Kazakhstan lived up to their billing as tournament favourites by beating host nation China 34-5 in the final of the 2007 Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) Women’s Championship at the National Sports Training Centre, Haigeng in Kunming on Sunday.

More than half of Kazakhstan’s squad had played in last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in Canada and they dominated from the outset in the final against the defending champions, who were missing a couple of key players through injury.

The strong running of flanker Anna Yakovleva saw her regularly break through the Chinese defensive line as Kazakhstan established a 19-0 lead at half time with tries from Anastassiya Khamova, Maryana Balashova and Irina Radizivil.

Kazakhstan had three players sin-binned in the match, two of them within five minutes of each other in the second half, but increased their lead to 34-0 with two tries from Olga Rudoy and another from Irina Amossova.

However China, without number 8 Bai Ying and full back Liu Yan who had impressed before suffering knee injuries in their 39-6 defeat of Singapore in their opening match, had the final say with a last gasp try from full back Lui Tingting.

Third place finish for Japan

The final may have been a convincing victory for Kazakhstan, but they had needed a 76th minute try by Olga Bakhtsan to book their place in it with a 10-6 victory over a smaller Japanese team who had controlled much of the match to that point.

Japan, boosted by their performance against the favourites, went on to claim third place with a 20-7 defeat of a much-improved Singapore team on Saturday with wing Marie Yamaguchi and prop Aiko Shikanai their standout players.

Tries by wing Tomoe Yamada, centre Moemi Goto and Yamaguchi gave Japan a 15-0 lead at half time and that became 20-0 just past the hour mark when hooker Saya Nagata touched down.

However Singapore, who had struggled in the second half against China two days earlier, finished the playoff strongly and were rewarded for their commitment with an injury time try from wing Jeslyn Lim.

Winning start for Canada 

Meanwhile Canada ran in eight tries to beat a new look Scotland 45-3 at Hughenden in Glasgow to ensure a memorable first match in charge for their head coach Quentin Fyffe on Sunday.

Five players made their international debuts for Scotland, while Canada fielded many of the players who had helped them finish fourth at the Women's RWC and duly lead 23-3 at half time after tries from fly half Anna Schnell, centre Mandy Marchuk, prop Marlene Donaldson and wing Maria Gallo.

Louise Dalgliesh had kicked Scotland's only points with a 23rd minute penalty and things got worse for the home side when Ronnie Fitzpatrick was sin-binned, Canada making the most of their advantage with a try by number 8 Katie Murray.

Scotland came close to scoring a try on a couple of occasions, before Canada added three tries in the final quarter through flanker Jen Kish, Gallo and scrum half Laura Stoughton to run out convincing winners.