BRISTOL, England :Canada on Wednesday named an unchanged team for their Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against defending champions New Zealand at Ashton Gate on Friday, looking for consistency to take them to a first final since 2014.
Canada have cruised into the semi-finals – scoring 193 points and conceding just 31 – and beat New Zealand for the first time in their history 18 months ago, winning 22-19 away in Christchurch.
The last meeting between the two teams four months ago ended in a 27-27 draw.
Open-side flanker Karen Paquin, who scored the last of seven tries against Australia in their quarter-final triumph last Saturday, is set to win a 50th cap while Saracens’ Sophie de Goede leads the side from second row.
“We have shown over the past two years that we are one of the best teams in the world, and our last two results against New Zealand support that,” said coach Kevin Rouet. “We have every reason to believe that we can win this game.”
Canada have been to five semi-finals at past World Cups, but only reached the final in 2014 when they lost the decider to England in Paris.
The semi-final winner will take on either England or France in the final on September 27 at Twickenham.
Team: 15-Julia Schell, 14-Alysha Corrigan, 13-Florence Symonds, 12-Alexandra Tessier, 11-Asia Hogan-Rochester, 10-Taylor Perry, 9-Justine Pelletier, 8-Fabiola Forteza, 7-Karen Paquin, 6-Caroline Crossley, 5-Courtney O’Donnell, 4-Sophie de Goede, 3-Daleaka Menin, 2-Emily Tuttosi, 1-McKinley Hunt
Replacements: 16-Gillian Boag, 17-Brittany Kassil, 18-Olivia Demerchant, 19-Tyson Beukeboom, 20-Laetitia Royer, 21-Gabrielle Senft, 22-Olivia Apps, 23-Shoshanah Seumenutafa.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
