Two brilliant teams with nothing to choose between them. Who will win on the night?
Watch New Zealand v Canada as two of the very best sides on the planet battle for a place in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final.
– Date: Friday 19 September, 2025
– Kick-off time: 7.00pm BST (local) / 2.00pm ET / 11.00am PT / 4.00am AEST
– FREE STREAMS: BBC iPlayer (UK), RTÉ Player (Ireland)
– Other TV channels: Paramount+ (US), Stan Sport (Australia), SuperSport (South Africa)
– Watch from anywhere: Get 70% off NordVPN
Ireland may have run France agonisingly close last weekend, but this semi-final could be the hardest game to call in the entire tournament. Canada are second in the World Rugby rankings, New Zealand are third; both have 100 per cent records, and have looked impressive throughout the competition.
Even their last meeting, in the Pacific Four series back in May, finished in a 27-27 draw. In other words, you’d have to be an extremely brave punter to make a bet on what – on paper, at least – looks like a game for the ages.
Canada boss Kevin Rouet has kept faith with the side that comfortably beat the Wallaroos 46-5 last Saturday, naming an unchanged 23 for the team’s second successive match at Bristol’s Ashton Gate stadium.
The Black Ferns, meanwhile, have made four changes to the starting XV that beat South Africa in the quarter-finals. The big headline is the absence of the injured Jorja Miller, one of the stars of the tournament so far. Co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu takes her place at openside flanker. Elsewhere, Tanya Kalounivale comes in at tighthead, Sylvia Brunt returns in the centres, and Risaleaana Pouri-Lane gets the nod at scrum-half.
Whoever comes out on top, this is a game you won’t want to miss. This article will tell you everything you need to know to watch New Zealand v Canada, with information on live streams and TV channels around the world – including free options if you live in the UK or Ireland. We’ll also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you’re away from home on Friday. Team line-ups are at the end of the article.
Are there any free New Zealand v Canada live streams?
Yes, there are several free streams for this Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final, including:
- United Kingdom: You can watch New Zealand v Canada on both terrestrial channel BBC Two and streaming service BBC iPlayer. Both options are free to use but remember that you need a current TV Licence to watch/stream live television in the UK. You also need to complete a simple registration to access the iPlayer platform.
- Ireland: Rugby fans in Ireland can watch the weekend’s first semi-final for free via RTÉ Player. You can stream through the app or the in-browser player, and no sign-up is required. You can also tune into the match for free on terrestrial channel RTÉ2.
Travelling overseas on Friday? Residents of the UK and Ireland can still watch their usual free streaming service by making use of good VPN. Read on to find out more.
Stream Black Ferns v Canada from anywhere
Being abroad on Friday night doesn’t have to be bad timing for this eagerly anticipated Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final. Using a VPN (or Virtual Private Network, to give it its full name) is a smart way to avoid the geo-blocking restrictions that might prevent you from watching your usual streaming services when you’re in another country – meaning you can watch New Zealand v Canada as if you were sitting on your sofa in your living room.
As well as improving your online security, VPNs have the useful ability to change your IP address, making your laptop, smartphone or tablet appear to be back home. This means you can tune into Women’s Rugby World Cup fixtures even when you’re on the other side of the world.
There are plenty of VPNs you can buy, but the tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both believe that NordVPN is the best on the market right now.
70% off + 3 months FREE
Over the course of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Rugby World readers can take advantage of an amazing NordVPN deal. Not only can you get a 70% discount on two-year plans but you get another three months thrown in for free.
More streaming options for New Zealand v Canada
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ is the place to go to watch Black Ferns v Canada live streams in New Zealand. You can subscribe to Sky Sport Now from $54.99 per month, but day passes are also available for $29.99. You can also watch Rugby Championship matches, Premier League football and loads more.
- Canada: Canadian fans can watch their team in semi-final action via TSN, and the TSN+ streaming service. The standard TSN subscription starts at $24.99 per month, and that includes TSN+.
- United States: In the US, you can watch New Zealand v Canada on Paramount+. Prices start from $7.99 per month, and you can try before you buy with a seven-day free trial. The game is also available on CBS Sports. (Don’t have cable? Don’t worry because you can still watch CBS and CBS Sports Network through Fubo.)
- Australia: If you don’t mind getting up very early in the morning, Black Ferns v Canada live streams are available ad-free on Stan Sport. It costs $20 per month to add Stan Sport to your base Stan plan. (Prices for the latter start at $12 per month.)
- South Africa: SuperSport is the place to go to watch New Zealand v Canada in South Africa. You can tune in via DStv or streaming.
New Zealand v Canada line-ups and officials
New Zealand
Renee Holmes, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Stacey Waaka, Sylvia Brunt, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Ruahei Demant (co-captain), Risi Pouri-Lane; Chryss Viliko, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale, Maia Roos, Alana Bremner, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Kennedy Tukuafu (co-captain), Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Replacements:
Atlanta Lolohea, Kate Henwood, Amy Rule, Chelsea Bremner, Layla Sae, Maia Joseph, Theresa Setefano, Ayesha Leti-liga
Canada
Julia Schell, Alysha Corrigan, Florence Symonds, Alex Tessier (captain), Asia Hogan-Rochester, Taylor Perry, Justine Pelletier; McKinley Hunt, Emily Tuttosi, DaLeaka Menin, Sophie de Goede, Courtney O’Donnell, Caroline Crossley, Karen Paquin, Fabiola Forteza
Replacements:
Gillian Boag, Brittany Kassil, Olivia DeMerchant, Tyson Beukeboom, Laetitia Royer, Gabrielle Senft, Olivia Apps, Shoshanah Seumanutafa
Aimee Barrett-Theron of South Africa takes charge of New Zealand v Canada, with Aurélie Groizeleau (France) and Ella Goldsmith (Australia) as assistant referees. South Africa’s Quinton Immelman is the TMO.
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