RWC2025 | Canada beat New Zealand 34-19 at Ashton Gate on Friday to book their place in the final of Rugby World Cup 2025

RWC2025 | Canada beat New Zealand 34-19 at Ashton Gate on Friday to book their place in the final of Rugby World Cup 2025

Canada beat New Zealand 34-19 at Ashton Gate on Friday to book their place in the final of Rugby World Cup 2025.

Story of the match

Canada made a lightning-quick start to the match, needing only ten minutes to rack up a 12-0 lead thanks to tries from Justine Pelletier and winger Asia Hogan-Rochester. When Florence Symonds then dotted down shortly before the 25-minute mark, things looked ominous for six-time champions New Zealand.

The Black Ferns did hit back through tight-head prop Tanya Kalounivale, but versatile Canadian second-row Sophie de Goede then burst through midfield to score under the posts and give her side a 24-7 lead at half-time.

 

Canada started the second half as they did the first, with Alex Tessier crashing over from close range within three minutes of the break. Things settled down somewhat from there, but it looked like there was life in the semi-final yet when Liana Mikaele-Tu'u powered her way over before Braxton Sorensen-McGee got on the end of a cross-field kick to make it 31-19.

But with just shy of ten minutes remaining, Canada were awarded a penalty in front of the posts and De Goede stepped up to put the result to bed with a successful shot at goal that secured a 34-19 victory in front of the 24,392 in attendance in Bristol.

Mastercard player of the match

Livewire scrum-half Justine Pelletier scored the first points of the match after throwing a slick dummy to dive over the line untouched, but it was far from her only influence.

The number nine was all over the Bristol turf on both sides of the ball, putting in big hits and getting up time and again to keep her side humming with 91 metres made from 12 carries, helping her side book a second ever place in a Rugby World Cup final.

Stat of the day

9 - Braxton Sorensen-McGee has now scored nine tries this tournament - the third most in a Women's Rugby World Cup. Only Jennifer Crawford 10 (1994 - USA) and Portia Woodman 13 (2017 - NZL) rank ahead of her. 

Next steps

Canada will play in the final of Rugby World Cup 2025 at Allianz Stadium in London on Saturday, 27 September - their second appearance in a final after losing to England in the showpiece at Rugby World Cup 2014. They will have to wait for the semi-final between France and England in Bristol on Saturday to find out who they will face. New Zealand, meanwhile, will feature in the third-place playoff against whichever team loses that second semi-final.



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