Canada Undefeated in Pool Play: Lose in Knock Out Round to Finish 4th
Canada did well in pool play going undefeated in four games but lost to USA in the semis and NZ in the 3rd/4th match to finish 4th in the tournament. That result puts them in a 4th/5th place tie with France in the Championship series with only Bordeaux left. USA are in 3rd, NZ 2nd and Australia in top place.
from Rugby Canada
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team entered the final day of HSBC SVNS Valladolid, the second of three HSBC SVNS World Championship tournaments, with a perfect 4-0 record and an opportunity to reach their first cup final of the season.
Unfortunately for the Canadians, their winning streak came to an end in the semi-finals, where they dropped a narrow 14-12 decision to their rivals from the United States. The loss sent Canada to the third-place playoff against the New Zealand Black Ferns, the reigning HSBC SVNS Series regular-season champions. Canada was unable to rebound, falling to New Zealand to finish fourth overall in Valladolid.
A WORD FROM HEAD COACH JOCELYN BARRIEAU
“We are really proud overall of our weekend here at the world championships. Obviously, we would have loved to take a step forward and given ourselves an opportunity to play in the final but unfortunately that wasn’t in the cards for us today.”
“The game kind of slipped through our fingers against the USA in the semi-final and a tough response in the third-place game. We know we have some mental work to do and preparation to do to make sure we are ready to play in these games if that’s where we find ourselves again next week.”
Canada 12 USA 14 – Cup Semi-Final
Video Highlights
Canada opened the scoring after being awarded a free kick for a scrum infringement deep in United States territory. Olivia Apps took a quick tap and found Flo Symonds for the first try of the match.
The USA threatened later in the half, but a dropped pass which led to a Canadian counterattack that went the length of the field, with Asia Hogan-Rochester finishing the play to give Canada a 12-0 lead at halftime.
The Americans mounted a late comeback in the second half, scoring twice in the final three minutes to erase a 12-0 deficit and take a 14-12 lead. Canada was unable to regain possession from the ensuing USA kickoff in the final seconds, with the ball going out of bounds after being touched by a Canadian player. The Americans secured the victory by winning the resulting lineout and kicking the ball into touch to end the match.
Scoring Summary: Asia Hogan-Rochester (1T, 1C), Flo Symonds (1T)
Canada 14 New Zealand 50 – 3rd Place Play-Off
Video Highlights
Asia Hogan-Rochester continued her strong tournament with her sixth try of the weekend, scoring and converting to give Canada an early 7-0 lead.
New Zealand responded with three first-half tries, including two in quick succession to take the lead, and carried a 17-7 advantage into halftime. The Black Ferns extended their lead immediately after the restart and pulled further ahead after Canada’s Eden Kilgour was shown a yellow card with five minutes remaining.
Hogan-Rochester added her second try of the match and seventh of the tournament, but New Zealand scored four more times in the second half to secure a 50-14 victory.
Scoring Summary: Asia Hogan-Rochester (2T, 2C)
UP NEXT FOR CANADA WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM
Next weekend Canada will travel to Bordeaux, France for the final leg of the 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championships from June 5-7. All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS Series matches in Bordeaux will be available live on TSN+.
HSBC SVNS SERIES
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.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM – HSBC VALLADOLID SVNS ROSTER
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
7. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
8. Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University
9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC / Saracens
11. Piper Logan (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Hornets / University of British Columbia
14. Eden Kilgour (Barrie, ON) – Barrie RFC / University of Victoria
16. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
21. Adia Pye (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / University of British Columbia
24. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC / Sharks
38. Kennedi Stevenson (Glen Williams, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Queen’s University
40. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders
Canada Women 2-0 on Day 1 in Spain
Canada defeated Spain and Great Britain on Day 1 of the Valladolid tournament. They face France in the final pool round. The result against France will determine their opponent in the knock out round. If they finish top in Pool C they’ll face 2nd in Pool A, likely Japan, if they finish 2nd in Pool C they’ll face 2nd in Pool B, likely Fiji.
