Canada took control in the second half with 20 points to beat the United States 32-11 and earn a place in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup on Sunday.
The third-seeded Canadians will take on No. 1 seed England next Friday at Auckland’s Eden Park. Five-time champions New Zealand meet No. 4 France in the other semi-final on Saturday.
McKinley Hunt, Karen Paquin, Paige Farries and Alex Tessier scored tries for Canada, which led 12-8 at the break at Waitakere Stadium. Captain Sophie de Goede contributed 12 points with three conversions and two penalties.
Joanna Kitlinski scored the only try for the Americans, seventh. Alev Kelter threw two penalties.
It was Canada’s seventh consecutive victory over its North American rival since 2019 – and the second in a week.
“The first half was balanced, but after that we showed we were better than the United States,” said Canadian coach Kevin Rouet.
The Canadians (4-0-0) defeated the Americans 29-14 last weekend to win Group B and advance to the playoffs as the second seed. The United States (1-3-0) finished in the top two third places in the 12-team tournament.
In previous quarter-finals, England beat No.6 Australia 41-5, New Zealand beat No.9 Wales 55-3 and France eliminated No.5 Italy 39 -3.
For the all-professional English side, it was a 29th straight win. The Red Roses’ winning streak dates back to a 28-13 loss to New Zealand in July 2019 and includes a 51-12 decision against Canada last November.
England have never finished in the top three of the tournament.
The Red Roses won in 1994 and 2014 and finished runners-up five times (losing to the United States in 1991 and New Zealand in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2017). They were third in 1998.
Canada’s best finish at the tournament was second in 2014 when they lost 21-9 to England in the final. The Canadians placed fourth in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and fifth last time in 2017.
The rain that featured in the previous England-Australia game had stopped before kick-off, leaving the pitch damp. Canada and the United States looked to kick the ball early, looking to fend off the opposition.
The Americans pushed early and took the lead in the ninth minute when Kitlinski crashed after a lineout following a penalty to Maddy Grant for a high tackle near the Canadian try line.
Canada responded in the 16th minute, using their maul on a lineout following an American offside penalty. Hunt finally fought his way to the tryout with de Goede’s conversion giving Canada a 7-5 lead.
The Canadians kept coming with Paquin, capping a long attack, first getting a kick from Elissa Alarie for a 20th-minute try and a 12-5 lead.
Referee Joy Nicholls, in the 28th minute, warned the Canadians for an excessive number of penalties. A second later, the Canadians dodged a bullet when a try by Hope Rogers on an American roster was called off for a backlash after a video review.
A 38th-minute Kelter penalty cut Canada’s lead to 12-8 as the rain began to fall.
The Canadians salvaged their own kickoff to start the second half and capitalized on it soon after as Farries sliced through the American defense and hit the ground under the posts for a converted try that carried the Canada lead at 19-8 in the 41st minute.
A Kelter penalty from range reduces the advantage to 19-11.
Kelter was sent to sin bin in the 47th minute for a high tackle near the American goal line, reducing the Americans to 14 players for the next 10 minutes. De Goede was good from the ensuing penalty for a 22-11 lead.
Tessier scored Canada’s fourth try in the 57th minute as Canada beat the American defense following a deflected run from Alarie.
Holes began to appear in the tired American defense and De Goede made it 32-11 with a penalty in the 65th minute.
Canada lost center Sara Kaljuvee early in the game after failing a head injury assessment.
Lock Tyson Beukeboom came off the bench in the second half, taking third place on the Canadian women’s appearances list with her 54th cap.
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