Friday April 26, 2024 (Los Angeles, California) – Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, Kevin Rouet, has selected the roster for Canada’s opening match of the World Rugby Pacific Four Series against the USA.

The Pacific Four Series, an annual competition between Canada, USA, Australia and the reigning Rugby World Cup champions, New Zealand, kicks off with the tournament’s opening match between Canada and USA at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California at 1:30 p.m. PST on Sunday April 28 (4:30 p.m. EST). Canada has won eight straight matches against their rivals from the United States, including a 50-17 victory to begin last year’s Pacific Four Series.

Edmonton’s Sara Cline is set to start her first international match for Canada at hook after coming off the bench to earn her first two caps for Canada in 2023. Tyson Beukeboom starts at lock and will earn her 66^th cap for Canada, putting her just one behind Canada’s all-time women’s cap leader, Gillian Florence. Captain Sophie de Goede moves from her regular position at number 8 to the flank with Gabrielle Senft set to start at the back of the forward pack.

Pamphinette Buisa and Sabrina Poulin both will start the match, recently representing Canada at the HSBC SVNS Series in Hong Kong earlier in April. Olivia Apps, captain of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, starts on the bench as a reserve.

“After bringing the squad back together for the first time since the fall last week, all of the players, coaches and staff are excited to begin the tournament with a match against the USA,” said Rouet. “All of our players have been playing at a high level in Canada and around the world since our last game together. They are eager to get back on the field on Sunday as we look to continue to build momentum for the next two matches with a strong showing against our long-time rivals.”

Due to a pre-camp injury, Cassandra Tuffnail has been replaced by Mya Brubacher on Canada’s 30-player squad.

More information on the Pacific Four Series, including the full schedule and results, can be found on the official website for World Rugby.

WHERE TO WATCH

Canada vs USA will be streamed live on TSN+ on Sunday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET., with an encore broadcast on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET. 

TSN+ is the stand-alone digital streaming service from Canada’s Sports Leader, and is home to an extensive slate of live sports coverage from around the world, including Rugby Canada matches. For more information on TSN+, including subscription options, visit TSN.ca/TSN+.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM PACIFIC FOUR SERIES MATCH DAY ROSTER vs USA

1. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC 
2. Sara Cline (Edmonton, AB) – Leprechaun Tigers / Western Force 
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs 
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC / Ealing Trailfinders  
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat 
6. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish 
7. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC / Saracens 
8. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Stade Bordelais 
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais 
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
11. Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Saracens 
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC/Exeter Chiefs 
13. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – UBC / Chiefs Manawa 
14. Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores 
15. Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC 

FINISHERS

1. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs 
2. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
3. Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Stade Français Paris
4. Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby 
5. Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers
6. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC 
7. Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph RFC /Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders 
8. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – NorWester Athletic Associations / Westshore RFC

About Rugby Canada

Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of Rugby Union in Canada. They administer and operate Men’s and Women’s Senior and Junior National programs in both rugby 15s and 7s, as well as govern the Club and community game for more than 30,000 registered participants from coast to coast in conjunction with ten Provincial Union members. 

Rugby Canada is headquartered at the Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, BC, with staff also working from Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Rugby Canada business operations, programs and events are delivered nationwide, including the internationally recognized HSBC Canada Sevens annual tournaments.