Jul 28, 2024; Paris Saint-Denis, France; United States forward Kristi Kirshe (12) runs with the ball against Japan during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports PARIS — Canada brought the Stade de France Olympic party to a shuddering halt when they stunned France 19-14 on Monday to set up a women’s rugby sevens semifinal with Australia.
In the other semifinal, New Zealand, who posted a record 55-5 victory over China, will play the United States after they fought back to beat Britain 17-7.
After the men won France’s first gold medal of the Games on Saturday, there was another expectant 67,000 crowd on site to roar the women’s team on.
The Tokyo silver medalists started well, but Canada weathered the early pressure then struck from deep through Piper Logan.
The home fans got to unleash their roar with the last play of the half when Ian Jason escaped down the left to collect a neat offload and make it 7-7 at halftime. Yolaine Yengo then scored under the posts to make it 14-7.
However, France, who left Seraphine Okemba on the bench until the ninth minute despite her four great tries against the U.S. earlier, paid a heavy price for some sloppy passing in their own 22 as Logan ran in her second to level things up.
Then there was stunned silence as Canada sent Chloe Daniels over in the corner to give them a 19-14 lead which they retained via two minutes of ferocious defense.
They will need that and more if they are to keep Maddison Levi at bay in the semifinals after the remarkable winger ran in a first-half hat-trick to take her tournament tally to an Olympic record 11 in Australia’s 40-7 thrashing of Ireland.
The teams had fought out a tight pool match in the morning that Australia edged 19-14 but it was one-way traffic in the rematch as the 2016 champions raced to a 26-0 halftime lead. Isabella Nasser and Bienne Terita added to the tally in the second half.
FIRST OLYMPIC SEMIS FOR TEAM USA
Britain roared out of the blocks to send Ellie Boatman over the line to strike first in their quarterfinal with the Americans.
The U.S. hit back when Ilona Maher dragged in two defenders to allow Naya Tapper to reduce the deficit to 7-5.
Only a fantastic tackle by Jasmine Joyce on a marauding Maher prevented a second U.S. try and preserved Britain’s 7-5 lead at the break.
That lasted all of 10 seconds of the second half as Britain messed up the restart and Kristi Kirshe gobbled up the loose ball to score.
Britain’s tackling then started to slip and Sammy Sullivan forced herself through to make it 17-7 and they then defended securely to claim a place in the semifinals for the first time.
BIGGEST VICTORY
Defending champions New Zealand were on the board after 19 seconds when Sarah Hirini ran back the kick off against China and scores by Jasmine Felix-Hotham, Michaela Blyde and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe had the favorites 24-5 ahead at the break.
Blyde added her second and further tries for Felix-Hotham, Mahina Paul (two) and Hirini completed by far the biggest knockout stage victory in the short history of Olympic sevens.
The semis and the medal matches take place on Tuesday.
–Reuters, Special to Field Level Media
