Canadian Women’s Rugby Team Falls to Australia at HSBC SVNS Stop

The Canadian women’s rugby team got off to a strong start but ultimately suffered a 35-14 defeat to Australia at BC Place Stadium during the HSBC SVNS stop. Despite taking an early lead with tries from Florence Symonds and Alysa Corrigan, Canada couldn’t maintain their momentum as Australia scored 35 unanswered points to secure the win.

Next up for Canada (2-1) is a challenging quarterfinal match against New Zealand (3-0) on Saturday night. The Canadian team will need to regroup and focus on their strengths to compete against the top-ranked New Zealand squad.

The home crowd at BC Place Stadium was energized by Canada’s early success, but Australia’s speed and physicality proved to be too much for the Canadian women to handle. Tia Hinds led the Australian team with two tries and three conversions, helping them dominate the match after falling behind early.

Despite the loss, Canada remains in contention in the overall women’s standings with 32 points, currently sitting in fifth place. New Zealand leads the standings with 56 points, followed closely by Australia and France.

Looking ahead to the quarterfinal match against New Zealand, Florence Symonds emphasized the importance of focusing on what they can control and improving their possession and defensive play. The Canadian team will need to make adjustments and come out strong against a tough opponent.

Earlier in the tournament, Canada opened with a win over Brazil and a dominant victory over Spain. Charity Williams reached a milestone by scoring her 100th career try, while Asia Hogan-Rochester contributed three tries and a conversion in the team’s success.

As the tournament progresses, the other quarterfinal matchups will feature the United States against Japan, Brazil facing Fiji, and Britain squaring off against Australia. The competition is fierce, with 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams vying for the title.

Canada’s men’s team, relegated from the elite tour last year, is participating in an invitational tournament and recently secured a 50-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. The men are looking to make a statement and showcase their skills on the international stage.

In other women’s matches at the tournament, Britain narrowly defeated Fiji, France overpowered Japan, China shut out Ireland, and New Zealand dominated the United States. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the tournament, with the finals set to take place on Sunday.