Canada’s women wasted no time showing the world what they’re made of, scoring inside two minutes and never letting up as they flattened Australia 46-5 in Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in Bristol, England.
Facing the No. 7-ranked Wallaroos, the Canadian side, ranked second globally, played like a team on a mission. Asia Hogan-Rochester crossed the line before fans could settle in, her try the spark for a five-try first half that left Australia chasing shadows. Alysha Corrigan bagged a pair, with Sophie de Goede and McKinley Hunt crashing over too. De Goede’s boot was sharp as ever, slotting four conversions to add to her tournament tally and locking up player of the match honours with 13 points.
By halftime, it was 31-5 for Canada, who controlled possession and stifled nearly every Australian attack except for Desiree Miller’s early answer. Even when Australia dug in after the break and the rain fell, the Canadians refused to let up. Fabiola Forteza finished off a slick move from a stolen throw-in, and veteran Karen Paquin, all 38 years of her, stormed across the line from 40 metres out to cap the rout. Captain Alex Tessier put her stamp on the affair with a late penalty.
Don’t let the final score fool you—it could’ve been even wider if not for two tries called back. The Canadians have now reached the World Cup semifinals for the sixth time, a measure of their consistency and hunger. Their reward: a Friday showdown against the only side with more pedigree, the Black Ferns of New Zealand, who hammered South Africa earlier in the day.
With Corrigan and Hunt each notching four tries at this tournament and Julia Schell leading all Canadians with six, Canada carries serious firepower and momentum into the semifinal. They know the challenge will be fierce, but with a performance like this, they’ve put the rugby world on notice. Every inch of the pitch in Bristol showed the grit, skill, and confidence that has fans dreaming big.
References:
Canada dominates Australia to reach Women’s Rugby World Cup semis, will face New Zealand
