Back in Victoria after touring England and France and criss-crossing Canada to watch his players in action with their club teams, Canada rugby coach Kevin Rouet is ready for the next step on an important year for the Canadian women.
First up is defending their Pacific Four Series title.
The second-ranked Canadian women open a pre-tournament camp April 19 in Chula Vista, Calif., with the women’s sevens squad joining on April 22 for a week of combined training ahead of the Pacific Four Series and the final stop of the HSBC SVNS series May 3-4 in Carson, Calif.
Canada opens Pacific Four Series play May 2 against the eighth-ranked United States at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City before flying to the Southern Hemisphere to play No. 3 New Zealand on May 16 at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch and No. 6 Australia on May 22 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
In July, the team heads to South Africa for games against the 12th-ranked Springbok women July 5 Stadium in Pretoria and July 12 in Gqeberha.
There will likely be a couple more games in advance of the 16-country World Cup scheduled for Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England.
Canada has been drawn in a pool with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji at the World Cup.
Rouet has named an expanded squad of 36 players for the Pacific Four Series, with the two major injury absences in captain Sophie de Goede (knee) and Pam Buisa (wrist). The hope is both will be back for the South Africa tour.
Rouet says the travelling squad will change, with 24 core players with six joining for the U.S. game — giving way to another six for the games in New Zealand and Australia.
By naming the maximum allowed number, Rugby Canada can switch players between 15s and sevens play. Players selected for the final SVNS stop will be available to join Rouet's 15s squad for the Pacific Four Series matches against New Zealand and Australia.
Players like Fancy Bermudez. Asia Hogan-Rochester, Krissy Scurfield, Taylor Perry and Olivia Apps have played for both 15s and sevens teams.
The Canadian sevens women sit fourth in the overall HSBC SVNS standings ahead of play this weekend in Singapore, the penultimate event of the season. The women are coming off a third-place performance in Hong Kong.
Canada won last year's Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 last May in Christchurch. The Canadian women had lost all 17 previous meetings with New Zealand, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more.
This year's Pacific Four Series is seen as a stepping-stone to the World Cup, with Rouet saying he will not field his strongest lineup against the U.S. so he can see some other players in action.
Canada Roster
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Alysia Comtois, Magog, Que., University of Ottawa; Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Cassandra Tuffnail, Heidelberg, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Holly Phillips, Canmore, Alta, Bristol Bears (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Mikiela Nelson, North Vancouver, Exeter Chiefs (England); Rachel Smith, South Surrey, B.C., UBC; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England).
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Blatt-Janmaat, Wolfville, N.S., Valley Rugby Union; Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., Loughborough Lightning (England); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sarah-Maude Lachance, Victoriaville, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
