Canada’s Women’s Rugby World Cup squad named for New Zealand

Seeded No. 3 for the World Cup, Canada’s Women - whose official team partner is NFP - will compete in Pool B alongside the USA, Italy and Japan. Their first match will be against Japan at the Northland Events Centre in Whangarei on Sunday, October 9 at 3:15 p.m. local time. Click here for the full Pool B schedule.

Head Coach Kevin Rouet’s 32-player squad features a mix of experience and young talent. Captaining the side in New Zealand, Sophie de Goede – daughter of former captains of Canada’s Women’s and Men’s teams, Stephanie White and Hans de Goede – will compete at the first Rugby World Cup of her career.

She will be joined by the likes of Olivia DeMerchant, Brianna Miller, Laura Russell, Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin, Elissa Alarie, Brittany Kassil, DaLeaka Menin and Alexandra Tessier, all of whom have represented Canada in at least one previous Rugby World Cup.

“I’m proud to have confirmed the squad that will be heading to the Rugby World Cup,” Rouet commented. “It was a very tough selection process, and all of the players made it very difficult to narrow our squad down to a group of 32.”

He added: “All of them have been so dedicated and put in so much hard work to get to this point. However, the real hard work starts now as we head to New Zealand with a desire and belief that we can compete for the Rugby World Cup trophy, the first in Canada’s history.”

Tied with her sister, Kelly Russell, as the third most-capped Canadian Women of all time, Laura Russell will overtake Maria Gallo at No. 2 on that list with three more appearances. Meanwhile, DeMerchant and Beukeboom are set to break to 50-cap mark with their next selections.

Canada head to the World Cup on the back of consecutive wins in home international test matches - 32-24 over Italy at Starlight Stadium in Langford, BC and 31-3 over Wales at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, NS – which marked the program’s first games in Canada since 2015.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2021 SQUAD

Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
Alex Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Saracens
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
Anaїs Holly (Montreal, QC) – Town of Mont-Royal RFC
Brianna Miller (Pointe-Claire, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Redcoats
Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
Elissa Alarie (Trois-Rivieres, QC) – Westshore RFC
Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
Emma Taylor (Scotsburn, NS) – HRFC
Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec
Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Exeter Chiefs / Regina Rogues Rugby Club
Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC
Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Redcoats / Castaway Wanderers
Justine Pelletier (Riviere-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec
Karen Paquin (Quebec 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
Marie Thibault (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec
McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Exeter Chiefs
Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – UBC Rugby / Capilano Rugby
Ngalula Fuamba (Notre Dame de-l'ile-Perrot, QC) - T.M.R.R.F.C.
Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Worcester Warriors
Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – TMRRFC
Sara Kaljuvee (Ajax, ON) – Toronto Scottish
Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Belleville Bulldogs / Loughborough Lightning
Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) - Club de Rugby de Québec/Lons Section Paloise Rugby Feminin
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders
Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES

Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – University of Ottawa
Cindy Nelles (Belleville, ON) – Belleville Bulldogs / University of Canterbury
Abby Duguid (Edmonton, AB) – University of Lethbridge / Loughborough Lightning
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Lons Section Paloise
Janna Slevinsky (St. Albert, AB) – Calgary Saracens
Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
Renee Gonzalez (Toronto, ON) – Westshore RFC
Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) – Aurora Barbarians