Giants New Zealand must be wary of bogey team Canada in World Cup semi-final

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Maple Leafs have gone under the radar at Women’s Rugby World Cup but underdogs can upset the championsFor anyone who might be thinking champions New Zealand are a shoo-in to make the Rugby World Cup final, Canada have three key attributes to suggest they can knock out the Black Ferns in their semi-final on Friday evening: Belief, fast ruck speed and Sophie de Goede.Canada are the world No 2 side and came close to beating England at the 2024 WXV 1, yet have gone under the radar in the buildup to this tournament and during its early stages, with much of the attention focused on the potential for a rematch of the 2022 final between New Zealand and hosts England.Against the Black Ferns in the last four at Ashton Gate, Canada will still be viewed as underdogs in some circles, something the team have spoken about a lot, according to the wing Alysha Corrigan.“It is something that isn’t new for us, we are usually seen as that underdog and not always getting that recognition we think we deserve,” says Corrigan.“I think that is something that fuels our fire.

”The self-belief is understandable, stemming from recent results between the semi-final opponents.Canada beat New Zealand for the first time at the 2024 Pacific Four tournament and the last time the two teams met at the 2025 Pac Four they drew 27-27.“The first time we beat them that pushed us, it gave us a huge boost of confidence,” says Canada’s captain, Alex Tessier.“Drawing against them confirmed where we are at, that we have been growing.We have grown after each game.

”For their part, the champions are wary; the most-capped Black Fern in history, the former scrum-half, Kendra Cocksedge, highlighed Kévin Rouet’s team as one to cause them problems.“I believe they are our bogey team at the moment to be honest.” Cocksedge says.“As soon as you beat the black jersey your tail’s up and you give them confidence.They are playing with that, they are ones we seriously need to consider.

”An element of Canada’s game which could unlock their opponent’s impressive defence is their fast ruck speed.They had the fastest average of any team throughout the pool stage, with 79% in less than three seconds against Scotland in their final and most competitive pool match.They did not slow down in their quarter-final either and if defences are a split second too slow to react, Canada will score – the tally is 30 tries across their four games so far this tournament.Then we come to the third reason, De Goede.One of the tournament’s best players, her performances are all the more impressive given the context that the semi-final will be only her eighth game since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Rouet has described De Goede as the “cherry on the cake” for Canada, coming into her prime at the right time,The former captain’s statistics back up the hype around her all-action game – two tries, 17 conversions as the team’s goalkicker, successful completion of 47 tackles out of an attempted 50 and four turnovers won,Sign up to The BreakdownThe latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewedafter newsletter promotionDespite Canada’s credentials, New Zealand are more than capable of victory, despite being handed a blow with Jorja Miller’s injury,They have won six World Cups after all,They also have the highest World Cup try-scorer in Portia Woodman-Wickliffe on one wing and the current tournament top points and try-scorer on the other in Braxton Sorensen-McGee.

While Canada’s recent record against them is strong, that first win over New Zealand was preceded by 17 consecutive defeats.No matter who books their spot in the final the game should be one of the best, not only in this tournament but in World Cup history.The tournament giants against a force on the rise.
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How to turn fruit and veg odds and ends into a frozen food topping – recipe | Waste not

While most Instagram food trends prioritise spectacle over substance, the viral frozen tomato idea that I’m employing today delivers genuine culinary value, and solves a common kitchen problem into the bargain. I’m a bit late to the party, admittedly, but it’s a versatile waste-saving technique.Its origin clearly derives from either Hawaiian shaved ice or granita, that classic Italian frozen dessert made by stirring and scraping or grating a sorbet-like base into shavings, and the approach essentially applies granita principles to fresh produce, while at the same time cutting out all of the hassle: simply pop any surplus or past-its-best fruit or vegetables in the freezer until they’re rock solid, then grate!The freezer is one of the best tools we have for saving waste, so if in doubt, freeze! I especially love the simplicity of this incredibly versatile dish, which can help save on waste by making use of various odds and ends or of wonky fruit and veg at the back of the crisper drawer by simply freezing it for later, then upcycling it into a really special starter.Burrata is the perfect vehicle for the subtlety of this shaved ice. It’s made by stretching a ball of mozzarella into a delicate pouch, and filling it with stracciatella (essentially, strands of mozzarella mixed with cream), and so creating one of the most delicious cheeses known to humankind

