The Canadian women's rugby team, ranked second in the world, is set to begin their Rugby World Cup campaign in England. Their opening match is against Fiji, ranked 14th, in York. The team's depth is evident, with the starting 15 boasting a combined 486 caps, and the bench contributing an additional 293 caps.
Coach Kevin Rouet has a strong bench at his disposal, including experienced players like Tyson Beukeboom, DaLeaka Menin, Karen Paquin, and Emily Tuttosi. Beukeboom, the most-capped player on the team, along with Paquin and Olivia DeMerchant, are all participating in their fourth World Cup.
Canada and Fiji have only met once before, with Canada winning in September 2022. Following the match against Fiji, Canada will face Wales and Scotland in the group stage. If the tournament progresses according to rankings, the Canadians could potentially face Australia in the quarterfinals, New Zealand in the semi-finals, and England in the final.
The tournament has already seen significant ticket sales, with a large number of tickets sold. Canada enters the tournament on a seven-game unbeaten streak, having won five straight matches.
Coach Rouet expressed excitement about the tournament, emphasizing the team's preparation and their goal to showcase their style of play. He has made several changes to the starting lineup from their final warm-up game. Taylor Perry will start at fly half, returning after missing the last World Cup due to injury. Rachel Smith is poised to make her World Cup debut off the bench.
Canada's best performance at the World Cup was finishing as runner-up in 2014. They finished fourth in the last tournament. Fiji, making their World Cup debut, went 1-2-0 in the previous tournament. Canada has a strong record since the last World Cup, with a winning record.
England, the top-ranked team, will begin the tournament against the United States. England has a remarkable winning streak. The Red Roses have a history in the World Cup final.
World Rugby does not provide prize money for its tournaments. Instead, they invest in high-performance systems and development programs for participating unions. Rugby Canada received significant funding from World Rugby.
4 Comments
Noir Black
Amazing depth on the bench! This is a team with serious talent this year!" (Positive about team's composition)
KittyKat
This is going to be an amazing tournament! Lets cheer loudly on Canada! " (Expressing general excitement and support)
Katchuka
Let's make some noise for our Canadian women! Sending them all the good vibes!" (Sending positive energy and support)
Coccinella
Love that Coach Rouet is emphasizing their style of play. Bringing some flair to the game!" (Appreciating the coach's approach)