Historic Victory for Canada Women’s Team Against Dominant Black Ferns
In a remarkable turn of events, the Canadian women’s rugby team achieved a historic 22-19 victory over the formidable New Zealand Black Ferns on May 19, 2024 in Christchurch. This landmark triumph marked the first time Canada had ever beaten the reigning world champions, who had previously dominated their 17 meetings since the inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991.
The Canadian squad, led by coach Kevin Rouet, had endured a challenging period, suffering three consecutive defeats to England in 2023. However, the players rallied together and turned their fortunes around, culminating in this hard-fought victory over their long-time rivals.
“It’s important for us. It was the first time Canada had beaten New Zealand, which had never happened before. Psychologically, it’s important,” remarked Rouet. “We’re making progress, we’re trying to grow this team, build momentum so that when it comes down to it, we don’t question ourselves. We need to be calm and composed and I think we did that.”
As a result of this monumental win, Canada has now leapfrogged New Zealand to claim the second spot in the World Rugby rankings, a significant achievement that has boosted the team’s morale and confidence heading into the upcoming WXV competition, where they will face off against powerhouses England, France and Ireland.
The match was a tightly contested affair, with both teams struggling with handling errors in the slippery conditions early on. However, Canada regrouped and delivered a strong second-half performance to secure the historic victory.
“We managed to be in the game at half-time despite a first half that perhaps wasn’t our best. But we stayed in it and had a good 25 minutes in the second half. After that, when you feel you can win, it’s better,” Rouet explained.
This triumph over the mighty Black Ferns has undoubtedly unlocked a new chapter for the Canadian women’s rugby team, who will now look to carry this momentum into the WXV tournament and beyond, as they continue their quest to establish themselves as one of the top contenders in the international rugby union landscape.
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