PRETORIA — Florence Symonds and Alysha Corrigan scored two tries apiece to help Canada to a 50-20 win over South Africa in women's rugby play Saturday.
Despite the comfortable victory margin, it did not all go the second-ranked Canadians' way. The second half saw the 12th-ranked Springboks score 17 points and Canada lose several players to injury.
"I think we put in a big shift there," said Symonds, named player of the match. "I think we were down to 14 (players) at one point so we were thrown that challenge … I'm just really proud of the team."
The two teams meet again next Saturday at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. The Canadian women will then have just two more outings before the Rugby World Cup kicks off Aug. 22 in England.
DaLeaka Menin, Fancy Bermudez, Laetitia Royer and Caroline Crossley also scored tries for Canada, which led 26-3 at halftime. Julia Schell kicked five conversions.
The win looked for a while like it had come at a cost when, early in the second half, Bermudez was taken off the field on a cart after an apparent leg injury. Rugby Canada said later Bermudez had rejoined the team after being medically cleared.
Olivia Apps shifted to the wing in place of Bermudez, with Justine Pelletier taking over at scrum half, before she herself hobbled off in the 60th minute.
Jakkie Cilliers, Byrhandré Dolf and Sizophila Solontsi scored tries for South Africa. Cilliers also booted a penalty and conversion.
The game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the 51,762-capacity stadium that is home to the Vodacom Bulls, was a curtain-raiser for the men's test match between the top-ranked Springboks and No. 10 Italy.
Injured South African men's captain Siya Kolisi delivered the pre-game team talk to the Springbok women.
It was 17 C in the early-afternoon sunshine at kickoff and Canada started brightly, with Menin powering her way over from close range in the sixth minute to cap a 12-phase attack for a converted try.
The physicality of the Springboks was demonstrated in the 12th minute when Solontsi, a flanker, sent captain Alex Tessier flying backwards as the Canadian captain attempted an open-field tackle. Soon after South Africa showed another side of its game, winning a scrum penalty that led to a penalty kick cutting the lead to 7-3 in the 14th minute.
An overlap in the Canadian backline after a scrum led to a Bermudez try in the 17th minute to up the lead to 12-3. Schell's conversion attempt hit the goalpost.
Unforced errors ended several subsequent Canadian attacks while South Africa conceded a string of penalties. Canada upped its lead to 19-3 in the 29th minute when Bermudez cut through the Springbok defence before feeding Symonds, who outpaced a Springbok chaser for a converted try — her first for Canada in 15s play.
Royer scored Canada's fourth try in the 34th minute after South Africa fell asleep at the breakdown. Another Symonds try in the 38th minute was called off upon video review for a knock-on in the buildup.
South Africa conceded eight penalties in the first half.
Cilliers scored the Springboks' first try in the 44th minute, after Solontsi broke several tackles to spark the attack. But Canada answered immediately, with Symonds ripping the ball free from a Springbok on the ensuing kickoff and Corrigan getting to the loose ball first for a try and a 31-10 lead.
Canada added another Corrigan try in the 57th minute with South Africa answering with tries by Dolfi (62nd minute) and Sizophila Solontsi (69th) to cut the lead to 38-20.
Symonds scored her second try in the 79th minute and Crossley, a member of the Canadian sevens squad making her fifth 15s appearance, added an intercept try in the 80th minute.
Canadian hooker Holly Phillips made her debut off the bench in the 53rd minute. Tyson Beukeboom, the most capped Canadian women’s rugby player, earned her 75th cap coming in at the 64-minute mark, while fellow forwards Gillian Boag and McKinley Hunt earned their 30th cap.
Star forward Sophie de Goede, Canada's captain when healthy, was not in Saturday's matchday squad. Returning from a knee injury, de Goede is expected to see action in the Springboks rematch.
The game was the fifth meeting between the two sides and the first on South Africa soil.
Canada thumped South Africa 66-7 the last time they met, in March 2023 in Madrid. The Canadians also won in three meetings at the Nations Cup: 53-15 in 2013 in Colorado and 52-17 and 35-17 in 2011 and 2009 in Oakville, Ont.
After the South Africa tour, Canada plays the ninth-ranked United States on Aug. 1 in Ottawa and No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Dublin. The Canadian women open the World Cup in England against No. 15 Fiji on Aug. 23 in York, then face No. 10 Wales on Aug. 30 in Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 in Exeter.
South Africa will play out of Group D with No. 4 France, No. 8 Italy and No. 28 Brazil.
Canada improved to 13-5-1 since finishing fourth at the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to top-ranked England, with the other to No. 3 New Zealand.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025.
The Canadian Press
