CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Women's Rugby senior Ava Ference helped Team Canada capture the 2026 FISU World Championship Rugby Sevens title in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
 
A native of British Columbia, Ference and her Canadian teammates defeated Botswana, 70-0, and Ireland, 35-7, on the first day of pool play. Despite falling to Australia, 15-14, in its third and final pool-play match, Team Canada rebounded with a 24-14 victory over the hosts, South Africa, in the quarterfinal round.
 
On Day 3 of the tournament, Canada, as a result of its win over South Africa, earned a rematch with Australia and it did not let the opportunity slip away. Team Canada exacted revenge by emerging with a 19-14 decision, sending it to the gold-medal match against France. Ference and Team Canada ultimately cruised to a 20-0 victory to win the title.
 
Ference will now return to campus to rejoin her Harvard teammates, who won their season opener on Saturday at Sacred Heart, 26-24. Next up for the Crimson is a home date against Brown on Saturday, Sept. 12. Game time is slated for 4 p.m. ET and the contest will air live on ESPN+.