Canada Women's Rugby Gears Up for World Cup with South Africa Tour

Captain Sophie de Goede is set to rejoin the Canada women’s rugby team for their upcoming tour to South Africa. This marks her return after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained a year ago.

Despite her injury, the 25-year-old backrower from Victoria was recognized for her talent and named to World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Dream Team of 2024. She shares this honor with fellow Canadians Claire Tessier and Laetitia Royer.

De Goede's return is particularly significant as the second-ranked Canadian women's team prepares for the Rugby World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to take place in England from August 22 to September 27.

Canada's coach, Kevin Rouet, has invited de Goede and 37 other players to a training camp in Perth, Ontario. Following the camp, which runs through June 27, a team of 32 players will be selected for the tour to South Africa. The team will face the 12th-ranked Springbok women in matches on July 5 in Pretoria and July 12 in Gqeberha.

Other players returning from injury include Madison Grant, Paige Farries, and Pamphinette Buisa. Carissa Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Women’s Rookie of the Year and a member of Canada’s silver-medal squad at the Paris Olympics, will be making her debut for the senior 15s team.

The training camp roster includes 33 players from the squad that secured second place at the Pacific Four Series in May. During the series, Canada achieved victories against the ninth-ranked U.S. and No. 6 Australia, along with a tie against No. 3 New Zealand.

Canada finished as runner-up to New Zealand in the Pacific Four Series this year, after winning the series last year with their first-ever win over New Zealand.

Coach Rouet expressed his anticipation for the team's reunion after a brief break following the Pacific Four Series. He emphasized the importance of the training camp and the matches against South Africa in preparing for the Rugby World Cup. The team will focus on refining their gameplay during the training sessions.

In the World Cup, Canada will compete in Group B alongside No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales, and No. 15 Fiji.

Following the South Africa tour, Canada will play the U.S. in Ottawa on August 1 and No. 5 Ireland in Dublin on August 9. The Canadian women will begin their World Cup campaign against Fiji on August 23 in York.

The Canadian women have achieved fourth place in the World Cup four times, most recently in 2022. They were runners-up to England in 2014.

Since the last World Cup, Canada has a record of 12-5-1. Four of the losses were against top-ranked England, with the other loss against New Zealand.