Canada Women Finish 6th in Dubai: Win Over France, Loss to USA
Canada finished 6th in Dubai with a 5th place semi-final win over France but a loss to USA in the 5th place final. Canada fly to Cape Town now for next weekend’s 7s tournament, they’ll be in a pool with Australia, Japan and France. Krissy Scurfield came out in the 9th minute of the Japan match and didn’t show up in the roster for the France and USA matches.
USA 19 – Canada 14
Scorers: Scoring summary: Kennedi Stevenson (1T), Charity Williams (1T), Asia Hogan-Rochester (2C)
Canada 19 – France 12
Scorers: Asia Hogan-Rochester (1T, 1C), Breanne Nicholas (1T), Monique Coffey (1T), Carissa Norsten (1C)
from World Rugby
HSBC SVNS: Black Ferns Sevens end Australia’s long reign in Dubai
New Zealand outwork defending champions claim first title of the HSBC SVNS season, while Japan make history with their first-ever podium finish
HSBC SVNS – Emirates Dubai Sevens: New Zealand vs Australia
Australia’s long reign as Dubai champions was emphatically halted as arch-rivals New Zealand outworked and outmuscled them to win gold in the desert for the first time since 2019.
Since the Black Ferns Sevens’ last title on the other side of the global pandemic, Australia had won five titles in a row, gone 32 games and 2,185 days unbeaten in the desert.
FINAL: One up in for Black Ferns Sevens new HSBC SVNS campaign
New Zealand claimed a first Dubai title since 2019 with a fast-and-furious, no-quarter performance to beat Australia 29-14.
Stacey Waaka got the scoreboard moving at the end of a long lungbuster of a first set in defence and attack for both sides.
Australia had their chances, but were uncharacteristically untidy at the breakdown, giving their opponents two early chances that they were never going to turn down.
And Kelsey Teneti got their second, after another ball was spilled in the tackle by the defending champions.
Player of the final Jorja Miller got the first of her brace in the first half, as New Zealand headed into the break 17-0 ahead.
An Australian comeback already seemed unlikely, and only got harder as Risi Pouri-Lane scored New Zealand’s fourth straight after the break.
Heidi Dennis scored two either side of Miller’s second in the second half as proud Australia refused to give up without a fight, but they had left themselves too much to do after that first period. Not even a yellow for Jazmin Felix-Hotham changed the flow of the game.
Miller said afterwards that gold ‘means everything’.
“Dubai is probably the favourite stop of the series, so to get the win over a strong Australia side, I’m so proud of the girls.
“We knew we had to [come out fast],” she added. “We knew that if we let them get an inch, they’d take it.”
Bronze final: Japan set new mark with a first podium place
Japan signed off the opening tournament of the new season in style with a first-ever podium finish in an HSBC SVNS tournament, as they beat Fiji 22-12 to take bronze in Dubai.
Sakura Mizutani, Hana Nagata, Sakurako Yazaki, and Mei Ohtani all scored, while Atelaite Ralivanawa got two for Fiji.
Mizutani said immediately afterwards that Japan were looking to continue their improvement in Cape Town next weekend. “We just [want to] keep challenging every game and do our best,” she insisted.
Japan had earlier been unable to replicate their Dubai day one heroics in their semi-final — only their second ever — against New Zealand. Honoka Tsutsumi’s late try was their consolation after Mahina Paul had scored two of the Black Ferns Sevens five tries to win 31-5
The remarkable Maddison Levi added another two to her rapidly rising try tally as tournament favourites Australia beat Fiji 31-10, their fifth win in a row over the Pacific Island side.
Play-offs: USA win decisive meeting of Paris Olympic medallists
Proof, if it was needed, of how difficult the relentless new HSBC SVNS format is, came early on day two in Dubai, as 2024 Olympic Games silver medallists Canada faced the bronze winners in Paris, USA, in the fifth-place decider.
The match that followed was as intense, as back-and-forth as you’d expect. Level at halftime, after Canada had taken an early lead, USA went ahead early in the second half, before their neighbours to the north hit back. But Sarah Levy had the last word, to win it 19-14 for USA.
Despite beating New Zealand on en route to two victories on day one, USA had missed out on the semi-final places by the narrowest of margins. Instead, they were in the running for the minor places. They kicked off with a demonstration outing against a very green Great Britain side. Ariana Ramsey scored four of their seven tries in a 49-14 victory.
Stunned by Japan 24 hours earlier, Canada doubled their win tally in Dubai with a victory over winless France 19-12 in the second fifth-place semi-final.
Les Bleues, however, finally turned on the style in their final outing in the desert to break their duck. Alycia Christiaens and Kelly Arbey scored two apiece as they beat Great Britain 46-5 to give their morale a major boost on the quick turnaround into next weekend’s tournament in Cape Town.
Canada Women 1-2 on Day 1 of Dubai – Miss Out on Cup Round
The day started out promising with a 41-5 pummelling of Great Britain, then came the loss to Australia, it was close, 24-17, not totally unexpected. Things were going according to plan, just a win over Japan was needed to make the Cup round. Things were going well up until the last 2 minutes of the game when Canada ran out of gas, Japan scored 2 converted tries in 2 minutes, Canada looked spent, Japan were still full of energy. Was team fitness and tournament preparation the culprit, we’ll find out as the season progresses. Canada now play France in the 5th place semi-final, USA and Great Britain are in the other 5th place semi. It will be NZ v Japan and Australia v Fiji vying for the Cup.
