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Canada Stun Black Ferns Sevens in Thrilling HSBC SVNS Grand Final in Madrid
Madrid, Spain, June 1, 2024 – It has been a momentous two weeks for the Canadian rugby team, who first made history by defeating the New Zealand All Blacks in the Pacific Four Series, and have now replicated the feat in the HSBC SVNS Grand Final in Madrid.
In a stunning upset, the Canadian women’s sevens team outclassed the reigning SVNS champions, the New Zealand Black Ferns Sevens, securing a 22-19 victory at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium. The Canadians showcased their clinical execution, exploiting the Black Ferns’ uncharacteristic errors and poor discipline to take a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime.
Olivia Apps, who was instrumental in the team’s triumph, expressed her pride in the squad’s performance.
“When it was still nil for them, I felt like, ‘woah’. I was thinking about the commentator, I was thinking about Rikki Swannell being like, ‘New Zealand hasn’t scored yet and it’s in the first half’, and I was like, you know what? We did that. Our defence did that, our pressure did that, so that’s something I’m really proud of,” she told RugbyPass.
The decisive moment came when young Kiwi player Jorja Miller was shown a yellow card just before the break, allowing the Canadians to capitalize and extend their lead through a try from Piper Logan.
Despite a spirited second-half comeback from the Black Ferns, the Canadians held firm to secure a historic victory, cementing their status as a force to be reckoned with on the SVNS circuit.
This triumph builds on the Canadian team’s previous success earlier this year, when they defeated heavyweights Australia on home soil in Vancouver. With the SVNS Series’ Grand Final offering the top eight women’s sides a chance to be crowned overall champions, Canada now find themselves in a strong position to charge forward in the competition.
“To be able to back up what the fifteens team did a few weeks ago is really special and we knew this would be the last chance we’d get to beat New Zealand before the Olympic games so to be able to build that confidence and head into the weekend,” said Apps.
The Canadian rugby community is undoubtedly abuzz with excitement, as their women’s team continues to make waves on the international stage. This latest victory over the dominant Black Ferns Sevens side is a testament to the team’s hard work, resilience, and growing confidence as they look towards the upcoming Olympic Games.
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