Canada beats France in Olympic women’s rugby, moves on to seven semifinals

Canada stunned France in sevens rugby on Tuesday, edging the hosts with a pair of desperate, late tries to win their quarterfinal match 19-14.

The win sends the women into Tuesday’s semifinals, with a shot at the gold-medal match on the line. They will play Australia, while New Zealand will take on U.S.A.

Calgary’s Piper Logan was the player of the match for her team, giving Canada the opening try midway through the first half with a scintillating 80-metre dash, which Chloe Daniels of Sutton, Ont., converted. France leveled the score with a converted score of its own under the posts from Ian Jason with time expiring in the half. The French then attacked right from the restart and took the lead 14-7 with a converted try from Yolaine Yengo.

But Canada responded, first with another solo effort from Logan off a scrum and then a try around the corner by Daniels in the final minute of the match that left the crowd at Stade de France in Saint-Denis stunned into silence.

The French had run roughshod over their group of Japan, Brazil, and the U.S., allowing just 14 points while piling up 106. Their +92 point differential was second only to New Zealand. France was ranked third in the world sevens rankings this year and had the full-throated crowd behind it.

The Canadians, ranked fifth, did not advance past the group stage at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But they secured second place in Group A in Paris with a 2-1 record and managed to avoid the top-ranked Kiwis in the quarters, having already lost to them in their group encounter.

Prior to the game, Canada announced that Keyara Wardley and Krissy Scurfield were ruled out of the match due to injury. Alternates Shalaya Valenzuela of Abbotsford, B.C., and Taylor Perry of Oakville, Ont., took their places.

The other quarterfinals saw the Kiwis outclass China 55-5 and Great Britain fall 17-7 to U.S.A., while Australia thumped Ireland 40-7.

The semifinals, medal and placement matches will all take place on Tuesday.