HSBC SVNS: New Zealand and Australia set up Vancouver semi date, Japan and Fiji in last-four pairing

Australia won their 13th consecutive quarter-final with a 28-14 success against Great Britain on day two of the HSBC SVNS at BC Place. Their reward is a semi-final against New Zealand, 34-12 victors over hosts Canada.

USA lost their third quarter-final of the season when Japan had the edge in extra-time in a 22-17 victory. Fiji will be Japan's opponents on the final day's play in Vancouver after their 46-0 rout of Brazil.

Quarter-finals

Australia never looked back after Teagan Levi cut a line through the British defence within two minutes. The underdogs resorted to fouls to keep Australia out and were on the back foot when Kahli Henwood was the beneficiary of a quick-tap penalty as she made it 14-0.

Grace Crompton took the outside lane to score after picking up from a Jade Shekells surge as Britain reduced the deficit but Levi and Charlotte Caslick rubber-stamped Australia's place in the semi-finals.

There was, though, a special moment for Georgie Lingham who outpaced four chasers to score a late second for Great Britain.

Charlotte Caslick, scorer of 185 career tries, said: "Over the weekend we’ve been able to give a lot of girls game time. You can see the growth from game to game from them.”

Jorja Miller has been outstanding for New Zealand in Vancouver and her interplay with Stacey Waaka in attack has been a treat. The duo had already helped themselves to a try each against Canada to take the score to 19-7 before they combined either side of half-time to kill off home hopes of an upset.

"She’s a special player and a special human," Miller said of Waaka after the match.

Asia Hogan-Rochester and Carissa Norsten were the try scorers for Canada, bright spots in a match sullied by an injury to skipper Piper Logan, who hobbled off early in the play.

In the other half of the draw, Japan won a thriller against the USA. Trailing 17-7 after Kristi Kirshe's try for USA, Suzuha Okamoto cut the gap and captain Marin Kajiki closed it in the final seconds after squeezing past Autumn Locicero in the corner.

The missed conversion meant the game went into extra-time during which Minako Taniyama had the legs to match her alertness as she scored the winner.

Sesenieli Donu and Mere Vocevoce each crossed twice for Fiji alongside four single try scorers as Brazil could not muster the energy that had helped them beat Australia the previous evening.

Earlier, France and China booked a meeting on Sunday to decide who will finish in ninth place.

Pool matches

Pool A: Canada run out of gas after early promise

A mighty roar greeted Canada as they ran out at BC Place to take on Australia and the decibel level increased when Florence Symonds and Alysha Corrigan put the hosts 14-0 ahead.

Victory for either team meant a top-two spot in Pool A and it was Australia who claimed it. They dusted themselves down following their astonishing defeat by Brazil to score 35 points without reply after conceding those two early scores. Canada, despite winning twice on the opening day, finished third and face in-form New Zealand in the last eight.

Two tries by speedster Thalia Costa helped Brazil back up that statement win over Australia with a 19-17 defeat of Spain for whom 18-year-old Juana Stella also scored twice. The win moved Brazil to the summit of the pool.

Pool B: Black Ferns in the mood

New Zealand had never lost a pool game in Canada and that record was never in doubt against a USA team that showed menace only once in their 37-0 defeat, when Sariah Ibarra went on a rampage before being halted.

Both teams knew their places in the last eight were guaranteed before kick-off but the Black Ferns could not be accused of short-changing the fans in BC Place.  

Michaela Brake and Risi Pouri-Lane had sped away for tries before "The Smiling Assassin" Stacey Waaka lit up the stadium with a score in each corner, Jorja Miller involved in both as New Zealand made it 22-0.

Dhys Faleafaga, Miller and Mahina Paul rounded off the scoring as New Zealand made it three wins from three.

China scored 29 points without reply against Ireland. Zhou Yan helped herself to a brace before Chen Keyi held off Hannah Clarke for her team's third. Chen Ziying got on the scoresheet with the final try scored by Jiang Yutong after Ireland left a gap on their left flank.

Pool C: Great Britain come out on top

Two early tries by Grace Crompton sent Great Britain on their way to a 24-21 win over Fiji, a result that put Britain on top of Pool C and consigned Fiji to third place and a quarter-final against Brazil.

Five different scorers contributed to France's 31-12 victory over Japan but they finished at the foot of the pool. Japan's two wins on day one meant they progressed to the last eight.