Giants New Zealand must be wary of the Bogey Canada team in the World Cup semi-finals | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

FOr whoever might think that New Zealand champions are a shoo-in to make the Rugby World Cup final, Canada has three key attributes to suggest that they can knock the black ferns in the semi-finals on Friday evening: belief, fast speed and Sophie de Goede.

Canada is the world team No. 2 and almost beat England at 2024 WXV 1, but put themselves under the radar in the accumulation of this tournament and during its early stadiums, with a large part of the attention focused on the potential of a revenge match of the 2022 final between New Zealand and Hosts England. Against black ferns in the last four in Ashton Gate, Canada will always be considered outsiders in certain circles, which the team has talked a lot, according to the Alysha Corrigan wing.

“This is something that is not new to us, we are generally considered to be this outsider and do not always receive this recognition that we think we deserve,” explains Corrigan. “I think it’s something that feeds our fire.”

Self-confidence is understandable, resulting from recent results between adversaries in the semi-finals. Canada beat New Zealand for the first time during the Pacific Four 2024 tournament and the last time the two teams met at 2025 PAC four, they drew 27-27.

“The first time we beat them that pushed us, it gave us a huge confidence,” said Captain of Canada, Alex Tessier. “Draw against them confirmed where we are, that we grew up. We grew up after each match. ”

For their part, the champions are wary; The most hailed black fern in history, the former half—meat, Kendra Cocksedge, Kévin Rouet team from Kévin Rouet as a problem to cause them problems.

“I think it’s our Bogey team for the moment to be honest.” Said CockSeedge. “As soon as you beat the black jersey, your tail is in place and you give them confidence. They play with it, they are those that we must seriously consider.”

An element of Canada’s game which could unlock the impressive defense of his opponent is their fast speed. They had the fastest average of all the teams throughout the pool stadium, with 79% in less than three seconds against Scotland in their final and the most competitive match. They have not slowed down either in their quarter -final and if the defenses are a fraction of a second too slow to react, Canada will mark – the count at 30 trials on their four games so far this tournament.

Then we come to the third reason, from Goede. One of the best players in the tournament, his performances are all the more impressive given the context that the semi-final will only be his eighth game since he recovered from an anterior cross ligament injury.

Rouet described Goede as the “icing on the cake” for Canada, entering its peak at the right time. The statistics of the former captain support the media threw around his entirely -action game – two trials, 17 conversions as a goalkeeper of the team, the successful completion of 47 plated on an attempt of 50 and four reversals won.

Despite Canada’s references, New Zealand is more than capable of victory, despite its blow with Jorja Miller’s injury. They won six World Cups after all. They also have the highest scorer in the World Cup in Portia Woodman-Wickliffe on a wing and the best points of the current tournament and the test goals on the other at Braxton Sorensen-McGee. Although the recent Canada record against them is solid, this first victory over New Zealand was preceded by 17 consecutive defeats.

It doesn’t matter who reserves their place in the final, the game should be one of the best, not only in this tournament but in the history of the World Cup. The tournament was geared against an increasing force.