Coach: Lesley McKenzie FB 15Vittoria Ostuni MinuzziRW 14Aura MuzzoOC 13Michela SillariIC 12Beatrice RigoniLW 11Maria MagattiFH 10Veronica MadiaSH 9 Sara Barattin N8 8 Elisa Giordano (c)OF 7 Giada FrancoBF 6 Francesca SgorbiniRL 5 Giordana DucaLL 4 Sara Tounesi TP 3 Sara SeyeHK 2 Melissa BettoniLP 1 Silvia TuraniReplacements:HK 16Vittoria VecchiniPR 17Gaia MarisPR 18Emanuela SteccaLK 19Valeria Fedrighi FL 20Isabella LocatelliFL 21Beatrice Veronese SH 22Sofia Stefan WG 23Alyssa D'IncàCoach: Andrea Di Giandomenico
Assistant referees: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) Tyler Miller (Australia) Television match official: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Canada vs United States
Team details FB 15Elissa AlarieRW 14Maddy GrantOC 13Alysha CorriganIC 12Sara Kaljuvee LW 11Paige Farries FH 10Alex Tessier SH 9 Justine PelletierN8 8 Sophie de Goede (c) OF 7 Sara SvobodaBF 6 Karen PaquinRL 5 McKinley Hunt LL 4 Courtney Holtkamp TP 3 DaLeaka Menin HK 2 Emily Tuttosi LP 1 Brittany Kassil Replacements:HK 16Gillian Boag PR 17Mikiela Nelson PR 18Olivia DeMerchant LK 19Ngalula Fuamba LK 20Tyson Beukeboom FL 21Gabby Senft SH 22Anaïs Holly FH 23Julia Schell Coach: Kévin Rouet FB 15Tess FeuryRW 14Jennine DetiveauxOC 13Eti Haungatau IC 12Alev KelterLW 11Lotte ClappFH 10Gabby Cantorna SH 9 Carly Waters N8 8 Kate Zackary (c)OF 7 Rachel JohnsonBF 6 Kathryn Johnson RL 5 Evelyn Ashenbrucker LL 4 Kristine SommerTP 3 Nick James HK 2 Joanna Kitlinski LP 1 Hope Rogers Replacements:HK 16Kathryn Treder PR 17Catherine Benson PR 18Charli Jacoby LK 19Jenny Kronish FL 20Elizabeth Cairns SH 21Bridget Kahele CE 22Katana Howard FB 23Meya Bizer Coach: Rob Cain Player of the Match: Alysha Corrigan (Canada) Assistant referees: Joy Neville (Ireland) Doriane Domenjo (France) Television match official: Ian Tempest (England)
References