30 players selected to Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team for WXV 1 in Vancouver

September 19, 2024 (Langford, BC) – Kevin Rouet, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, has selected the 30 player squad to represent Canada on home soil for WXV 1 this September and October in Vancouver. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Canada is competing in the top tier of WXV (WXV1), which includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France, Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, USA).

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

The team will be captained by Canada’s all-time women’s cap leader, Tyson Beukeboom, who earned her record-breaking 68^th international cap in Canada’s history-making win against New Zealand in May. 23 players selected for WXV 1 were part of the team that won the 2024 Pacific Four Series earlier this year.

Rori Wood, Caroline Crossley and Asia Hogan-Rochester will each look to earn their first cap for Canada. Wood recently spent five seasons with the University of British Columbia while Hogan-Rochester and Crossley won an Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024 alongside fellow WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry.

Karen Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada and silver medal from the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 Rugby World Cup, while Sara Kaljuvee looks to make her first appearance since Canada’s 2023 Pacific Four Series match against Australia.

Canada will open the tournament versus France at BC Place in Vancouver, with kick-off scheduled for 3:45pm PT / 6:45pm ET on Sunday September 29. Canada has won two of their last three matches against the French including at the inaugural WXV 1 tournament hosted in New Zealand last year when a 66th-minute try from Fancy Bermudez clinched a 29-20 win in the last round of WXV 1 to leapfrog Australia into second place of the final standings.

More information on WXV can be found HERE.

Canadians will be able to watch all three WXV 1 matches featuring Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team on TSN. Further details will be announced soon.

Tickets for WXV 1 can be purchased HERE. Tickets are purchased as single day passes, with each ticket providing fans access for a full match day. This means purchasers can attend multiple games using a single ticket on September 29, October 5 and October 12. Fans will be able to exit and re-enter the stadiums in accordance with regulations – details will be shared with ticket buyers shortly.

Additional questions regarding ticket purchases can be directed to tickets@rugby.ca. For more information on suites, please contact suites@rugby.ca.

Media accreditation applications are currently being accepted HERE. Questions regarding media accreditation can be directed to media@rugby.ca

 

2024 WXV 1 SCHEDULE 

Canada vs France

Sunday September 29, 2024 at 3:45pm PT

BC Place Stadium – Vancouver, BC

Canada vs Ireland

Saturday October 5, 2024 at 3:45pm PT

Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre – Langley, BC

Canada vs England

Saturday October 12, 2024 at 7:00pm PT

BC Place Stadium – Vancouver, BC

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

 

FORWARDS 
Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Stade Français Paris

Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats

Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers

Courtney Holtkamp (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 

Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers  

Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QB) – 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

Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish

Rori Wood (Sooke, BC) – College Rifles RFC

Sara Cline (Edmonton, AB) – Leprechaun Tigers  

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

Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers

Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens 

Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders

Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais

Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC

Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC

Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens  

Sara Kaljuvee (Ajax, ON) – Toronto Scottish / Westshore RFC

Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau

Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Exeter Chiefs