Canadian women's rugby 7s team defeats U.S. to secure 5th place at tournament in B.C.
CBC
The Canadian women's rugby sevens team held on to secure a fifth-place finish at the World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Langford, B.C., with a 12-7 win over the rival Americans on Sunday.
Canada advanced to the fifth-place play-off with a 26-19 upset victory over Olympic bronze medallists Fiji in their fifth-place semifinal, which followed a tough 38-0 loss to reigning Olympic champions New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
The eighth-ranked Canadians struck first against the U.S. as Florence Symonds continued her strong play with a try in the first half at Starlight Stadium. Canada added insurance when Keyara Wardley broke into the open field for another try in the final minute of the half.
Captain Olivia Apps converted the second try to put the World Cup-bound squad up 12-0 entering the second half.
The U.S. cut the lead down to five points with a try from Kristi Kirshe and convert by Alena Olsen with less than six minutes left, but Canada managed to lock down the win in front of the 2,758 rowdy home fans. It is Canada's best result so far this season in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
WATCH l Canada takes down U.S. to claim 5th place on home soil:
Canadian coach Jack Hanratty's message throughout the prestigious two-day, 12-team event was one of consistency and a chance for his youthful home side to gain experience against quality competition.
"We've just beaten two teams that are known among the world's best. One, you want to back it up, and to be able to back it up today is exceptional," a delighted Hanratty said of the back-to-back wins.
"That's the highest position that we've finished [this year]. To be top five in the world in a tournament that had all the top teams. There was nobody missing here.
World No. 1-ranked Australia defeated New Zealand 21-17 in the final to capture gold later on Sunday, while bronze went to Ireland after a 22-14 win over Tokyo silver medallists France.
Australia, who defeated Canada 28-5 on Saturday, also clinched the 2022 HSBC World Sevens Series title with one more stop remaining in France.
The Americans blanked Spain 17-0 in the other fifth-place semifinal.
Symonds and Krissy Scurfield, with her second try of the match, scored in the second half to lift Canada over Fiji. Those tries gave Canada 15 for the weekend, matching its series best for a tournament.
The Canadians held a 14-12 lead at halftime on tries from Wardley and Scurfield.
Canadian Paralympic Committee CEO Karen O'Neill acknowledges the team’s showing at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games wasn't the same as past years.
Canadian Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith capped their memorable Paralympic debut with bronze in the men's visually impaired slalom on Sunday at the Milano-Cortina Games.
Canadian skip Kerri Einarson looked up Saturday and saw real people, instead of cardboard cut-outs, in the stands at Calgary's WinSport Event Centre. She heard the roar of the crowd instead of the sound of flushing toilets piercing the silence.
Aaron Judge doubled and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brice Turang each had two hits as the United States beat Canada 5-3 on Friday night in Houston to reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
Canada's Natalie Wilkie captured her second biathlon gold of the Milano-Cortina Paralympics on Friday, winning the women's standing sprint pursuit for her fourth medal in as many events.
Canada made wheelchair curling history on Thursday as the first team at any Paralympics to complete round-robin play without a loss.
The winningest men's ski cross racer in history added to his total on Thursday.
Canada's Mark Arendz collected his 14th career Paralympic medal while teammate Brittany Hudak earned her fourth in Wednesday's standing cross-country skiing races at Milano Cortina.
Alphonso Davies covered his face with his shirt as he left the field with an injury in Bayern Munich's game against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday in Bergamo, Italy, raising questions about the Canadian star's availability for the World Cup.
Canadian Para nordic skiing star Natalie Wilkie has now won a medal of every colour at the Milano-Cortina Paralympics, adding bronze in the women's standing sprint classic on Tuesday in Val di Fiemme.
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Canadian Para alpine skier Kalle Eriksson and guide Sierra Smith continued their impressive Paralympic debut on Monday by racing to bronze in the men's visually impaired super-G for their second medal.