Canada knocks out New Zealand to reach Women's Rugby World Cup final

The Women's Rugby World Cup will have a new queen.

New Zealand's eight-year reign as world champion was terminated by Canada in a stunning 34-19 semifinal victory in Bristol on Friday.

Canada flew to a shocking 24-7 lead by halftime, added a fifth try by captain Alex Tessier straight after the break then held on to reach only its second World Cup final.

“I said to the girls to stop crying because we have a job to do in eight days,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said. “That's the mindset. We need to finish the job. I am excited for next weekend. I want it to be next weekend now."

Canada lost its only other final in 2014 to England.

England plays France in the other semifinal on Saturday in Bristol.

Canada's victory was not a surprise. It won and drew its last two matchups with New Zealand after 17 straight defeats. What did surprise was how much Canada dominated the Black Ferns.

The forwards, especially totemic lock Sophie de Goede, stymied New Zealand up front and the backs, led by scrumhalf Justine Pelletier, outsmarted their opposites.

Their first World Cup win over six-time champion New Zealand was also only the third time the Black Ferns have lost in tournament history. The Black Ferns suffered their first World Cup loss in 11 years and their first loss in a knockout match in 34 years.

“Canada were impressive,” New Zealand coach Allan Bunting said. "Canada were accurate and we weren't, and that's the difference."

Two errors by New Zealand fullback Renee Holmes and two pieces of skill by flyhalf Taylor Perry led to Canada's 12-0 dream start in as many minutes.

Holmes' kick out on the full led to Perry's chaos-causing chip and Pelletier's converted try, then Perry's over-the-top pass found left wing Asia Hogan-Rochester, who palmed off Holmes to score.

Canada's forwards took charge and 14 phases narrowed the Black Ferns defense for Tessier who, just before she was cut in half, sent in midfield partner Florence Symonds and extended their lead to 17-0.

New Zealand hit back after Stacey Waaka caught the restart. Prop Tanya Kalounivale barged over but New Zealand's rushed errors kept giving back Canada turf and ball.

And five minutes from the break, de Goede's intuitive connection with Pelletier paid off again when she took a round-the-corner offload and streaked in between the posts. The lock converted her own try — she was four of six off the tee — and Canada was flying.

New Zealand came in with a tournament-leading 93% successful tackle rate but missed 18 tackles in the first half.

Right from the restart, prop DaLeaka Menin stripped New Zealand of the ball and Tessier ended up stepping off her right foot and crossing untouched for another converted try.

New Zealand rallied with scores by flanker Liana Mikaele-Tu'u and teenage wing Braxton Sorensen-McGee — her ninth try in her maiden World Cup — but the pressure to catch up played into Canada's hands.

Canada's defense was happy to concede penalties to corral New Zealand.

De Goede added a final penalty kick to wrap up one of Canada's greatest victories.

“Huge relief and excitement and pride after that,” De Goede said. “We knew it was going to take an incredible performance to beat them and I am just really proud we were able to put that out on the field and keep control in that game.”

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Canada's team players celebrate after scoring their first try during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

New Zealand's Layla Sae, centre bottom, and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, left, challenge for the ball with Canada's Laetitia Royer, centre, during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

Canada's team members celebrate as they won the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

Canada's Sophie de Goede controls the ball the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

Canada's team players celebrate after winning the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

Canada's Karen Paquin, left, and New Zealand's Kennedy Tukuafu challenge for the ball during the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 semifinal match between New Zealand and Canada in Bristol, England, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.(AP Photo/Anthony Upton)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany's troubled economy returned to modest growth last year after two years of falling output, official figures showed, as hopes rise that government spending on bridges, rail lines and defense may help end years of stagnation.

The expansion in gross domestic product of 0.2% for 2025 was fueled by stronger consumer and government spending while exports sagged under the weight of more restrictive U.S. trade policy under President Donald Trump, the German Federal Statistical Office said on Thursday.

That follows shrinkage of 0.5% in 2024 and 0.9% in 2023.

“Germany’s export business faced strong headwinds owing to higher U.S. tariffs, the appreciation of the euro and increased competition from China,” statistical office head Ruth Brand said in a statement accompanying the statistical release.

Expectations have risen for Germany to finally see stronger growth this year as the government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz implements plans to increase spending on infrastructure to make up for years of underinvestment. Meanwhile defense spending is rising due to a perceived higher level of threat from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Germany has endured a period of extended stagnation following the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher energy costs following the war in Ukraine and increasing competition from China in key German specialties such as autos and industrial machinery have held back an economy that is heavily focused on exports. Then came Trump's imposition of higher tariffs, or import taxes, on goods from the European Union. The slow growth has also exposed long-term structural issues such as excessive bureaucracy and lack of skilled labor. A stronger euro has also made exports less competitive on price.

A group of leading economists has predicted 0.9% growth for this year but said that forecast could be at risk if the increase in government spending is unleashed more slowly than expected.

The German economy grew 0.2% in the last three months of 2025, according to available preliminary data.

FILE - Containers are piled up in the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)