Canada v NZ – Women’s Pacific Four Series 2025

Canada Draw With NZ 27-27 to Retain #2 Ranking: Full Match Video

Canada drew with NZ 27-27 in an exciting match that saw NZ tie the match at the final whistle. The Canadian Press match report is posted below as well as the full match video courtesy of the NZRugbyVidz2027 account on YouTube. Canada retain their #2 ranking with the draw and the winner of the Pacific Four series could come down to points differential between Canada and NZ with Canada playing Australia and NZ facing USA on Friday.

Match Video

from Canadian Press

After a somewhat laboured start to the Pacific Four Series in a 26-14 win over the U.S., Canada laid down a marker ahead of the Rugby World Cup with a pulsating 27-27 draw Saturday with reigning World Cup champion New Zealand.

After a somewhat laboured start to the Pacific Four Series in a 26-14 win over the U.S., Canada laid down a marker ahead of the Rugby World Cup with a pulsating 27-27 draw Saturday with reigning World Cup champion New Zealand.

Trailing 27-22, the third-ranked Black Ferns needed a try with the clock in the red to pull even at Apollo Projects Stadium.

After kicking for touch off a Canadian offside penalty, New Zealand had a lineout 10 metres from the Canadian try-line with seconds remaining in regulation time. The second-ranked Canadians stopped the ensuing rolling maul but the Black Ferns started moving the ball side to side.

The last-ditch attack lasted 22 phases with Canada defending courageously before Sylvia Brunt cashed over in the corner to tie the game at 27-27. Black Ferns fly half Ruahei Demant had a chance to win it but missed a difficult conversion from the sideline.

Shoshanah Seumanutafa had scored in the 76th minute to give Canada a 27-22 lead, touching down with a desperate lunge for the try-line after breaking through two tacklers. Julia Schell missed the conversion leaving Canada ahead by five points.

It was a dramatic finale to a high-tempo game, that was tied 12-12 after a first half that featured some fierce if occasionally sloppy play at the breakdown. The high error rate was not unexpected from two teams playing just their second test of the year.

The game was a measuring stick for both teams some three months ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England where the two sides could meet in the semifinal.

“What I said to the girls at the end of the game was that a couple of years ago we would have been happy with a tie game but now we are leaving disappointed,” said Canada coach Kevin Rouet. “I think we need to reflect on that and we can still say that it was a good performance but with a lot to work on.

“I saw the players’ faces at the end of the game, they were mad but at the end of the day it’s a tie game against New Zealand in New Zealand, so still a positive result.”

The draw leaves Canada ahead of the Black Ferns in the rankings.

There were big hits delivered by both sides, with Canadian flanker Karen Paquin flattening a New Zealand ball-runner in the first half.

Canadian back Asia Hogan-Rochester, who needed treatment late in the first half, was replaced at the break. In the second half, Canada lost backrower Gabrielle Senft to injury and captain Alex Tessier when she failed a head injury assessment.

Canada impressed at set pieces, controlling lineouts and bossing some scrums.

“It was a tight battle that really could have gone either way,” said Tessier. “I think it’s a bit unfortunate that we couldn’t finish that game with a win because I thought we had it.

“We could have managed the game a bit better to seal the win but we will take the learnings from the end of that game. It is good for us to be in big games like this especially this year with the World Cup ahead of us.”

Canada won last year’s Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch.

The Canadian women had lost all 17 meetings before that, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. New Zealand had outscored Canada 718-176 before Saturday’s game.

It was a back-and-forth affair with Canada twice rallying from deficits to tie New Zealand in the first half.

Hogan-Rochester, DaLeaka Menin, Alysha Corrigan and Olivia Apps also scored tries for Canada. Schell kicked a conversion.

Ayesha Leti-I’iga scored two tries for New Zealand with Braxton Sorensen-McGee adding a single. Demant booted two conversions and a penalty.

New Zealand pulled ahead 19-12 in the 54th minute when Leti-I’iga gathered in Brunt’s deft grubber kick to score her second try. Sorensen-McGee, an 18-year-old fullback playing in just her second test match, set the table with a swerving run through traffic.

Canada responded with Apps darting over for a try after a rolling maul stalled near the Black Ferns try-line. But Schell missed the conversion near the sideline, leaving Canada trailing 19-17. The Canadians kept coming and, taking advantage of a poor New Zealand clearing kick, scored again in the 64th with Corrigan scoring on an overlap for a 22-19 lead.

The Black Ferns, who defeated No. 6 Australia 38-12 in its tournament opener last Saturday in Newcastle, Australia, tied it up in the 69th minute via a Demant penalty kick in front of the posts.

Australia hosted the ninth-ranked U.S. in Canberra later Saturday.

Canada closes out the tournament against Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 23. That same day, New Zealand plays the U.S. in Auckland.

The Pacific Four Series marks the Canadian women’s first time together this year ahead of the World Cup, which runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England. Canada has been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji.

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Canada Name Roster for NZ Match: Kickoff at 8:35pm PT on Friday

After a narrow Canada victory over #9 USA in the first match of the Pacific Four Series, Canada will have to up their backline game against #3 NZ on Friday. They’ve brought in 3 members of the 7s team to bolster the backline, Alysha Corrigan and Asia Hogan-Rochester will start on the wings and Florence Symonds at outside centre. Claire Gallagher starts at #10 and Alex Tessier moves to 2nd receiver. Julia Schell retains her fullback position.

In the forwards there’s 3 changes, the loose forwards remain the same, Emily Tuttosi gets the start at hooker, DaLeaka Menin starts at tighthead prop, Courtney O’Donnell (Holtkamp) gets the start at lock.

Some new faces in the reserves, Olivia Apps backs up the scrum half position, McKinley Hunt is the reserve loosehead prop, Caroline Crossley will sub in at loose forward.

Canada Roster

1. Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats
2. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
4. Courtney O’Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat
6. Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
7. Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Quebec
8. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Leicester Tigers
11. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs
13. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
14. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC
15. Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders

FINISHERS
16. Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC / Gloucester-Hartpury
17. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
18. Rori Wood (Sooke, BC) – College Rifles RFC / Ealing Trailfinders
19. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
20. Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
22. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau / Chiefs Manawa
23. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens

from Rugby Canada

After kicking off their 2025 Pacific Four Series campaign with a win over the USA, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, Kevin Rouet, has selected his 23-player roster to face the New Zealand Black Ferns in Christchurch on Friday May 16 at 8:35 pm PT/11:35 pm ET (Saturday May 17 at 3:35pm local time).

Last year, Canada beat the Black Ferns for the first time in history by a score of 22-19 at Apollo Projects Stadium, where the two sides will face each other this week, this time with Canada as the reigning Pacific Four Series champions.

“We were glad to be able to get a victory over USA to begin the Pacific Four Series but as a group we knew there was a lot we needed to improve with New Zealand being our next opponent,” said Rouet. “Playing against the Black Ferns is always a big challenge, but the result last year and all the hard work the squad has put in since then gives us the confidence we need going into this one. It’s just another opportunity to test ourselves as we prepare for the World Cup later this year.”

After helping Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team capture bronze at the HSBC SVNS World Championships earlier this month in Los Angeles, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds and Alysha Corrigan will start the game for Canada with Olivia Apps being an option off the bench.

After entering the game in the second half in Canada’s win over the USA, Courtney O’Donnell, DeLeaka Menin, Claire Gallagher and Emily Tuttosi move into the starting lineup. McKinley Hunt and Caroline Crossley will start on the bench for Canada and will both be in line for their first international game action of 2025.

Following the game against New Zealand, Canada will travel to Australia to close out the Pacific Four Series against the Wallaroos at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 22 at 11:55pm PT / May 23 at 2:55am ET (4:55pm local time).

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

WHERE TO WATCH
Canada vs New Zealand will be available live on TSN4 and TSN+ on Friday May 16 at 8:35 pm PT/11:35 pm ET. Earlier this year Rugby Canada and TSN announced a long-term agreement bringing increased coverage in 2025 and beyond for rugby fans in Canada.