Canada 41 – Great Britain 5
Tries: Carissa Norsten (1′), Asia Hogan-Rochester (5′), Pamphinette Buisa (6′), Breanne Nicholas (7′), Adia Pye (10′), Eden Kilgour (13′), Savannah Bauder (14′)
Conversions: Asia Hogan-Rochester (2′, 5′, 8′)
Australia 24 – Canada 17
Tries: Charity Williams (7′, 12′), Adia Pye (15′)
Conversions: Asia Hogan-Rochester (7′)
Japan 21 – Canada 19
Tries: Charity Williams (4′), Krissy Scurfield (6′), Kennedi Stevenson (8′)
Conversions: Asia Hogan-Rochester (5′, 8′)
Head Coach Barrieau Selects 14 Players for Canada Trip to Dubai 7s: Kick Off November 29th
Canada have selected 14 to make the trip to Dubai, and then South Africa, the 13 selected for the tournament will be announced later. Carissa Norsten has been selected as captain, an honour for a 22 year old to be given that responsibility but a testament to her work ethic and leadership. Canada will face Great Britain, Australia and Japan in the pool round. Since there are only 8 teams now in the tournament, 4 teams in 2 pools, only the top 2 in each pool advance to the Cup round. It make the first match against GB particularly important.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM DUBAI & CAPE TOWN SQUAD
4. Breanne Nicholas (Blenheim, ON) – Kent Havoc RFC
5. Savannah Bauder (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
6. Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) – Markham Irish / University of British Columbia
8. Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University / RCTPM
13. Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) – University of Victoria
14. Eden Kilgour (Barrie, ON) – Westshore RFC / University of Victoria
19. Carissa Norsten (Waldheim, SK) – Kirin RWC / University of Victoria
21. Adia Pye (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / University of British Columbia
24. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC
38. Kennedi Stevenson (Georgetown, ON) – Brantford Harlequins
47. Larah Wright (Calgary, AB) – University of Victoria
55. Monique Coffey (Dauphin, MB) – Scion Sirens
68. Ivy Poetker (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Rams
99. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
from Rugby Canada
Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, Jocelyn Barrieau, has selected Canada’s travelling 14-player squad for the kick-off of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai, UAE.
The final roster of 13 players will be determined before the tournament begins on Saturday, November 29 at 12:04 a.m. PT / 3:04 a.m. ET, when Canada will face Great Britain in their opening match of the tournament.
“All the players and staff are excited to begin the sevens season this week in Dubai,” said Barrieau. “Since we assembled for camp earlier this month, there has been a lot of work put in to make sure we start the season strong. Last year was about solidifying our foundations and showing the world that we are one of the top teams on the series. Now we must continue to build on our successes and learn from the challenges we face as we frame our 2025-2026 season.”
Canada’s squad includes seven players from the team that helped capture a bronze medal at last season’s HSBC SVNS World Championship: Breanne Nicholas, Carissa Norsten, Carmen Izyk, Savannah Bauder, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Charity Williams and Larah Wright.
Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Rookie of the Year and recently named the 2025 U SPORTS Player of the Year, has been selected by Barrieau as the team’s captain for Dubai and Cape Town.
“Carissa is everything a Canadian captain should be,” said Barrieau. “Strong, gritty, smart and has an amazingly kind character. She is the perfect fit to be a captain and leads by example. I am so happy to be working with her and this group moving forward to see how far and how high we can reach.”
Hogan-Rochester is the lone player on Barrieau’s roster who also helped Canada capture a silver medal at the Rugby World Cup in September. Several players from Canada’s World Cup squad were unavailable for selection as they are competing in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league in England.
Calgary’s Ivy Poetker and Ontario’s Kennedi Stevenson have been selected for their first tour with Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team and could make their debuts in Dubai or Cape Town.
Chloe Daniels and Piper Logan, members of Canada’s 2024 Olympic team, were both unavailable for selection due to injuries.
The Sevens Stadium in Dubai is host to the first stop of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Series, the first of nine tournaments in the newly formatted circuit, featuring the top eight women’s and eight men’s sevens teams in the world.
DUBAI POOL PLAY SCHEDULE
Saturday November 29
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Great Britain
12:04 a.m. PT / 3:04 a.m. ET
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Australia
3:05 a.m. PT / 6:05 a.m. ET
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Japan
5:49 a.m. PT / 8:49 a.m. ET
WHERE TO WATCH
All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS Series matches in Dubai and Cape Town will be available live on TSN+
MORE INFO
Following the Dubai tournament, the team will travel to South Africa for Cape Town SVNS (December 6-7, 2025). The first tournament of the new year will take place in Singapore from January 31 to February 1, 2026. Catch both Canada’s Men’s and Women’s Teams in action on home soil at HSBC Vancouver Sevens (March 7-8, 2026) at BC Place. Buy tickets now at vansevens.com.
For the most up to date information on the HSBC SVNS Series and live coverage, including details on the event format, the schedule and the latest news, visit the official website: https://www.svns.com/en