Canada’s incredible run in the women’s Olympic rugby sevens tournament continued on Tuesday with a shock 21-12 victory over Australia, securing their place in the final against reigning champions New Zealand. This follows their emotional win over France on Monday.
Australia, who lost to Fiji in the quarterfinals four years ago as defending champions, seemed poised for a return to the final after dominating their first four matches. They started strong, with Maddison Levi scoring within the first minute to extend her own Games record for tries to 12. Sariah Paki added another try, but Canada’s Charity Williams responded with a 75-meter run, cutting the deficit to 12-7.
Canada, who displayed remarkable confidence and aggression against France, brought that energy into the second half. Asia Hogan-Rochester scored, with Olivia Apps converting, to give Canada a 14-12 lead. As Australia struggled to gain ground, a dropped ball allowed Piper Logan to score for a famous victory.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, who had previously secured a spot in the semi-finals with a dominant 55-5 win over China, faced a tougher challenge against the United States. The Americans initially took the lead through Alev Kelter, but Stacey Waaka scored two tries to give New Zealand a 7-5 halftime advantage. Michaela Blyde added two more tries, showcasing her unstoppable form, to solidify New Zealand’s victory.
Canada’s bronze medal finish in 2016 means they are guaranteed at least silver this time. However, their two impressive performances have them eyeing gold. New Zealand, on the other hand, is always aiming for gold and will be looking to maintain their dominance in the final.
The gold medal match between Canada and New Zealand will take place on Tuesday at 1745 GMT. France and China will play for fifth place earlier in the day, following their respective wins over Britain and Ireland.
