Canada’s squad named for inaugural WXV tournament

Canada’s 30-player squad for WXV, a new three-tier annual women’s international 15s competition, has been named by Head Coach Kevin Rouet. 

Returning to New Zealand one year following a fourth place finish at the Rugby World Cup are 21 players from Canada’s Rugby World Cup squad. Twenty-eight players heading for WXV were also named to Canada’s squad for September’s two-match series in England against the Red Roses, six of which earned their first cap in 2023 after excelling with Canada’s sevens and age grade programs. 

“Over the last year since the Rugby World Cup, we’ve developed good consistency with a strong core group of players. There has been a lot of positive growth and development with continued collaboration with our sevens program as well as the Pacific Four Series and the test matches in England.” said Kevin Rouet. “Gaining more frequent elite competition experience is very important as we continue to look towards the 2025 Rugby World Cup. We are excited about the opportunity presented to us with WXV and are looking forward to three more great matches against some of the best teams in the world.” 

Canada is competing in the top tier of WXV (WXV1), which includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France, Wales) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, Australia). The six-team tournament will use a cross-pool format; there will be no relegation in this first cycle of WXV1. 

Canada will open the tournament versus Wales at Sky Stadium in Wellington, with kick-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time on Saturday October 21 (8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET on Friday October 20). With a six-game winning streak for Canada over Wales, the two teams last met in August 2022 in Halifax in preparation for the Rugby World Cup. 

The team will then travel to Dunedin to play England at Forsyth Barr Stadium at 7:00 p.m. local time on Friday October 27 (11:00 p.m. PT on Thursday October 26 / 2:00 a.m. ET on Friday October 27). This will mark the third time in two months that these teams have met. 

Canada will close the tournament against France, who they last played in the bronze medal game of the 2021 Rugby World Cup (played in 2022). The match will take place at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, with kick-off at 4:00 p.m. local time on Saturday November 4 (8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET on Friday November 3). 

More information on WXV, including scores and results, can be found on the official website at wxvrugby.com.  

Canadians will be able to watch all three WXV matches featuring Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team on TSN. Further broadcasting details will be announced in the coming weeks. 

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM WXV SQUAD 

FORWARDS 
Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Saracens 
Ashlynn Smith (Abbotsford, BC) – University of Calgary 
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Redcoats 
Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby 
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs  
Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs 
Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Stade Bordelais 
Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC 
Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / University of Calgary 
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat 
McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens 
Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – UBC Rugby / Capilano Rugby 
Sara Cline (Edmonton, AB) – Leprechaun Tigers  
Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Belleville Bulldogs / Loughborough Lightning 
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC / Saracens  
Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC / Ealing Trailfinders 

BACKS 
Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs  
Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / University of Ottawa 
Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – NorWester Athletic Associations / Westshore RFC  
Florence Symonds (Hong Kong) – University of British Columbia 
Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Redcoats / Castaway Wanderers 
Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) – University of Victoria  
Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores 
Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC  
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Worcester Warriors   
Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – TMRRFC / Eibar Rugby Taldea 
Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Lons Section Paloise  
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia 

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES 
Abby Duguid (Edmonton, AB) – University of Lethbridge  
Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers 
Corinne Fréchette (Saint-Zéphirin-de-Courval, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Université Laval  
Emma Taylor (Scotsburn, NS) – Halifax RFC / Saracens  
Lizzie Gibson (Caledon, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Queen’s University 
Magali Harvey (Quebec City, QC) - Club de rugby de Québec / Queen’s University / Stade Bordelais 
Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – TMRRFC / Concordia Université  
Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) - Halifax Tars RFC 
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) - Oakville Crusaders 

UNAVAILABLE FOR SELECTION 
Brianna Miller 
Cassandra Tuffnail 
Karen Paquin 
Maya Montiel 
Pamphinette Buisa 
Sara Kaljuvee