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Wanted: bakes to make use of a glut of homemade jam | Kitchen aide

I have a lot of jam made with all kinds of berries – are there any bakes that would use some of it up? Anne-Lies, Gouda, the Netherlands“Jam is at the heart of many great British puddings and cakes, so there are never too many jars in my house!” says Emily Cuddeford, co-founder of Edinburgh’s Twelve Triangles bakery. Her first thought, though, would be to tip a jar of the sweet stuff into a buttered ceramic baking dish and top it with sponge: “Make a classic, equal-parts mix scaled to your dish by creaming, say, 180g butter and 180g sugar, slowly beating in an egg and a dash of vanilla or lemon zest, and finishing with 180g self-raising flour.” Spoon that on top of the jam and bake at 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5 until the sponge “bounces back” and a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with cream or custard, and job’s a good ’un.You’ll also want jam to fill or top cakes

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Tell us about the worst meal you have cooked

From an overambitious birthday cake to an adventurous would-be feast that ended up in the dustbin, we would like to hear about the worst meal you’ve ever cooked.We will feature a selection in an article of humorous (and non-lethal) anecdotes of culinary disaster for G2.You can tell us about the worst meal you've cooked by filling in the form below.Please include as much detail as possible.Please note, the maximum file size is 5

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Thomasina Miers’ recipes for cod with courgettes, green olives and lemon, and a blackberry and almond slice

There is something so simple but so delicious about a parcel of fish. Like unwrapping an edible present, the smell hits you before anything else, which in this case is fennel, thyme and lemon. It is a delicate way to cook fish, so the sauce needs to have some character, and basil, olives and lemon with a slick of olive oil make a beautiful, late-summer seasoning. Round off the feast with a blackberry and crisp almond pastry slice that tastes all the better if you forage your own fruit.The sharp acidity of the lemon and olive herb salsa is stunning with the gently baked fish

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Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for bibimbap with miso-peanut sauce | Quick & easy

I love bibimbap, the Korean rice bowls – they’re a great way to use up bits and pieces in the fridge; arrange them beautifully on a bowl of rice and top with an egg and Korean chilli sauce. I don’t always have gochujang at home, so came up with this addictive miso-peanut chilli sauce instead. Roast the vegetables in some sesame oil in a tray, pop the rice in the microwave, boil or fry an egg, and that’s dinner sorted.Any leftovers are wonderful the next day – just heat through until piping hot.Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Serves 41 aubergine, trimmed and cut into 1

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Chetna Makan’s recipes for corn on the cob curry and coriander mint chutney butter corn

Inspired by a corn curry from Maharashtra, today’s recipe has the perfect umami flavour: a bit of heat from the chillies, some gentle sweetness from the sugar and lots of sourness from the lime juice, along with the creamy coconut milk and juicy corn. The sharpness of a fresh, herby chutney with salty butter, meanwhile, makes the perfect topping for barbecued corn on the cob. I often cook the corn straight on the hob, which is a bit tricky, but it’s how we did it when I was growing up in India.Prep 10 min Cook 45 min Serves 4-6For the curry4 corn cobs, cut in half widthways2-3 tbsp peanut oil, or sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped20 curry leaves 400ml coconut milk 1 tsp saltFor the curry paste40g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks10g fresh mint, leaves only6 garlic cloves, peeled2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled 4 green chillies, stalks discarded, flesh roughly chopped (remove the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat) 1 medium-sized red onion, peeled and roughly chopped1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsp soft brown sugar ½ tsp ground turmeric 4 tbsp lime juicePut the corn pieces in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain