38 players named to training camp ahead of women’s South Africa tour

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named 38 players to a training camp in Perth, Ontario in preparation for the team’s upcoming tour to South Africa.  

Following the camp, which takes place June 20 to 27, a squad of 32 will be selected to travel to South Africa for a pair of test matches in July.  

Thirty-three players from Canada’s Pacific Four Series squad, who came second in the tournament in May with wins over the USA and Australia and a tie to New Zealand, have been named for the camp.  

Madison Grant, Paige Farries, Pamphinette Buisa and Sophie de Goede all return to the training environment following recovery from injury while Carissa Norsten, a Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist and 2024 HSBC SVNS Women’s Rookie of the Year, has earned her first invite to a senior team camp.  

“We are looking forward to reconvening as a group after a short break following the Pacific Four Series,” said Kevin Rouet. “This training camp, and the matches against South Africa, are important components in our on and off field preparation for the Rugby World Cup. We will continue to refine our gameplay as we spend some valuable training hours together. The Lanark Highlanders have been great hosts for our team in the past, and we are excited to return to Perth and the Oakfield Rugby Park.” 

Canada will play two fixtures against the Springbok Women in July as part of their preparation for the Rugby World Cup. The first will take place July 5 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, the second on July 12 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.  

Both matches will kick off at 1:30pm local time (4:30am PT / 7:30am ET) and will be available on TSN3 and TSN+.  

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM TRAINING CAMP 

FORWARDS 

Alysia Comtois (Magog, QC) - University of Ottawa 
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats 
Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers   
Cassandra Tuffnail (Heidelberg, ON) – Ealing Trailfinders 
Courtney O'Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby 
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / 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 / Saracens 
Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC / Gloucester-Hartpury 
Holly Phillips (Canmore, AB) - Banff Bears / Calgary Irish / Bristol Bears   
Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers 
Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) - Club de rugby de Quebec 
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia Univeristy / ASM Romagnat 
McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens 
Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – Capilano RFC / Exeter Chiefs 
Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) - Halifax Tars RFC  
Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) - Ottawa Irish 
Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – University of British Columbia   
Rori Wood (Sooke, BC) – College Rifles RFC / Ealing Trailfinders 
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers / Saracens  
Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders   

BACKS 

Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs 
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) - CRFC 
Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) - Toronto Nomands / Westshore RFC 
Carissa Norsten (Waldheim, SK) - Kirin RFC / University of Victoria 
Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers 
Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens 
Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) - University of British Columbia 
Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders 
Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) -  University of Victoria / Loughborough Lightning 
Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) - Cornwall Claymores 
Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC    
Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC    
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens    
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau   
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) - Oakville Crusaders / Exeter Chiefs 

MISSION: WIN RUGBY WORLD CUP 

Rugby Canada has officially launched the Mission: Win the Rugby World Cup 2025 fundraising campaign. The goal is to raise $1,000,000 to provide Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team with extra resources to help them make history by winning the 2025 Rugby World Cup. With their sights set on a groundbreaking achievement this year in England, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team is currently ranked second in the World Rugby global rankings. For more information or to donate, visit rugby.ca/donate.