It’s official, Beaverton’s Lori Josephson helped her team — her nation’s team — return to Canada having earned fifth place at the Rugby World Cup.

A 43-12 victory over Australia in the fifth place play-off game on Saturday (Aug. 26) was enough to secure the top-five finish for Canada’s women’s rugby team. New Zealand remains the highest ranked team in the world, England claims the second spot, France the third, Canada is fourth and the United States sits in fifth.

At the end of the tournament, Canada had scored 213 points, 34 tries, and 19 conversions. Josephson and her teammates won four of five matches at the World Cup, averaging 42.6 points per match.

Josepshon, a native of Beaverton, was in the starting line-up for three of the five matches and part way through the tournament, noted just how remarkable the experience was.

“It’s been amazing but still feels a bit surreal,” she wrote The Brock Voice from Ireland following her second game.

“This is the biggest tournament for women’s rugby and it’s been my goal all along to make it here and play for Canada, not to mention scoring my first ever try in the jersey.  And getting to play beside idols like (team captain) Kelly Russell, who I’ve looked up to for years, has just been the most amazing feeling.”

Canada opened the tournament with a 98-0 drubbing of Hong Kong followed by a 15-0 victory over Wales in game two. The team fell 48-5 to the first place New Zealand before deafeating Wales a second time with a score of 52-0 on Aug. 22, four days before their final win of the tournament.

For more information about the Rugby World Cup, as well as international standings, visit rwcwomens.com.