Season-best fourth place finish for Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team in Perth

Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team finished fourth at HSBC SVNS Perth on Sunday, meeting France in the third place play-off and rising to fifth in the HSBC SVNS series standings. The team now looks to HSBC SVNS Vancouver, which takes place at BC Place next month.

Canada met hosts and eventual tournament winners Australia in the semi-finals. Australia had a strong first half, scoring three tries to go up 19-0 at half-time. Shoshanah Seumanutafa got Canada on the board to start the second half however, scoring her first ever SVNS series try.

Canada continued to fight back in an attempt to even the score, with Asia Hogan-Rochester scoring in the 11th minute to put Australia’s lead at 19-10. Carmen Izyk got Canada even closer, with Olivia Apps converting the try to put Canada within just two points of Australia.

Australia got away from Canada’s defence in the final minute however to confirm a 24-17 win, sending Canada to the third place play-off against France.

Florence Symonds opened scoring in the fourth minute against France, receiving an offload from Seumanutafa on a break down the field. Apps added the conversion and Canada led 7-0 at half-time in what was a tight contest.

France tied the game in the ninth minute, and continued to pressure Canada’s defence, eventually taking the lead in the 13th minute. Canada pushed back, with Piper Logan nearly scoring in the final minute. A yellow card was given to France on the play, but the French took the win, 14-7.

The next stop on the series is HSBC SVNS Vancouver, which will see Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team compete on home soil over February 21 to 23. The pool draw for Vancouver was completed in Perth on Sunday, with Canada set to play Australia, Brazil and Spain in Group A. Tickets can be purchased at vansevens.com.

More information on the HSBC SVNS series, including the full schedule, game scores and stats, can be found here.