Roster named for Saturday's showdown between Canada's Women's Rugby Team and England

Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named the match day roster for the first of two matches between Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team and England, set for Saturday September 23 at Sandy Park in Exeter. 

With one month remaining until the inaugural WXV tournament in New Zealand, Canada will kick off against the Red Roses at 6:30 a.m. PT / 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local time) at the home of the Exeter Chiefs, the Premier 15s team that boasts the likes of Emily Tuttosi, DaLeaka Menin and Alexandra Tessier. 

Looking for their first ever win against England in England, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s match day roster includes 16 players who were also named to take on England at the Rugby World Cup last fall and 20 who competed at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa in July. 

Tessier will start for Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team for the first time since April following recovery from injury. Also back after extended injury recovery is Taylor Perry, who suffered a knee injury in training ahead of Canada’s first Rugby World Cup match last October. 

Another experienced player could make her return to action with Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team off the bench. Magali Harvey, a 2014 Rugby World Cup silver medallist and 2014 Women’s Rugby Player of the Year, last played for Canada in 2018. 

Three players who earned their first caps for Canada this July in Ottawa against New Zealand have also been named to Canada’s match day roster. Florence Symonds and Claire Gallagher are in the starting 15, with Olivia Apps on the bench. Symonds and Apps both helped Canada qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics in August, while Gallagher followed up the Pacific Four Series with dominating performances against the USA with Canada’s U23 Women’s Rugby Team. 

“Our team reconvened in Exeter over the weekend for the first time since July, and preparations for this first test match against England have gone well,” said Kevin Rouet. “We know the task at hand and the importance of these matches in the team’s journey towards the 2025 Rugby World Cup. It is exciting to see the return of some experienced players, as well as newer players to the program earning an opportunity to play in a match such as this.” 

This match will mark two years since Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s last test match in England, as well as the twelfth time that Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team has played the Red Roses in England. England has taken the win in the last eight meetings between these two teams, with Canada having last won over England in 2016 in Salt Lake City. 

Following this tour, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team heads to New Zealand for WXV, where they will face England once again, along with Wales and France. 

Returning this weekend is the NFP Forward & Back Game Changers contest. Fans will have the opportunity to vote virtually for the players (one forward and one back) who they think were changers for Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team against England, with a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card and a signed jersey. Details on how to participate will be announced on Rugby Canada’s social media channels. 

WHERE TO WATCH 

The match will be made available for viewing. Broadcast details will be confirmed and released prior to match day. 

Tickets are on sale on the England Rugby website. 

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM MATCH DAY ROSTER vs ENGLAND 

1. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens 
2. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs 
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs 
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC / Ealing Trailfinders 
5. Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby 
6. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers 
7. Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
8. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC / Saracens 
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / University of Ottawa 
11. Florence Symonds (Hong Kong) – University of British Columbia 
12. Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores 
13. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – NorWester Athletic Associations / Westshore RFC 
14. Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Worcester Warriors 
15. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs 

FINISHERS 

16. Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC 
17. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC 
18. Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Saracens 
19. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat  
20. Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Belleville Bulldogs / Loughborough Lightning 
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC  
22. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders  
23. Magali Harvey (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Queen’s University / Stade Bordelais