The Daily Star Ireland
Canada booked their place in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final with a commanding 34–19 victory over reigning champions New Zealand at Ashton Gate. In a match brimming with intensity, the Canadians stormed into a commanding lead before holding firm against a second-half surge from the Black Ferns.
A Historic Triumph for Canada
Alex Tessier’s side produced a near-flawless first-half display, racing to a 31–7 advantage that stunned both the defending champions and the wider rugby world. Six-time winners New Zealand had not lost a World Cup fixture since their 2014 defeat to Ireland—a remarkable 18-match winning streak—but on this night they found themselves second best in nearly every department.
It was only Canada’s second win over the Black Ferns in 20 encounters, yet the manner of their dominance underlined the team’s growing stature in the global game. For England and France, who face off in the other semi-final, the result will be an ominous warning of Canada’s precision, power, and belief ahead of next week’s final at Twickenham.
First-Half Blitz Leaves Black Ferns Reeling
The contest was billed as a thriller between the world’s second- and third-ranked nations, and it lived up to that hype. The early exchanges saw both teams keep the ball alive at high tempo, but it was Canada who demonstrated the sharper edge.
Player of the match Justine Pelletier opened the scoring with a clever dummy after Alysha Corrigan’s surging run, before Asia Hogan-Rochester powered down the flank to add a second try. With the Black Ferns reeling, Florence Symonds finished off a sweeping move to make it 17–0 after just 24 minutes.
New Zealand briefly responded through Tanya Kalounivale after a brilliant restart catch from Stacey Waaka, but Canada quickly reasserted control. Pelletier again proved decisive, weaving through traffic before offloading to captain Sophie de Goede, who galloped over to extend the lead.
Canada Hold Off Second-Half Comeback
The second half began with more Canadian brilliance, Tessier slicing through the defense to score their fifth try following another bulldozing run from Hogan-Rochester. At 31–7, the game looked out of reach.
But the Black Ferns, stung by pride, began to mount a response. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u muscled over to close the gap, and Braxton Sorensen-McGee added another after collecting a pinpoint cross-field kick from Ruahei Demant. With momentum shifting, New Zealand were finally winning collisions and testing a Canadian defense that looked stretched for the first time.
Yet Canada’s composure held. De Goede added a late penalty to settle nerves, and the Canadians closed out the match intelligently, resisting the late onslaught as New Zealand ran out of steam.
What This Means
The victory not only ends New Zealand’s decade-long dominance on the World Cup stage but also propels Canada into their first final in nearly 30 years. With stars like Pelletier, De Goede, and Hogan-Rochester in peak form, they will approach the Twickenham final brimming with confidence.
For New Zealand, the loss marks the end of an era and a reminder that the balance of power in women’s rugby is shifting. For Canada, it is the beginning of a golden opportunity to seize history.
