The Canadian women’s rugby sevens team secured a spot in the semifinals of an HSBC SVNS World Championship Series event after defeating Japan 40-5 in the quarterfinals in Valladolid, Spain. Leading the charge for Canada were Olivia Apps, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds, Charity Williams, Savannah Bauder, and Adia Pye, who collectively scored tries in the match. Apps and Bauder also successfully converted several tries during the game.
The semifinals are set to feature Canada against the United States and Australia against New Zealand, followed by the medal matches later in the day. The game against Japan saw Canada dominating possession, with Apps making a breakthrough near midfield to kick off the scoring. Hogan-Rochester, Symonds, and Williams added to the lead in the first half, while Bauder and Pye contributed further tries in the second half.
Williams showcased her defensive prowess by creating a turnover near their own goal line, setting up Bauder for an impressive 80-meter run to score. Pye sealed the victory for Canada with another try, while Japan managed to score their sole try right at the end of the match. Canada had a successful run in the pool matches, defeating Spain, Great Britain, and France.
Having finished fourth in the season-opening leg of the world championship in Hong Kong, the Canadian team, who won silver at the 2024 Olympics, will now aim for the top spot in the upcoming final leg of the series in Bordeaux, France from June 5-7.