Rouet Names Match 23 for France: Sophie de Goede Rested; Alex Tessier Captains Team
Canada finish off their September WXV matches on Saturday when they travel to La Rochelle, France. France narrowly defeated Australia last weekend 29-26 but went off the rails early with two red cards and 2 yellow cards in the first 20 minutes. Both red cards included match suspensions so they’ll be missing two of their starting tight five for the Canada match. Canada have decided to rest Sophie de Goede for the match with the two England matches coming up next month. Alex Tessier will captain the team this week.
With de Goede missing, Rachel Smith moves from blindside flanker to second row, Fabiola Forteza moves from the bench to blindside flanker. In the backs Savannah Bauder gets her first start at fullback. On the bench Taylor McKnight gets the nod as reserve hooker and Aurora Bowie as reserve wing. One unusual note on the bench, Claire Gallagher is listed as #20, a number usually reserved for a loose forward, at first glance it looks like a 6/2 bench but with Gallagher on there it looks like a 5/3. Is Rouet experimenting or is it just a mundane issue of jersey size?
from Rugby Canada
Kevin Rouet, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, has selected the 23-player roster that will take on France this Saturday September 26 at Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle, France. The game will be broadcast live on TSN5 and the TSN app, starting at 8:45 a.m. PT / 11:45 a.m. ET.
Saturday’s match is the final stop of the European tour for Canadian women this fall, with their next two games being played at home in Toronto and Ottawa this October against the reigning World Cup champions from England. The matches will mark the first time the team plays on home soil since placing second at last year’s Rugby World Cup. The Rugby Rematch Tour, presented by Canadian Tire, will see Canada face the Red Roses on October 16 at BMO Field in Toronto and October 23 at TD Place in Ottawa. Tickets are available HERE.
“After a short preparation time coming into these games in Europe, I am really happy with how much the team has grown and connected after just two games,” said Rouet. “This weekend’s game against France will be a new challenge and another opportunity to continue to fine tune parts of our game to make sure we are at our best for our next two games that will be on home soil in Toronto and Ottawa.”
DaLeaka Menin, last week’s player of the match in Canada’s game against England and the WXV Global Series Player of the Week, will start at prop and is in line to earn her 75th cap for Canada, the second most all-time for the Canadian women’s team.
Rouet’s squad has five changes from last week’s roster that drew 26-26 with England, a result that ended the Red Roses’ 39-game winning streak.
Sophie de Goede will not play this weekend against France, with the coaching staff making the decision to rest certain players ahead of their two tests in October.
Savannah Bauder will start at fullback for the first time after earning her first cap against Scotland a few weeks ago. Taylor McKnight replaces Gillian Boag as the reserve hooker, while Aurora Bowie, who played in all three games for Canada earlier this year in the Pacific Four Series, could see her first action of the WXV Global Series as an option off the bench, wearing jersey number 23.
WHERE TO WATCH
Coverage of Canada’s WXV Global Series match against France will be available on TSN and the TSN app starting at 8:45am PT / 11:45am ET.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM MATCH DAY ROSTER VS FRANCE
1. Mikiela Nelson (Vancouver, BC) – Capilano RFC (13 caps)
2. Kiki Idowu (Toronto, ON) – Loughborough Lightning / UBC Thunderbirds / Toronto Scottish (5 caps)
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs / Calgary Hornets (74 caps)
4. Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – Loughborough Lightning / UBC Thunderbirds (9 caps)
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia University (27 caps)
6. Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Stade Bordelais / Club de rugby de Québec (44 caps)
7. Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Saracens / Calgary Irish Rugby Club (11 caps)
8. Lizzie Gibson (Caledon, ON) – Queen’s University / Oakville Crusaders (4 caps)
9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Saracens / Lindsay RFC (27 caps)
10. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders (28 caps)
11. Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) – Markham Irish (2 caps)
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Exeter Chiefs / Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (70 caps)
13. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – Loughborough Lightning / UBC Thunderbirds (20 caps)
14. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC (13 caps)
15. Savannah Bauder (North Vancouver, BC) – UBC Thunderbirds / Capilano RFC (1 cap)
FINISHERS
16. Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) – Stade Bordelais / Ontario West / Aurora Barbarians (2 caps)
17. Sophie McDonald (Ottawa, ON) – Ontario East / University of Ottawa / Ottawa Rugby Club (1 cap)
18. Brooke Rempel (Ariss, ON) – Loughborough Lightning / Ontario West / Brantford Harlequins (4 caps)
19. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Loughborough Lightning / Ottawa Irish (23 caps)
20. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Ealing Trailfinders / Aurora Barbarians (24 caps)
21. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Stade Bordelais / Castaway Wanderers (45 caps)
22. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Stade Bordelais / Club de rugby de Québec (48 caps)
23. Aurora Bowie (Stouffville, ON) – University of Ottawa / Ottawa Rugby Club (3 caps)