If Sophie De Goede’s job wasn’t already busy enough as Canadian captain, the Victoria product must now orchestrate a response against a hammering England front pack that scored all seven tries in the 41-5 quarter-final victory over Australia in the women’s rugby World Cup.
sa国际传媒 plays England in the semifinals on Friday at 8:30 p.m. at famed Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. The other semifinal features top-ranked New Zealand against France.
sa国际传媒, keyed by De Goede’s 12 points, did not panic after a tensely tight first half in their quarter-final at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland late Saturday night. Leading 12-8 after an underwhelming first half, sa国际传媒 got untracked in the second half for a 32-11 victory to advance to the semifinals against England.
“We have a lot of belief,” said De Goede, the Oak Bay Secondary graduate, in a statement.
“I am very proud. This is a great feeling.”
De Goede, a dual-sport rugby and basketball standout at Oak Bay and Queen’s University, was again integral from her No. 8 position and also with her foot as she kicked three converts and two penalties.
“Each member of our squad really gave it everything out there and everyone has worked very hard to get here,” said De Goede.
sa国际传媒 had defeated the U.S. 29-14 last weekend to finish Pool B at 3-0 to qualify for the quarter-finals as the No. 2 seed. As the format would have it, that meant another game in the quarters against the No. 7 seed Americans. There were a few anxious moments before sa国际传媒 found its form in the second half.
Veteran flanker Karen Paquin, a 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist with the Langford-based Canadian sevens team, touched down a chip kick for a spectacular try in the first half for sa国际传媒. McKinley Hunt also had a first-half try. Former University of Victoria Vikes star Paige Farries, who has been a concern among the opposition the entire tournament with her quick-strike capabilities down the wing, scored a try for sa国际传媒 in the second half as did Alex Tessier.
Former UVic Vikes player, Sara Kaljuvee who brings speed from the Olympics and Commonwealth and Pan Am Games in sevens rugby, started at outside-centre and Elissa Alarie from Westshore RFC, silver medallist at the 2014 World Cup and sevens player last year in the Tokyo Olympics, started at full-back for sa国际传媒. Former UVic Vikes star Pamphinette Buisa and UVic and Westhore RFC player Gabrielle Senft were dressed as reserves off the bench.
All eyes Friday, however, will be on the Canadian forward pack of Emily Tuttosi, Daleaka Menin and Olivia Demerchant in the front row and Courtney Holtkamp, McKinley Hunt and Fabiola Forteza in the second row, and who must find a way to blunt the bulldozing England forward pack.
