Check out Canadian Magali Harvey’s electrifying 80-metre try in IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final

No matter what the sport - If you are a fan of competitive athletics - it is the type of play that will stop you cold in your tracks, or make you rise to your feet.

Magali Harvey blazed Canada into their first ever IRB Women's Rugby World Cup final with a breathtaking 80-metre second-half run in their semi-final match against France.

The try and subsequent convert put Canada up 18-6 and was the difference as they held off a late surge by the favoured host nation for an 18-16 win.

France had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes after their try cut the Canadian lead to 2 points but Sandrine Agricole missed her conversion attempt in the 76th minute, it was her second missed convert of the half.

Harvey's scoring play came seconds before the 45-minute mark with Canada hemmed deep near their own try line. Two minutes earlier, Elissa Alaire opened the half with a try that broke a 6-6 deadlock - but Harvey was unable to nail the conversion. With France hoping the momentum was swinging back in their favour - Harvey struck.

Receiving the ball at the near touchline - she cut further outside losing one marker, then back inside halfway up the pitch - using a clever head fake to leave a second French player in her wake before outrunning two more pursuers from Les Bleus enroute to the try.

Harvey has had a remarkable World Cup, the soon to be 24-year-old (her birthday is on Saturday) Right Wing from Quebec City, PQ. recorded 39 points (3 tries, 9 converts, 2 penalties) in three previous matches and notched 13 more on Wednesday.

Since the IRB created the Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991, Canada has participated in each of the seven tournaments but never finished higher than 4th place. Their victory at Stade Jean Bouin in Paris on Wednesday ensures their best ever placement. On Sunday afternoon they will take on England, a side they drew 13-13 in their group stage match on Aug. 5.

The past 24 hours has been fantastic for Canadian women in international sporting events, on Tuesday the women's U-20 soccer team beat North Korea 1-0 advancing to the knockout stage of the Women's World Cup for the first time since 2004.

It all adds up to an exciting weekend on the pitch with quarter-final soccer action kicking-off Saturday at 8 p.m. ET when Canada takes on Germany from Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton while the Rugby World Cup final is set for the following day at 12:30 p.m ET.

Follow Neil Acharya on Twitter: @Neil_Acharya