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New Zealand 19-34 Canada (De Goede 74′)
Sophie de Goede slots over the kick, and the gap is 15 points with barely six minutes left to play. Canada might just be heading for the World Cup final …
71 mins: Laetitia Royer heaves over the line but, with their World Cup ending if the ball touches grass, New Zealand somehow hold her up. Still, there’s a penalty for offside – and Canada will take the chance to extend their lead beyond two converted tries.
70 mins: New Zealand are penalised again, this time for a croc roll – and Canada will set up a lineout, and a roll for the line …
69 mins: The tension is palpable – you can practically hear a pin drop around Ashton Gate. Hogan-Rochester puts in another twisting run but runs out of options. Canada know another try would surely be enough.
68 mins: The possession-o-meter has swung dramatically – New Zealand with 94% in the last 10 minutes. That said, another costly handling error gives Canada the put-in at a midfield scrum.
66 mins: That’s Sorensen-McGee’s ninth try of this World Cup. For Canada, Gabrielle Senft is on for Forteza, who is undergoing a head injury assessment. Atlanta Lolohea and Kate Henwood are on for Georgia Ponsonby and Chryss Viliko in the NZ front row.
Updated at 15.36 EDT
TRY! New Zealand 19-31 Canada (Sorensen-McGee 64′)
The comeback is absolutely on now. Maia Joseph slaloms beyond a tackle and although Canada regroup at the line, Demant’s high kick to the corner is claimed by Sorensen-McGee. The 18-year-old wriggles past Hogan-Rochester, payback for Canada’s second try – but she can’t land the conversion.
New Zealand are fighting back! Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PAShare
Updated at 15.34 EDT
63 mins: Apps is involved straight away, digging out the ball as Canada clear their lines. More New Zealand changes: Maia Joseph replaces Risi Pouri-Lane at scrum-half and Chelsea Bremner is in for her younger sister, Alana.
Updated at 15.27 EDT
62 mins: Brittany Kassil and Letitia Royer replace Hunt and Paquin in the pack, while Olivia Apps – another star of the Paris Olympic sevens silver medallists – replaces Pelletier at scrum-half.
61 mins: It’s taken an hour but Canada are penalised for the first time, De Goede (I think) going in off her feet. New Zealand opt for the scrum, five metres out – and Rouet is ringing the changes.
59 mins: Canada still lead by more than two converted tries, but this feels like a huge 10 minutes with some players in white looking weary. When will Kevin Rouet opt to make changes?
58 mins: Sylvia Brunt is stopped in midfield by Pelletier, who throws herself into a tackle despite looking physically outmatched.
ShareTRY! New Zealand 14-31 (Mikaele-Tu’u 56′)
It’s not over yet! Layla Sae, just on for Tukuafu, smashes through a tackle and there’s a path for Liana Mikaele-Tu’u to barrel over the line. Sorensen-McGee takes over kicking duties and converts.
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u scores for New Zealand. Photograph: Paul Harding/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 15.23 EDT
55 mins: Finally some space for New Zealand’s backs to roam upfield, Sorensen-McGee leading the charge. A grubber kick through catches Julia Schell cold, and the full-back has to hoof into touch rather than collect it. A big chance for the Black Ferns here …
54 mins: Canada have had 83% possession in this second half – if anything, they’ve dialled up the dominance since the break.
52 mins: A first change for Canada, with Tyson Beukeboom (great name, let’s be honest) replaces Courtney O’Donnell. Pouri-Lane tries to clear downfield but her kick is charged down by hooker Tutossi. Relentless pressure.
50 mins: A second Black Ferns change, Ayesha Leti-Iiga replacing Holmes. Could strength from the bench help turn this game around? As it stands, New Zealand are staring at a first knockout-stage defeat at a World Cup since 1991.
48 mins: A New Zealand attack ends in a handling error, in what has been a recurring theme. The penalty count now reads New Zealand 6-0 Canada; how the Maple Leafs have played at such a high tempo without conceding a single penalty is beyond me.
45 mins: Canada start the second half as they ended the first, and it’s a long way back for the champions now. They make a change in the front row, Amy Rule replacing try-scorer Kalounivale.
ShareTRY! New Zealand 7-31 Canada (Tessier 42′)
A fifth try for Canada, the forwards punching holes in the Black Ferns defence and making space for Alex Tessier, who slaloms her way over the line. De Goede converts.
It’s a long way back now for New Zealand. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianShare
Updated at 15.12 EDT
42 mins: Canada win the lineout and burst down the left through Hogan-Rochester. They’re knocking on the door again …
41 mins: Menin strips the ball away to start the move, but this time New Zealand hold firm and clear their lines after the scrum – although Demant’s clearing kick only travels about 20 metres.
ShareSecond half
Alex Tessier gets the second half under way, and Canada are straight back on the offensive …
“Watching from Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province,” writes John Morrison. “I sense a little extra fire in the Maple Leafs.”
Whoever wins this game, France and England have a hard act to follow at the same venue tomorrow. Here’s some pre-game reading:
“Canada are a lovely team to watch, very fast and always seem to know what they’re doing,” notes Denis O’Brien. That half showed them at their free-flowing best, and the sheer speed proved too much for New Zealand. Aside from that one grinding score from Kalounivale, it’s been almost one-way traffic.
ShareHalf time: New Zealand 7-24 Canada
Canada pick up a penalty but Tessier opts to kick it out, and the Maple Leafs head off the field with a deserved lead. New Zealand players stay out there, forming a huddle as they try to break down what went wrong.
39 mins: New Zealand retain the ball from a scrum deep in their own half and Stacey Waaka’s attempted break is halted by fellow No 13, Florence Symonds. Another loose pass presents Canada with the put-in at a final scrum, and a chance to stretch their lead …
38 mins: Canada aren’t concerned with defending this lead until the half-time whistle – Pelletier again dictating the tempo of another flowing attacking move. The defending champions urgently need the break to clear their heads.
ShareTRY! New Zealand 7-24 Canada (De Goede 35′)
Or not, as Canada’s all-round star Sophie de Goede finds a gap 10 metres out and darts under the post like a fleet-footed winger. The lock kicks her own conversion, and New Zealand look shell-shocked.
Sophie de Goede scores again for Canada! Photograph: Paul Harding/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 14.44 EDT
34 mins: Pelletier puts into the scrum and lets No 8 Forteza dig it out and offload back to her. Forteza gets involved again with a drive forward, but New Zealand’s defence is just about holding …
32 mins: Canada still so dangerous on the break, another sweeping move only stopped as Hogan-Rochester is bustled into touch.