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CBC
17-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
New Zealand rallies with late try to tie Canada in pulsating women's rugby clash
After a somewhat laboured start to the Pacific Four Series in a 26-14 win over the U.S., Canada laid down a marker ahead of the Rugby World Cup with a pulsating 27-27 draw Saturday with reigning World Cup champion New Zealand. Trailing 27-22, the third-ranked Black Ferns needed a try with the clock in the red to pull even at Apollo Projects Stadium. After kicking for touch off a Canadian offside penalty, New Zealand had a lineout 10 metres from the Canadian try-line with seconds remaining in regulation time. The second-ranked Canadians stopped the ensuing rolling maul but the Black Ferns started moving the ball side to side. The last-ditch attack lasted 22 phases with Canada defending courageously before Sylvia Brunt cashed over in the corner to tie the game at 27-27. Black Ferns fly half Ruahei Demant had a chance to win it but missed a difficult conversion from the sideline. Shoshanah Seumanutafa had scored in the 76th minute to give Canada a 27-22 lead, touching down with a desperate lunge for the try-line after breaking through two tacklers. Julia Schell missed the conversion leaving Canada ahead by five points. It was a dramatic finale to a high-tempo game, that was tied 12-12 after a first half that featured some fierce if occasionally sloppy play at the breakdown. The high error rate was not unexpected from two teams playing just their second test of the year. 'Still a positive result' The game was a measuring stick for both teams some three months ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England where the two sides could meet in the semifinal. "What I said to the girls at the end of the game was that a couple of years ago we would have been happy with a tie game but now we are leaving disappointed," said Canada coach Kevin Rouet. "I think we need to reflect on that and we can still say that it was a good performance but with a lot to work on. "I saw the players' faces at the end of the game, they were mad but at the end of the day it's a tie game against New Zealand in New Zealand, so still a positive result." The draw leaves Canada ahead of the Black Ferns in the rankings. There were big hits delivered by both sides, with Canadian flanker Karen Paquin flattening a New Zealand ball-runner in the first half. Canadian back Asia Hogan-Rochester, who needed treatment late in the first half, was replaced at the break. In the second half, Canada lost backrower Gabrielle Senft to injury and captain Alex Tessier when she failed a head injury assessment. Canada impressed at set pieces, controlling lineouts and bossing some scrums. "It was a tight battle that really could have gone either way," said Tessier. "I think it's a bit unfortunate that we couldn't finish that game with a win because I thought we had it. "We could have managed the game a bit better to seal the win but we will take the learnings from the end of that game. It is good for us to be in big games like this especially this year with the World Cup ahead of us." 1st ever victory over New Zealand came in 2024 Canada won last year's Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch. The Canadian women had lost all 17 meetings before that, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. New Zealand had outscored Canada 718-176 before Saturday's game. It was a back-and-forth affair with Canada twice rallying from deficits to tie New Zealand in the first half. Hogan-Rochester, DaLeaka Menin, Alysha Corrigan and Olivia Apps also scored tries for Canada. Schell kicked a conversion. Ayesha Leti-I'iga scored two tries for New Zealand with Braxton Sorensen-McGee adding a single. Demant booted two conversions and a penalty. New Zealand pulled ahead 19-12 in the 54th minute when Leti-I'iga gathered in Brunt's deft grubber kick to score her second try. Sorensen-McGee, an 18-year-old fullback playing in just her second test match, set the table with a swerving run through traffic. Canada responded with Apps darting over for a try after a rolling maul stalled near the Black Ferns try-line. But Schell missed the conversion near the sideline, leaving Canada trailing 19-17. The Canadians kept coming and, taking advantage of a poor New Zealand clearing kick, scored again in the 64th with Corrigan scoring on an overlap for a 22-19 lead. The Black Ferns, who defeated No. 6 Australia 38-12 in its tournament opener last Saturday in Newcastle, Australia, tied it up in the 69th minute via a Demant penalty kick in front of the posts. Australia hosted the ninth-ranked U.S. in Canberra later Saturday. Canada closes out the tournament against Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 23. That same day, New Zealand plays the U.S. in Auckland. The Pacific Four Series marks the Canadian women's first time together this year ahead of the World Cup, which runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England. Canada has been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji.
