A new finalist was guaranteed as France met Canada in the semi-finals of Rugby World Cup 2014 at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, on 13 August, 2014.
Neither team had contested the showpiece match before, and most pre-match predictions pointed to a French win on home soil.
Les Bleues had not conceded a single try en route to the last four and that record continued up until half-time as the sides went into the break locked at 6-6, with two penalties apiece for Sandrine Agricole and Magali Harvey.
Game-changer
Another tight 40 minutes looked in prospect, especially given the prize at stake, but Canada found another gear to stun the hosts with full-back turned scrum-half Elissa Alarie scoring one and setting up another for Harvey, as she launched a counterattack from a retreating defensive scrum on their own five-metre line.
Any defence in the world, even one as good as France’s, would have struggled to stop Harvey as she went on amazing 90-metre run to the line.
The goal-kicking winger then composed herself to convert her own score from the right touchline, and the extra two points proved the difference as Canada held on to win 18-16, despite conceding two late tries to Safi N’Diaye and Assa Koita.
Huge rush
"I can't stop smiling, it's just a huge rush of adrenalin. I'm not realising it fully now, but I soon will," admitted Harvey at the final whistle.
Harvey was named IRB Women’s Player of the Year after Canada’s defeat to England in the final four days later, becoming the first Canadian to win the accolade.
Harvey’s breathtaking try – which was nominated for the IRPA Try of the Year 2014 award – will live long in the memory and it can be seen again this Monday courtesy of our live stream service, which will broadcast the entire match, at 19:00 BST, via the official Rugby World Cup Facebook page and World Rugby’s YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, France went on to win bronze, beating Ireland 25-18.
