Canada Secures Quarter-final Spot with Emphatic Victory over Wales in Rugby World Cup 2025

Dominant Display Seals Canada’s Progress

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team reinforced their status as serious contenders at the 2025 Rugby World Cup with an emphatic 42-0 victory over Wales on Saturday at Salford Community Stadium in Manchester, securing their quarter-final spot with a game to spare.

The Canadian dominance was evident in the statistics, with the team carrying 796 metres compared to Wales’ 212, beating 22 defenders to Wales’ four, and completing 15 offloads to Wales’ three. Their set-piece performance was particularly impressive, achieving a 100% scrum success rate and 88% success at the lineout.

Historic Moment and Individual Brilliance

The match marked a historic milestone as lock Tyson Beukeboom made her 80th appearance for Canada, equalling Aaron Carpenter’s record as the most-capped Canadian rugby player in history. Adding to the remarkable performance, Hogan-Rochester set a tournament record with 154 metres gained on five line breaks – the highest by any player in Rugby World Cup 2025 so far.

Wales’ Struggle and Tournament Impact

The defeat was particularly painful for Wales, who were already reeling from a 38-8 opening loss to Scotland. The Welsh team, competing without injured co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams, showed early promise but couldn’t convert their opportunities.

Looking Ahead

Canada’s head coach Kevin Rouet, while delighted with the swift progress to the knockouts, identified areas for improvement. He noted that while scoring 42 points was satisfactory, the team’s 27 turnovers were “way too many.” Rouet expressed excitement for the next match, emphasizing their desire to play high-quality rugby.

The tournament has already achieved significant milestones, with the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham set to make history as the most attended women’s rugby union match ever, with 82,000 tickets sold. Overall ticket sales have reached an impressive 375,000 across all matches – triple the attendance of the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand.