Pacific Four Series kicks off “Journey to the Rugby World Cup” for Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s

May 11, 2022 (Langford, BC) – Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s team will kick off its “Journey to the Rugby World Cup” with the Pacific Four Series in June as Head Coach Kevin Rouet’s travelling roster is confirmed.

Fresh from hosting a Top 40 camp in Langford, BC last month, Rouet has whittled his selection pool down to 45 players. In total, 32 players will make the trip to the Pacific Four Series (June 5-17) to take on fifth-ranked Australia, seventh-ranked USA and host nation New Zealand, who are ranked second in the world.

The Rugby World Cup training group will be the basis for squad selection for home test matches against Italy, ranked sixth, on Sunday July 24 at Starlight Stadium in Langford and Wales, ranked ninth, on Saturday August 27 at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, NS. These mark the squad’s final warm-up fixtures on home soil ahead of the much-anticipated World Cup in New Zealand (October 8-November 12).

“While preparations have been underway for a while now, this really feels like the start of our ‘Journey to the Rugby World Cup’,” said Rouet. “The Pacific Four Series will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to test ourselves against some of the world’s best teams ahead of two home test matches in July and August.”

He added: “Everyone has worked very hard to get to this point, but this is where things ramp up for what is set to be an incredible few months which will culminate with the World Cup in New Zealand. A possible total of 12 test matches between now and the end of the World Cup is a record for our Senior Women’s 15s team, showcasing incredible progress for the program and commitment from the athletes.”

Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s, whose official team partner is NFP Corp, will begin their Pacific Four Series campaign with a clash against the USA on Monday June 6 before taking on New Zealand on Sunday June 12. Their final match will be against Australia on Saturday June 18. Below is the full schedule:

Pacific Four Series
June 6: Canada vs USA – The Domain, Tauranga, New Zealand (Kick off: 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT on Sunday June 5)
June 12: Canada vs New Zealand – The Trusts Arena, Waitakere, New Zealand (Kick off: 10:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. PT on Saturday June 11)
June 18: Canada vs Australia – Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei, New Zealand (Kick off: 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT on Friday June 17)

CANADA’S SENIOR WOMEN’S 15s PACIFIC FOUR SERIES ROSTER

Abby Duguid (Edmonton, AB) - University of Lethbridge/Loughborough Lightning
Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) - Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
Alex Ellis (Ottawa, ON) - Barrhaven Scottish and Saracens
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) - CRFC/Saracens
Anaїs Holly (Montréal, QC) - Town of Mont-Royal R.F.C.
Brianna Miller (Pointe-Claire, QC) - Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) - Guelph Redcoats
Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) - Aurora Barbarians
Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) - Red Deer Titans/Loughborough Lightning
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) - Exeter Chiefs
Elissa Alarie (Trois-Rivières, QC) - Westshore RFC/SABRFC/Braves de TR
Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) - Calgary Hornets/Exeter Chiefs
Emma Taylor (Scotsburn, NS) - HRFC / London Saracens
Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) - Castaway Wanderers RFC
Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) - Club de rugby de Québec/Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais
Karen Paquin (Québec City, QC) - Club de rugby de Québec/Les Lionnes du Stade Bordelais
Laura Russell (Bolton, ON) - Cowichan RFC/Toronto Nomads
Maddy Grant (Cornwall, ON) – University of Ottawa
Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – University of Ottawa
McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) - Aurora Barbarians/Exeter Chiefs
Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) - UBC Rugby/Capilano Rugby
Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) - Halifax Tars RFC
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) - Westshore RFC/Worcester Warriors
Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) - Ottawa Irish
Renee Gonzalez (Toronto, ON) - Westshore RFC
Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) TMRRFC/Stade Rennais
Sara Kaljuvee (Ajax, ON) - Toronto Scottish
Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) - Brantford Harlequins/Belleville Bulldogs/Loughborough Lightning
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers RFC
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) - Oakville Crusaders
Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) - Cowichan RFC
Veronica Harrigan (Lucan, ON) - Brantford Harlequins

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES

Cindy Nelles (Belleville, ON) - Belleville Bulldogs/University Canterbury
Corinne Fréchette (Saint-Zéphirin de Courval, QC) - Club de rugby de Québec
Fabiola Forteza (Québec City, QC) - Club de rugby de Québec/Stade Bordelais
Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) - Capilano RFC
Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) - Guelph Redcoats/Castaway Wanderers
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) - St-Anne-de-Bellevue/Lons Section Paloise
Marie Thibault (Québec City, QC) - Club de Rugby de Québec
Ngalula Fuamba (Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, QC) - T.M.R.R.F.C.
Nakisa Levale (Abbotsford, BC) - Abbotsford
Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) - Club de Rugby de Québec/Lons Section Paloise Rugby Feminin

UNAVAILABLE

Janna Slevinsky (St. Albert, AB) - Calgary Saracens

TOUR STAFF

Kevin Rouet - Head Coach
Emma Delory - Team Manager
Jeremy Stienbach - Strength & Conditioning Coach
Dave Butcher - Assistant Coach
Duncan McNaughton - Assistant Coach
Alli Rodway - Athletic Therapist/Medical Lead
Amélie Michaud - Physiotherapist
Stacey Maskelyne - Analyst
Kristy Martin Hale - Coordinator, Women's High Performance

About Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of Rugby Union in Canada. They administer and operate Men’s and Women’s Senior and Junior National programs in both rugby 15s and 7s, as well as govern the Club and community game for more than 30,000 registered participants from coast to coast in conjunction with ten Provincial Union members.

Rugby Canada is headquartered at the Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, BC, residing on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Lekwungen/Songhees peoples, with staff also working from Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Rugby Canada business operations, programs and events are delivered nationwide, including the internationally recognized HSBC Canada Sevens annual tournaments.