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Canada's Justine Pelletier confident heading into final: 'This was part of our plan'
By Lucy Lomax
Canada have taken themselves one step closer to Rugby World Cup history. They last made the final back in 2014 when they played and lost to England. And depending on Saturday’s result the same final could present itself in 2025.
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In a thrilling encounter in Bristol, Canada dismantled reigning world champions the Black Ferns to secure a shot at the trophy next weekend.
Canada played with a tempo and quick offloading style of rugby which New Zealand couldn’t handle, coupled with an extremely strong set piece which functioned like clock work most of the night.
Player of the match, Justine Pelletier was instrumental in her team’s performance, scoring the opening try after only six minutes and providing a sumptuous assist for Sophie de Goede’s score towards the end of the first half.
The scrum-half reacted to her team booking their place in the Rugby World Cup final and knocking out six-time World Cup champions.
“It was a great start (scoring her try). I think it’s the kind of start we want to show you’re present in the game and we showed a kind of dominance.
“We like getting this back to-back momentum where we score once, but the most important is how we’re going to respond to that. So it was a great start but we stayed calm minded.”
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Canada seemed so cohesive as a team with passes and offloads sticking with a low error count and an almost telepathic understanding of how each other play and what each player is going to do.
“We feel the game as a unit, as one. That crazy offload that I did to Sophie (de Goede), I just heard Sophie in in my ear, on my side, and I knew she was there. I didn’t have to look.
“So it’s kind of like, we play off each other because we’ve been playing a lot together and have those connections on and off the field. And it pays off because we know how we play, what each player is like and what they are going to do.”
When asked whether the enormity of the moment had sunk in yet, the 29-year-old was humble around her team’s achievement.
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“I think it’s going to be next Sunday (when it sinks in), honestly. I don’t want to make that much of a big deal because there is still more to go and it’s a very important (next match). This was part of our plan.
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“Kevin (head coach) is very good at keeping us in the moment and present and it’s been something we’ve been working on as a team. He says to enjoy each other. When we have fun and when we’re in a good headspace, we are happy. That’s where we do our best rugby.”
The team will face either England or France and now have an eight day turnaround until the final in front of a sold out Allianz Stadium.
“(This week) it’s about keeping the good vibes, don’t change anything, like at night we play cards, so we’ll keep playing cards. When we go to the field, we like to play Spikeball which makes us happy and connect together.
“I think we’ve done a lot. We have achieved a lot right now. The support has been amazing back home. There are also so many supporters that made the trip to England and we’re very grateful for that.
“I think we have unlocked rugby in Canada as it has been a bit in the shadows of ice hockey and American football. So I think I’m very proud that rugby is more on the TV, more visible, and it’s going to be bigger in our country.”
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