USA still unbeaten in Bordeaux as Kristi Kirshe stars against Canada

The USA will put their undefeated record at HSBC SVNS Bordeaux on the line when they take on home side France for a spot in the semi-finals. With the quarter-final matchups now set, the SVNS World Championship title race is set for a dramatic run home at Stade Atlantique. 

World Championship leaders Australia and contenders New Zealand have charged into the Cup knockouts with perfect 3-0 records. Katelyn Vahaakolo and Risi Pouri-Lane were first to strike as the Black Ferns Sevens ran away with a 38-7 win over France. 

Australia are also through to the quarters after flying through the group stage with three wins from as many matches, finishing with a +78 points differential. But of all the pool matches on the second day in Bordeaux, another chapter in the North American sevens rivalry stands out. 

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Canada and the USA were both yet to drop a game when they went head-to-head in a blockbuster Pool C showdown on Saturday afternoon. USA captain Kristi Kirshe changed the game with a double, as the Women’s Eagles got the job done 33-22. 

Charity Williams continues to impress for the Canadian side, racing away for a double in the 11-point defeat. 2025 Rugby World Cup star Asia Hogan-Rochester was another one of the try-scorers for Canada, but the USA did enough to secure top spot out of the group. 

“Both teams get up for it equally high every time we play each other and I think everyone feeds into it. Every time we play each other it’s a North American rivalry,” Kirshe told RugbyPass in Bordeaux. 

“It’s a pretty even rivalry. We go back and forth and it’s always one of our most physical games so we definitely get up for it. 

“We’ve been growing all year… but we knew this weekend was going to feel hard. Two back-to-back tournaments, so coming out yesterday we were lucky to come out with two winsbut I don’t think we played the type of rugby that we know we can play. 

“Coming in today, it was really just about delivering a performance that we can be proud of and elevating from yesterday and i think we did that. Now it’s about elevating as we go through each of the next games.” 

The USA are looking to build on last weekend’s promising campaign at SVNS Valladolid, which saw them defeat Series giants Australia in the group stage. Those two sides met again in the Cup Final, but the Aussies were too good in that one. 

Ariana Ramsey has been nominated for World Rugby’s Sevens Player of the Year and Tahna Wifley is in the running for SVNS Rookie of the Year. This is a team that continues to build after finishing the regular season third overall. 

The USA also hold a unique slice of history this season, as the only side who have beaten the top two sides on the circuit. They defeated the Black Ferns Sevens in Dubai and the Aussies last week in Valladolid. 

“So much belief. This group is growing together. Coming into this year we’re a pretty young team and i think that we’ve built together all year,” Kirshe said. 

“I think we’re the only other team on the Series that’s beat both Australia and New Zealand this year so we know we are capable of it. Now it’s just trying to figure out how to do it more consistently. 

“We’ve got the right group and we’re always trying to get better together.” 

Canada will look to bounce back when they take on Fiji in the first women’s quarter-final at 5:28 pm local time. Japan will then take on New Zealand, after they progressed as the second-best third-placed team. 

The USA play France in front of a passionate Bordeaux crowd at 6:12 pm, before Australia take the field for a clash with Spain. Spain finished third in Pool C, finishing with five points after close losses to the USA and Canada. 

Women’s Cup quarter-finals at HSBC SVNS Bordeaux 

Fiji vs Canada at 5:28 pm

New Zealand vs Japan at 5:50 pm

USA vs France at 6:12 pm

Australia vs Spain at 6:34 pm