WOMEN'S MAPLE LEAF SQUAD DEPARTS TO JAPAN

The tournament acts as a pathway to the HSBC World Sevens Series and provides players with a great opportunity to compete on the international stage and gain experience playing against quality opposition.

The development squad, lead by John Tait consists of a mix of youth and experience with the likes of Olivia Apps, Natasha Watchman-Roy and Megan Lukan included in the traveling party.

The players will be looking to impress the head coach and get as much game-time as possible with the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia (4 – 15 April) and third leg of the HSBC World Series in Kitakyushu, Japan on 21 and 22 April fast approaching.

Canada who did not take part in the tournament last year will tackle England, Japan and Australia on day one of the competition with the hopes of qualifying for the finals.

Okinawa Roster:

1. Olivia Apps, Aurora Barbarians, (Lindsay, ON)
2. Alexandria Bennett, Ottawa Irish (Ottawa, ON)
3. Pam Buisa, Ottawa Irish (Gatineau, QC)
4. Emma Chown, Aurora Barbarians (Barrie, ON)
5. Caroline Crossley, Castaway Wanderers (Victoria, BC)
6. Fabiola Forteza, Club de Rugby de Quebec (Quebec, QC)
7. Sara Kaljuvee, Toronto Scottish (Ajax, ON)
8. Megan Lukan, Unattached (Barrie, ON)
9. Kayla Moleschi, Williams Lake Rustlers (Williams Lake, BC)
10. Arielle Normandin-LeClerc, TMRRFC (Montreal, QC) ?
11. Sabrina Poulin, TMRRFC (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC)
12. Natasha Watcham-Roy, Hull Volant (Gatineau, QC) ?

Schedule:

Day 1 – 21 April (20 April in Canada):
Canada vs. England at 10:44am local (8:44pm ET/5:44pm PT)
Canada vs. Japan 2 at 13:29am local (11:29pm ET/8:29pm PT)
Canada vs. Australia at 16:36am local (2:36am ET [21 April]/11:36pm PT)

Day 2:
TBD