Canada always had a good chance of beating New Zealand in their Rugby World Cup semi-final but no one anticipated the manner of the win as they dominated the defending champions and played them off the park at times. This was a masterclass by Kévin Rouet’s team who used pace, patience and instincts to knock the Blacks Ferns out and book their spot in the final for only the second time.
The match had already been picked out as one that would go down in history but the result certified that. Sophie de Goede excelled once again for Canada. Whether affecting breakdown turnovers, kicking conversions or tearing through the opposition defence, she was the linchpin. The trust Canada had in each other when they had front-foot ball allowed them to play with pure freedom that downed New Zealand and set up a final against England or France next Saturday.
