Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named Canada’s 32-player squad for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, which kicks off in Sunderland, England on 22 August.
Canada will compete in Pool B with matches against Fiji at the York Community Stadium on Saturday, 23 August, before further matches against Wales in Salford on 30 August and Scotland in Exeter on 6 September.
The team will be captained by 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee Alexandra Tessier, who is set to play in her third RWC tournament. In all, 21 players return from Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin, who are set to play their fourth Rugby World Cup.
Sophie de Goede and Emily Tuttosi are among those playing their second tournament. De Goede made a long-awaited return earlier this month following a significant knee injury and Tuttosi was Canada’s leading try-scorer three years ago in New Zealand with six.
Eleven players will make their Rugby World Cup debuts and, in line with Rugby Canada’s ‘One Squad’ philosophy, six of the country’s Rugby Sevens silver medallists from Paris 2024 – Caroline Crossley, Fancy Bermudez, Florence Symonds, Olivia Apps, Asia Hogan-Rochester and Taylor Perry – make the squad.
“We believe in the group we have selected and we believe in the process we have taken to get to this point, but the work isn’t done yet,” said head coach Rouet. “It all starts next month in England when we enter the next stage of our World Cup journey and officially get on the field in that first match against Fiji.
“Since the last World Cup, our focus has been on building depth in the squad, so we had more than just 32 players who could step on the field and perform at any moment. We achieved our goal but as a result it meant needing to make some very challenging decisions.”
Canada squad
Forwards
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats
Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers
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
Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Quebec
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia University / Saracens
Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – Saracens
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
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) – University of Guelph / Aurora Barbarians
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 / Saracens
Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC
Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
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
Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens
Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Exeter Chiefs