National Post
17-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Late try gives New Zealand a 27-27 tie with Canada in Pacific Four Series rugby
CHRISTCHURCH — Sylvia Brunt scored with the clock in the red as reigning World Cup champion New Zealand rallied for a 27-27 tie with Canada in Pacific Four Series women's rugby play Saturday. Article content Article content Black Ferns fly half Ruahei Demant had a chance to win it but missed a difficult conversion from the sideline. Article content It was a pulsating ending to a hard-fought game, with the Black Ferns' final attack lasting more than 20 phases — blunted repeatedly by some desperate Canadian defence until Brunt went over. Article content Shoshanah Seumanutafa had scored in the 76th minute to give Canada a 27-22 lead, touching down with a desperate lunge for the try-line after breaking through two tacklers. Julia Schell missed the conversion leaving Canada ahead by five points. Article content The game was tied 12-12 after a high-paced, intense first half that featured some fierce if occasionally sloppy play at the breakdown, with the high error rate not unexpected from two teams playing just their second test of the year. Article content Still it was a measuring stick for both teams, with Canada ranked second in the world and New Zealand No. 3, some three months ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England where the two sides could meet in the semifinal. Article content There were big hits delivered by both sides, with Canadian flanker Karen Paquin flattening a New Zealand ball-runner in the first half. Canada also impressed at set pieces, controlling lineouts and bossing some scrums. Article content Canadian back Asia Hogan-Rochester, who needed treatment late in the first half, was replaced at the break. In the second half, Canada lost backrower Gabrielle Senft to injury and captain Alex Tessier when she failed a head injury assessment. Article content Article content Canada won last year's Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch. Saturday's rematch was at the same venue, Apollo Projects Stadium. Article content The Canadian women had lost all 17 meetings with the Black Ferns before that, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. New Zealand had outscored Canada 718-176 before Saturday's game. Article content Hogan-Rochester, DaLeaka Menin, Alysha Corrigan and Olivia Apps also scored tries for Canada. Schell kicked a conversion. Article content Ayesha Leti-I'iga scored two tries for New Zealand with Braxton Sorensen-McGee adding a single. Demant booted two conversions and a penalty. Article content New Zealand had needed to win Saturday to replace Canada in second place in the rankings. Article content New Zealand pulled ahead 19-12 in the 54th minute when Leti-I'iga gathered in Brunt's deft grubber kick to score her second try. Sorensen-McGee, an 18-year-old fullback played in just her second test match, set the table with a swerving run through traffic. Article content Canada responded with Apps darting over for a try after a rolling maul stalled near the Black Ferns try-line. But Schell missed the conversion near the sideline, leaving Canada trailing 19-17. The Canadians kept coming and, taking advantage of a poor New Zealand clearing kick, scored again in the 64th with Corrigan scoring on an overlap for a 22-19 lead.
CBC
26-01-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canadian women climb to 5th in rugby 7s standings with season-best 4th-place effort
The Canadian women climbed two places to fifth in the HSBC SVNS overall standings after placing a season-best fourth Sunday at the Perth stop on the elite rugby sevens circuit. Unbeaten in pool play and a 27-5 quarterfinal winner over Brazil, Canada's winning run ended in a 24-17 semifinal loss to eventual champion Australia. Trailing 19-0 at the half, the Canadians rallied to cut the margin to 19-17 on tries by Shoshanah Seumanutafa, Asia Hogan-Rochester and Carmen Izyk and conversions by Olivia Apps. A Demi Hayes try with the clock in the red sealed the Australian victory. Australia, beaten 21-12 by Canada in the semifinal of the Paris Olympics, has now downed the Canadians in each of the three events to date this season — 39-0 in the Dubai quarterfinal and 26-10 in pool play in Cape Town last time out — to improve its career HSBC SVNS record against the Canadians to 26-14-1. France then defeated Canada 14-12 to finish third for a third tournament in a row. A converted try by Florence Symonds gave Canada an early 7-0 lead only to see the French pull ahead in the 13th minute when Alycia Chrystiaens converted her own try, taking advantage of a Canada error on its own try-line. Despite missing injured stars Maddison Levi and Faith Nathan, second-seeded Australia held on to edge season-leading New Zealand 28-26 in the final. Tied 14-14 at the half, Australia finally pulled ahead for good on Heidi Dennis's second try of the game. The 19-year-old Dennis, named player of the final, attributed the win to "just grit, all the way to the end." "They really made us fight for that one," she added. It marked Australia's first tournament win on home soil since 2018. Argentina lifted the men's trophy with a dominant 41-5 victory over Australia. Fiji, Argentina and Spain each have 48 points atop the men's standings with South Africa fourth on 44. Chance for redemption in Vancouver The teams now have a break before heading to Vancouver for the fourth stop of the season Feb. 21-23 at B.C. Place Stadium. Canada will renew acquaintances with Australia in Pool A in Vancouver along with No. 9 Brazil and No. 12 Spain. Canada arrived in Perth seventh in the overall standings after finishing eighth in Dubai and fifth in Cape Town. The Canadian women went 1-4-0 in Dubai and 3-1-0 in Cape Town. The Australian women. who also won in Dubai, have moved within two points of New Zealand, which won in Cape Town and was runner-up in Dubai. The French remain third. With this HSBC SVNS season the first in the new Olympic quadrennial, Canada head coach Jocelyn Barrieau has been blooding new talent. She included seven new faces in her squad for the first two stops on tour. And Olivia Sarabura, Larah Wright and Gabrielle Senft made their sevens debut in Perth while Seumanutafa scored her first HSBC SVNS try. Canada lost Savannah Bauder to an injury in training on the eve of the Perth tournament. Rugby Canada declined to elaborate on the injury when asked for more details. After Vancouver, the seven-stop circuit moves to Hong Kong and Singapore before wrapping up May 3-4 in Carson, Calif. The Singapore event will crown the SVNS season winners before the top eight men's and women's teams take part in the winner-takes-all world championship at California's Dignity Health Sports Park. The Canadian women finished fifth in the standings last season before losing 26-14 to New Zealand in June in Madrid in the third-place game. Australia won the women's title, defeating France 26-7. Canada's men dropped off the circuit last June after being beaten 22-14 by Spain in a relegation decider in Madrid. They are looking to earn a chance back into the top tier via World Rugby's Challenger Series.