Canada 21 – Great Britain 12
Scorers: Olivia Apps (1T, 3C), Asia Hogan-Rochester (1T), Charity Williams (1T)
Canada 35 – Spain 5
Scorers: Asia Hogan-Rochester (2T, 2C), Alysha Corrigan (1T), Carmen Izyk (1T), Taylor Perry (1T), Olivia Apps (2C), Savannah Bauder (1C)
Rugby Canada Announce Women’s Sevens Team for Valladolid, Spain Tournament May 29-31
Canada have announced their team for the 2nd tournament in the three tournament championship series. Canada finished 4th in Hong Kong. In are Asia Hogan-Rochester, Adia Pye, Piper Logan, Taylor Perry, out are Fancy Bermudez, Sarah Poulin returning to the PWR, Caroline Crossley injured, and Larah Wright. The four players coming in were all at the XVs west camp last weekend.
from Rugby Canada
Following a fourth-place finish at the first leg of the HSBC SVNS World Championships last month in Hong Kong, 13 players have been confirmed for Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team ahead of the second of three HSBC SVNS World Championship stops next week, May 29-31, in Valladolid, Spain
With a significant milestone on the horizon, Breanne Nicholas, who is already the most-capped Canadian women’s sevens player, is in line to make her 50th tournament appearance on the HSBC SVNS Series next weekend in Spain.
Olivia Apps will once again captain the Canadian side, as she did in Hong Kong.
“The whole team is excited for the opportunity to build on our performance last month in Hong Kong,” said Head Coach Jocelyn Barrieau. “This is one of our last chances to put the final pieces in place before wrapping up our season designed to frame our next two years leading into LA 2028.”
Barrieau added: “It will be great to have [Olivia] Apps back as our captain again as her she is a world-class leader and we will have a huge moment and achievement to celebrate when Bre [Breanne Nicholas], steps on the field to hit 50 tournaments in a Canadian sevens jersey.”
Changes to the roster of the team that played last month in Hong Kong includes the additions of Asia Hogan-Rochester, Adia Pye, and Taylor Perry who have all been selected by Barrieau. Hogan-Rochester and Perry missed the opening leg of the World Championships while representing Canada’s 15s team at the Pacific Four Series in April.
Pye, a member of the UBC Thunderbirds, made her debut for Canada’s sevens team in Dubai earlier this season. She returns to the squad for the first time since the second stop of the 2025–26 season in Cape Town.
Another key returnee for Valladolid SVNS is Piper Logan, who has been sidelined with injuries since Vancouver SVNS earlier this year. Logan had previously missed significant time due to injury and unfortunately suffered another setback during her return in Vancouver, leading to several additional months of rehabilitation.
“My year has been filled with a lot of uncertainty,” said Logan. “To be back on the field with this team is not only a celebration of my own journey, but it is also in celebration of my teammates who are still on the sideline fighting that same fight. I’m grateful, happy, inspired, and still finding my confidence, but overall I feel I am in a really good place going into the championships”
With four changes to Canada’s roster for next weekend’s tournament in Spain, players from last month’s roster in Hong Kong, Fancy Bermudez and Sabrina Poulin, have returned to their clubs in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) competition to help their respective teams, Loughborough Lightning and Exeter Chiefs, secure playoff spots. Caroline Crossley was unavailable for selection due to an injury sustained in Hong Kong.
HSBC VALLADOLID SVNS SCHEDULE
Canada vs Spain
Friday May 29 at 3:56 a.m. PT / 6:56 a.m. ET
Canada vs Great Britain
Friday May 29 at 8:40 a.m. PT / 11:40 a.m. ET
Canada vs France
Saturday May 30 at 2:55 a.m. PT / 5:55 a.m. ET
WHERE TO WATCH
All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS Series matches in Spain will be available live on TSN+.
HSBC SVNS SERIES
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.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM – HSBC VALLADOLID SVNS ROSTER
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
7. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
8. Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University
9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC / Saracens
11. Piper Logan (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Hornets / University of British Columbia
14. Eden Kilgour (Barrie, ON) – Barrie RFC / University of Victoria
16. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
21. Adia Pye (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / University of British Columbia
24. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC / Sharks
38. Kennedi Stevenson (Glen Williams, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Queen’s University
40. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders