Thursday, August 7, 2025 (Belfast, Northern Ireland) — Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team match day roster for their final warm-up match ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Canada will face Ireland on Saturday, August 9 at 12:00 p.m. local time (4:00 a.m. PST / 7:00 a.m. EST) at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The two teams last met during the 2024 WXV 1 tournament, where Canada defeated Ireland 21-8 on home soil in Langley, British Columbia.
“The World Cup is right around the corner so this last warm up game is going to very important for the team,” said Rouet. “We have been building for the last three years so I know we are ready for the World Cup but this game against Ireland is one last opportunity to focus on the details of our game and system to make sure we are as prepared as possible for the World Cup. Ireland will be a tough opponent, they showed that to us last year at WXV so we have to be ready for the challenge on Saturday. They are a top-five team in the world.”
Rouet has made three changes to the starting lineup that defeated the USA last Friday in Ottawa in front of a record-breaking crowd of 11,453.
Caroline Crossley comes into the back row, replacing Gabrielle Senft, with Fabiola Forteza shifting to the No. 8 position. Justine Pelletier, who came off the bench against the Americans, will start at scrum-half, while Olivia Apps moves to the bench. Alysha Corrigan returns to the lineup for her first game action since Canada’s July 5 match against South Africa.
Also named to the match day roster is Sarah-Maude Lachance, who is in line for her first appearance in a Canadian jersey since May 2, when she came off the bench and scored a try in Canada’s Pacific Four Series match against the USA in Kansas City.
WHERE TO WATCH
Canada’s match versus Ireland on August 7 will kick off at 12:00pm local time (4:00am PST / 7:00am EST) and will be available on TSN+.
RUGBY WORLD CUP
At the Rugby World Cup in England, Canada will compete in Pool B alongside Scotland, Wales and Fiji. Their first match will be against Fiji at the York Community Stadium in York on Saturday, August 23 at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET (5:30pm local time). Click here for the full Pool B schedule.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM MATCH DAY ROSTER VS IRELAND
- McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
- Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC
- DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
- Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
- Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
- Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Quebec
- Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers
- Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
- Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
- Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
- Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens
- Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs
- Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
- Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
- Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders
FINISHERS
- Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
- Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats
- Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
- Courtney O’Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
- Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
- Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
- Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau
- Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
MISSION: WIN RUGBY WORLD CUP
In March 2025, Rugby Canada officially launched the Mission: Win Rugby World Cup (MWRWC) 2025 fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $1,000,000. Despite rising to the second world ranking, the Canadian women’s rugby team operates on a fractional budget compared to its closest competitors. This $1 million gap was identified to best equip the team with extra resources to help them make history.
The mission is now within reach: over 88% of the fundraising goal has been pledged through generous individual donations and crowdfunding. Rugby Canada extends its deep appreciation to all MWRWC supporters in embarking on a final push of this campaign for the team’s Rugby World Cup journey. For more information or to donate, visit rugby.ca/donate.
-30-
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 40,000 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, Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa. Rugby Canada business operations, programs and events are delivered nationwide, including the internationally recognized HSBC Vancouver Sevens annual tournaments.
Media Contact
Braedan Willis
Manager, Communications
bwillis@rugby.ca