Canadian rugby 7s women beat Fiji to reach semis in Hong Kong, will face No. 1 New Zealand

Carissa Norsten was the star of the show as Canada emerged victorious against Fiji in the Cup quarterfinals of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. Norsten scored two tries, showcasing her speed and skill on the field. Alongside Norsten, Fancy Bermudez and Carmen Izyk also contributed with tries for Canada. The team led Fiji 14-12 at halftime, eventually securing a 26-17 win. Olivia Apps, Breanne Nicholas, and Taylor Perry were instrumental in converting the tries for Canada.

The Canadian women, ranked sixth in the overall standings coming into the Hong Kong Sevens, are now set to face top-ranked New Zealand in the semifinals at the new Kai Tak Stadium on Sunday. The team’s journey to the knockout rounds saw them finish second in Pool C. They started with a 24-17 win against Japan, suffered a 26-15 loss to Australia, and bounced back with a 29-10 victory over Spain.

Australia, who finished at the top of the pool, will face France in the other women’s semifinal. In the men’s semifinals, Australia will take on Argentina, while Fiji will go head-to-head with France. The Canadian women have been steadily improving throughout the season, finishing eighth in Dubai, fifth in Cape Town, fourth in Perth, and seventh in Vancouver. New Zealand has been a dominant force, winning in Cape Town and Vancouver, and finishing as runners-up in Dubai and Perth.

After Hong Kong, the next stop on the circuit will be Singapore for the penultimate event on April 5-6. The top eight men’s and women’s teams will then compete in the season-ending world championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on May 3-4. Additionally, a promotion/relegation playoff will take place, involving the top four teams from the HSBC Sevens Challenger and the bottom four teams from the HSBC SVNS circuit.

The Canadian men, who were relegated last June, are gearing up for the final Challenger Series event in Krakow, Poland on April 11-12. With exciting matchups and fierce competition, the rugby sevens season is in full swing, promising fans more thrilling action in the upcoming events.