Canada Announces Squad For Women’s WXV 1 Rugby Home Tournament

Team aims to make impact against world's best in Vancouver

Canada’s first game in the tournament will be against France at BC Place in Vancouver on Sunday, September 29 /

By Priscilla Jepchumba

Canada’s Women’s Rugby 15s Team Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named the 30 players that will be participating in WXV 1 in Vancouver this September and October.

Canada is playing in WXV 1, where teams are either the top three of the Women’s Six Nations: England, France, and Ireland, or the top three of the Pacific Four Series, which includes Canada, New Zealand, and the USA.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Rouet said.

“All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV, and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world,” he added.

The team will be led by Tyson Beukeboom, a great athlete and the legend of women’s rugby is Canada’s all-time 68th cap off the recent win against New Zealand in May of this year. Of the twenty-three selected players for the WXV I, some team members claimed the title in the victorious 2024 Pacific Four Series earlier this year.

“France, Ireland, and England will each challenge us in different ways, but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year,” said Rouet.

Rori Wood, Caroline Crossley along with Asia Hogan-Rochester are yet to wear the Canadian national team colors. Wood has played five seasons for the University of British Columbia, while Hogan-Rochester and Crossley won an Olympic silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with fellow WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan, and Taylor Perry.

Canada will be reinforced by Karen Paquin, who has 38 caps for the Canadian team and a silver medal at the 2014 Rugby World Cup. This will be her first time returning to the squad since the 2021 Rugby World Cup. Meanwhile, Sara Kaljuvee expects her first call-up since Canada’s 2023 Pacific Four Series match against Australia.

Canada's first game in the tournament will be against France at BC Place in Vancouver on Sunday, September 29. Canada has only beaten France in two out of three of their games, including the inaugural WXV 1 tournament last year in New Zealand, where Fancy Bermudez scored a try in the 66th minute to help Canada defeat France 29-20. This victory secured Canada second place in the final standings, ahead of Australia.