Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s roster named for Pacific Four Series Game 2 against New Zealand

Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s team is preparing to face No. 2-ranked New Zealand at the Pacific Four Series this weekend and Head Coach Kevin Rouet has confirmed his roster for the fixture.

The test, which will see the No. 2 and No. 3-ranked teams in the world face each other, will take place at The Trusts Arena in Waitakere, New Zealand. The match will kick off at 2:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 12 (10:45 p.m. Eastern / 7:45 p.m. Pacific on Saturday, June 11).

Having beaten the USA convincingly in their opening match, Canada’s Senior Women’s 15s, whose official team sponsor is NFP, go into this game high on confidence. New Zealand, meanwhile, also got off to a winning start in their first match with a 23-10 victory over Australia.

All four try scorers against the USA - Olivia DeMerchant, Pamphinette Buisa, Courtney Holtkamp and Taylor Perry - remain in the starting XV, while Emily Tuttosi and DaLeaka Menin, fresh from the conclusion of the Allianz Premiership, come into the front row and Renee Gonzalez, a graduate of the maple Leaf Academy, is handed a start on the wing.

Sophie De Goede, who won the Player of the Match Award for her performance against the Americans on Monday, will captain the side in what will be her tenth cap.

“On the back of our victory against the USA, we’re looking forward to facing New Zealand,” said Head Coach Rouet. “The team has performed in practice this week and they are ready for this match.”

He continued: “This fixture will be another opportunity for us to put our plans into action and provides more important game time as our preparations for the Rugby World Cup continue.”

The Senior Women’s 15s will follow their match against New Zealand with their third and final Pacific Four Series fixture against Australia on Saturday, June 18 at 1:30 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. Eastern / 6:30 p.m. Pacific on Friday, June 17).

WHERE TO WATCH

Fans in Canada can watch the match against New Zealand live on TSN.ca or the TSN App with an encore presentation set to air on TSN 2 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern / 7:00 p.m. Pacific on Sunday.

Other fans around the world are encouraged to check the World Rugby website to see if their live stream is available in your location.

CANADA’S SENIOR WOMEN’S 15s MATCH DAY ROSTER vs NEW ZEALAND

1.    Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) - Halifax Tars RFC
2.    Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) - Calgary Hornets/Exeter Chiefs
3.    DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) - Exeter Chiefs
4.    Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) - Cowichan RFC
5.    Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) - Red Deer Titans/Loughborough Lightning
6.    Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) - Ottawa Irish
7.    Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) - Brantford Harlequins/Belleville Bulldogs/Loughborough Lightning
8.    Sophie De Goede (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers RFC
9.    Brianna Miller (Pointe-Claire, QC) - Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
10.  Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) - Oakville Crusaders
11.  Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) - Westshore RFC/Worcester Warriors
12.  Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) - Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
13.  Sara Kaljuvee (Ajax, ON) - Toronto Scottish
14.  Renee Gonzalez (Toronto, ON) - Westshore RFC
15.  Elissa Alarie (Trois-Rivières, QC) - Westshore RFC/SABRFC/Braves de TR

FINISHERS

16.  Veronica Harrigan (Lucan, ON) - Brantford Harlequins
17.  Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) - Guelph Redcoats
18.  Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – University of Ottawa
19.  Abby Duguid (Edmonton, AB) - University of Lethbridge/Loughborough Lightning
20.  McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) - Aurora Barbarians/Exeter Chiefs
21.  Anaїs Holly (Montréal, QC) - Town of Mont-Royal R.F.C.
22.  Maddy Grant (Cornwall, ON) – University of Ottawa
23.  Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) - CRFC/Saracens