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