Canada’s Women’s Rugby Squad For WXV 1
Kevin Rouet, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, has named a squad of 30 players to represent Canada on home soil for WXV 1. Canada is competing in the top tier of WXV (WXV1), which includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France, Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, USA).
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” said Rouet. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world. France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
The team will be captained by Canada’s all-time women’s cap leader, Tyson Beukeboom, who earned her record-breaking 68th international cap in Canada’s history-making victory against New Zealand in May. 23 players selected for WXV 1 were part of the team that won the 2024 Pacific Four Series earlier this year.
Rori Wood, Caroline Crossley and Asia Hogan-Rochester will each look to earn their first cap for Canada. Wood recently spent five seasons with the University of British Columbia while Hogan-Rochester and Crossley won an Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024 alongside fellow WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry.
Karen Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada and silver medal from the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 Rugby World Cup, while Sara Kaljuvee looks to make her first appearance since Canada’s 2023 Pacific Four Series match against Australia.
Canada’s 2024 WXV 1 Schedule
Canada vs France
Sunday September 29, 2024 at 3:45pm PT
BC Place Stadium - Vancouver, BC
Canada vs Ireland
Saturday October 5, 2024 at 3:45pm PT
Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre – Langley, BC
Canada vs England
Saturday October 12, 2024 at 7:00pm PT
BC Place Stadium – Vancouver, BC
Canada has won two of their last three matches against the French including at the inaugural WXV 1 tournament hosted in New Zealand last year when a 66th-minute try from Fancy Bermudez clinched a 29-20 win in the last round of WXV 1 to leapfrog Australia into second place of the final standings.
Canadians will be able to watch all three of Canada’s WXV 1 matches on TSN.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) Barrhaven Scottish / Stade Français Paris
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) Guelph Goats
Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) Castaway Wanderers
Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) Red Deer Titans Rugby
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
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Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) Capilano RFC / Gloucester-Hartpury
Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers
Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QB) Club de rugby de Quebec
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia Univeristy / ASM Romagnat
McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) Ottawa Irish
Rori Wood (Sooke, BC) College Rifles RFC
Sara Cline (Edmonton, AB) Leprechaun Tigers
Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
Backs
Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) CRFC
Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) Toronto Nomands
Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens
Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders
Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) Town of Mount Royal RFC
Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) Lindsay RFC
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) Saracens
Sara Kaljuvee (Ajax, ON) Toronto Scottish / Westshore RFC
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) Counties Manukau
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) Oakville Crusaders / Exeter Chiefs
Editor’s Note: From The Sidelines will be at all of the WXV 1 matches – coverage to follow