PARIS – Rugby Canada’s women’s sevens squad won silver at Paris 2024 following some stunning upsets leading to the gold medal game.
Canada was bested by defending champion New Zealand, 19-12, on Tuesday (July 30); however, history was made for the Canucks who cemented their place as the nation’s best-ever rugby sevens team at an Olympics Games.
First-time Olympian and Canmore’s own Krissy Scurfield was part of the silver medal-winning squad. The 21-year-old back was forced to bow out of the Summer Olympics though due to injury – an internal laceration she sustained while playing against New Zealand in pool action on Sunday (July 28).
Scurfield, who wasn’t in attendance when Canada took silver, posted a story on Instagram that said: “Lost for words!! This group goes crazyyy”.
Banff’s Lee Garrett, a former rugby coach of Scurfield’s, said he is stoked for his former pupil’s success, but he knows she wanted nothing more than to have been on that field.
“Injury is a part of the game and unfortunately came for her at an unfortunate time,” said Garrett. “That doesn’t take away from the success she shared in however. As a team sport you need every player throughout that tournament to get you to that gold medal game.”
Garrett added that it’s been incredible to see Scurfield’s hard work over the years.
“The countless hours that would be put into training both on and off the field, the sacrifices that are made are immense,” he said.
Before the gold medal match, the Canadian women had upset the higher-seeded Australia and France in back-to-back quarter and semifinal games.
During the national anthems before kick off, Canadian captain Olivia Apps and Chloe Daniels held a Scurfield jersey as they sang O Canada.
When it was game time, the tough Kiwi squad came out aggressive against the Canucks and the defending champs struck first just 95 seconds in to go up 7-0. Scorer Risi Pouri-Lane was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd in attendance as she took a few extra seconds to touch the ball down.
The Canadians caught a break, though, as Kiwi legend Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was given a yellow, putting the Canucks on a two-minute power play as she sat on the sidelines.
Canada was a bit shaky to start out, but eventually capitalized as Daniels ran in a try.
Tied at seven, the Kiwis made a rare mistake in the dying seconds of the first half when Sarah Hirini, who was being tackled to the ground, tossed the ball into the waiting hands of Aylsha Corrigan, who dashed in for a try to give Canada the 12-7 led at half time.
In the second half, the Kiwis came out hot. Scoring-machine Michaela Blyde quickly scored a try just 31 seconds in as New Zealand went up 14-12.
With less than two minutes on the clock, New Zealand scored a critical five points. The Kiwis were playing on their own try line and the match had slowed to a crawl before Stacey Waaka broke out and ran the field for a try.
As time ticked away, the mountain was too high to overcome for the Canucks who settled for second.
Despite the loss, it was a historic moment for Canada and the sport of rugby.
In 2016, when rugby sevens was introduced as an Olympic sport, the Canadian women took bronze in the match. Charity Williams, who is a three-time Olympian, was part of both Canadian medal-winning squads.
In the bronze medal game, USA defeated Australia 14-12.