KITAKYUSHU, Japan — Canada moved into the Cup quarter-finals at the Kitakyushu Sevens on Saturday, dispatching Spain, China and Australia in pool play.
The Canadian women, third in the overall HSBC World Rugby Women's Seven Series standings, will face No. 7 Russia next. France and the U.S. were also perfect on the day.
The other Cup quarter-finals see the second-ranked Americans versus No. 1 New Zealand, No. 4 Australia versus No. 8 England and No. 5 France versus No 6 Ireland.
New Zealand, which had gone 18-0 in winning the three previous tournaments, went 1-1-1 after thumping Japan 43-0, tying Russia 17-17 and losing 29-7 to France.
Kaili Lukan, Charity Williams, Britt Benn and Bianca Farella scored tries in Canada's 26-7 win over No. 9 Spain. Captain Ghislaine Landry added three conversions.
Farella and Williams each scored two tries in the 42-19 win over No. 11 China.
Karen Paquin, returning to the sevens squad for the first time since the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Keyara Wardley, winning her first cap, also scored tries. Landry and Breanne Nicholas added three conversions apiece.
Farella, Paquin and Lukan scored in the 17-14 win over No. 4 Australia with Landry adding a conversion.
Canada finished 11th in Kitakyushu last year, one of its worst performances on the circuit.
The Canadian Press
