Canada v USA on Friday at 5:30pm PT
Canada dropped from #2 to #3 with their recent loss to NZ, now they face their southern rivals USA who rose from #8 to #7 with their win over Australia. It was the first win for former Canada 7s coach, Jack Hanratty, who recently took over the USA women’s XVs. That’s an interesting side note to the match Rouet v Hanratty in coaching strategy. Canada were outplayed and outcoached against NZ, NZ adapted at half time and went from 14-10 down to dominating the second half 26-0 and claiming an emphatic 36-14 win.
Rouet has made only a few changes from the NZ match. Julia Omokhuale returns to the second row after a stint at openside flanker. Gabrielle Senft switches from blindside to openside flanker. Pam Buisa gets the start at blindside flanker. Sophie de Goede moves from second row to #8. The backline remains unchanged. On the bench Mahalia Robinson replaces Corinne Frechette as backup scrum half.
Things to watch in the match. Sophie de Goede is just returning from a long term injury, she has only played one full match and that was against #2 NZ. She’s getting her first start at #8, how far is she from returning to the top form that earned her the World Rugby player of the year in 2025? The backline was very one dimensional and predictable against NZ, so much so that NZ claimed two intercept tries in the latter part of the match. Will coaching staff and players be able to execute a game plan to counter defensive pressure from the outside backs, a strategy that NZ used very successfully. How will Canada perform at the breakdown where they were outplayed by NZ and subsequently gave up a lot of possession.
In terms of player selection, of the 30 players announced for the series only two players were given no game time, Taylor McKnight in the forwards and Maggie MacKinnon in backs. Rouet has stuck with previously uncapped Aurora Bowie as starting wing for all three matches. Veteran Paige Farries did get some playing time off the bench on the outside but only Asia Hogan-Rochester has produced in the backline with a try in each match. NZ started to target Bowie with their kicking game in the second half, and it will be interesting to see if USA were watching that closely.
Weather has been an issue in the series with two game delays in Sacramento and Kansas City. Chicago on Friday looks to provide better hosting with light rain in the afternoon changing to chance of a shower by evening and a temperature of around 19 °C.
from Rugby Canada
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team has won eleven straight matches against their rivals from the United States and will look to extend that streak to twelve this Friday at SeatGeek Stadium in Chicago. Canadian rugby fans will be able to watch live on TSN2 and TSN+ with kickoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET.
Head Coach Kevin Rouet has named his squad for the final match of the 2026 Pacific Four Series against the USA, making five changes to the roster that fell to the New Zealand Black Ferns last week in Kansas City.
“Last week was a wakeup call for us,” said Rouet. “So far, we’ve had a very short preparation time leading into our first two games but now we have had a full week to focus on getting back to the way we play the game and what has made us successful. The players don’t need much motivation for this game, it’s always fun to play against the USA but we have to follow our game plan and play to our identity. We have to be physical, execute on the small details of our game and control the tempo.”
Canada’s starting fifteen features one change following an injury to Fabiola Forteza in last week’s match, which has ruled her out for the remainder of the PAC4 Series. Pamphinette Buisa comes into the back row to start alongside Sophie de Goede and Gabrielle Senft. Julia Omokhuale, who started the last game wearing the number seven jersey, shifts into the second row.
Mahalia Robinson will see her first action of the tournament, having been named to the bench as the reserve scrum-half. Brooke Rempel and Sierra Gillis, who both made their international debuts for Canada in the opening PAC4 match against Australia, will each look to earn their second caps as they also start on the bench.
WHERE TO WATCH
Coverage of Canada’s Pacific Four Series match against the United States will be available on TSN2 and TSN+ starting at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM MATCH DAY ROSTER VS USA
1. Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats / Ontario West (55 caps)
2. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs (43 caps)
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs (71 caps)
4. Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Saracens (8 caps)
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia University / Saracens (24 caps)
6. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish / Bristol Bears (20 caps)
7. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens (42 caps)
8. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens (43 caps)
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais (45 caps)
10. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders (25 caps)
11. Aurora Bowie (Stouffville, ON) – University of Ottawa / Markham Irish / FC Grenoble Amazones (2 caps)
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs (67 caps)
13. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau (27 caps)
14. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC / Sharks (10 caps)
15. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders (21 caps)
FINISHERS
16. Kiki Idowu (Toronto, ON) – University of British Columbia / Toronto Scottish (2 caps)
17. Sierra Gillis (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria (1 cap)
18. Brooke Rempel (Ariss, ON) – Brock University / Brantford Harlequins / Ontario West (1 cap)
19. Ashlynn Smith (Abbotsford, BC) – University of Calgary / Rugby Club Toulon (3 caps)
20. Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – University of British Columbia (5 caps)
21. Lizzie Gibson (Caledon, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Queen’s University / Quebec East (1 cap)
22. Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – Rugby Club Montréal / Quebec West (3 caps)
23. Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Queen’s University / Bristol Bears (2 caps)