Team Canada wins silver at Women’s Rugby Sevens World Series in Dubai
Team Canada earned its second straight podium finish on the Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series, claiming silver on Friday in Dubai.
Team Canada fell 26-14 to New Zealand in the gold medal match.
The Canadians had gone undefeated in pool play on Thursday, posting victories against Fiji, Spain and France. They went on to defeat Ireland 24-7 in Friday’s quarterfinal before a tight 15-10 win over Australia in the semifinal to set up the showdown with the Black Ferns who were also undefeated.
The semifinal was a dramatic affair, with Bianca Farella scoring a try in the final seconds of the match to break a 10-10 tie. Farella tied for the scoring lead in Dubai, with 35 points. Ghislaine Landry picked up 30 points of her own in the tournament to bring her season total to 73, leading the series.
The Rugby Sevens World Series is a pathway to qualification for Tokyo 2020. The top four teams in the standings at the end of the season will earn Olympic spots for their countries.
Canada won bronze at the season-opening event in Colorado in October while New Zealand has now earned five straight titles and lead the series standings with 40 points. Canada sits second in the series standings with 34 points while the United States is third with 32 points and Australia holds onto fourth with 28 points.
