Canada vs South Africa Match #2 – July 2025

Canada Defeat South Africa 33-5 in 2nd Test

It wasn’t perfect but Canada’s defence limited South Africa to one second half try which is a victory in itself, after conceding 20 points last match. There are definitely some work-ons, two 1st half yellow cards had Canada playing with 13 players at one point. A couple of 1st half penalty advantages didn’t see the kicks go into touch, a few too many line breaks allowed but the cover defence was strong. Also two players lost, the injury to Rori Wood looking serious and Laetitia Royer holding her shoulder going off.

Both young 7s stars, Carissa Norsten and Krissy Scurfield scored tries out wide. Sophie de Goede came in for the last 20 minutes and we’ll see how her return progresses with the USA game scheduled in 3 weeks time.

SCORING SUMMARY
Tries: Brittany Kassil (5’), Gillian Boag (32’), Carissa Norsten (55’), Tyson Beukeboom (74’), Krissy Scurfield (78’)
Conversions: Julia Schell (2), Maddy Grant (2)

from Canadian Press

After thumping South Africa 50-20 last week in Pretoria, a revamped Canadian lineup had a tougher time getting the job done before pulling away for a 33-5 win over the 12th-ranked Springboks in a women’s rugby international Saturday.

South Africa trailed 14-5 before the second-ranked Canadians, frustrated by handling errors and penalties, padded the scoreline with tries by Carissa Norsten (in the 55th minute), stand-in captain Tyson Beukeboom (74th, with South Africa down a player) and Krissy Scurfield (78th).

The win improved Canada’s record against South Africa to 6-0-0. The Canadians had scored 50 points or more in every meeting except the inaugural encounter in 2009, which they won 35-17.

“We were very happy to have been able to give all 32 players who came on tour the opportunity to play in these two games,” said Canada coach Kevin Rouet. “We came to South Africa to be challenged in the scrum, maul and to face their physicality. South Africa showed us that in these two games.”

“We have a lot to learn from after this tour, but the more we play together the better we will be able to perform once we are at the World Cup,” Rouet added.

Canada captain Sophie de Goede, returning to action after a 13-month injury absence, came off the bench with 22 minutes remaining.

The 26-year-old from Victoria last played in May 2024, in Canada’s 22-19 win over World Cup champion New Zealand in the Pacific Four Series finale. De Goede tore her anterior cruciate ligament on June 21, 2024, in a non-contact scrimmage against the U.S. on the last day of a Canada sevens camp in Chula Vista, Calif.

Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Rookie of the Year, was named player of the match in her 15s debut starting on the wing.

Brittany Kassil and Gillian Boag also scored tries for Canada, which led 14-0 after a scrappy first half played in the early-afternoon sunshine at Nelson Mandela Stadium. Julia Schell and Maddy Grant each kicked two conversions.

Ayanda Malinga scored the lone South African try.

For the second week in a row, the women took the field ahead of the men’s match between the top-ranked Springboks and No. 10 Italy. The South African men won 42-24 in Pretoria.

The Canada victory may have come at a cost. Prop Rori Wood was taken off the field on a cart in the 30th minute after suffering an apparent leg injury. That meant a first cap for Taylor McKnight off the bench.

Lock Laetitia Royer, one of three Canadians named to World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Dream Team in 2024, had to come off in the 32nd minute, favouring her shoulder.

Canada moved the ball quickly at the breakdown from the get-go, often creating overlaps in the backline as a result. But a string of penalties slowed the game as the half progressed and Canada lost two players to the sin-bin before the break.

Kassil opened the scoring for Canada in the fifth minute, crashing over from close-range for her first international try in her 46th appearance.

A spate of Canadian penalties drew a warning just 16 minutes in from Zimbabwean referee Precious Pazani. And flanker Pam Buisa was sin-binned two minutes later for head contact in tackling Babalwa Latsha.

Prop Olivia DeMarchant followed her in the 24th minute as Canada, backed up to its try-line after several infractions, was dinged for its seventh penalty of the half.

With Canada still a player down, Boag dove over in the 32nd minute on a quick-tap penalty for a converted try and 14-0 lead.

The two teams combined for 14 penalties, with eight against Canada, in the first 40 minutes.

Helped by several penalties, South Africa scored in the 45th minute with Malinga touching down in the corner to cut the lead to 14-5. Springboks winger Jakkie Cilliers was sin-binned in the 74th minute for a deliberate knockdown of a pass.

Only Boag, Royer, Schell and No. 8 Gabrielle Senft retained their place in the Canadian starting 15. South Africa made two personnel and two positional changes to last week’s team.

With stand-in skipper Alex Tessier not part of the matchday squad, Beukeboom led Canada out for her record 76th cap.

Canada improved to 14-5-1 since finishing fourth at the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to top-ranked England, with the other to No. 3 New Zealand. Canada and New Zealand played to a 27-27 tie in May in Pacific Four Series play.

The Canadian women have just two games left before the World Cup kicks off Aug. 22 in England. Canada plays the ninth-ranked U.S., on Aug. 1 in Ottawa before facing No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Dublin. The Canadians open World Cup play against No. 15 Fiji on Aug. 23 in York, then face No. 10 Wales on Aug. 30 in Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 in Exeter.

South Africa, which will play out of Group D with No. 4 France, No. 8 Italy and No. 28 Brazil, hosts No. 3 New Zealand on July 26 July and Aug. 2 in its final tune-ups. Earlier Saturday, New Zealand defeated No. 6 Australia 37-12 in Wellington.

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Canada Make 12 Changes to Starting XV for 2nd Match Against South Africa: Sophie de Goede Set to Return from Reserves

There are a number of changes from the first match against South Africa which Canada won 50-20. In the front row a change of props with Brittany Kassil and Olivia DeMerchant replacing McKinley Hunt and DeLeaka Menin. South Africa had the upper hand in the scrums in Match #1. Also a change in the second row with Tyson Beukeboom and Laetitia Royer replacing Caroline Crossley and Courtney O’Donnell. The flankers are changed with Karen Paquin and Pam Buisa getting the start.  Only hooker Gillian Boag and #8 Gabrielle Senft retain their original starting spots.

In the backs more changes, the halfback pairing of Olivia Apps and Taylor Perry is replaced by Justine Pelletier and Claire Gallagher. Krissy Scurfield and Carissa Norsten replace Fancy Bermudez and Alysha Corrigan on the wings. Maddy Grant and Shoshanah Seumanutafa replace Alexandra Tessier and Florence Symonds in the centres. Julia Schell retains her starting fullback position.

In the reserves Sophie de Goede finally makes her comeback, likely in the second half. Debutant Taylor McKnight is the reserve hooker. The remainder of the bench played in Match #1.

Canada Roster

1. Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats
2. Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC / Gloucester-Hartpury
3. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
5. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia Univeristy / ASM Romagnat
6. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
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. Carissa Norsten (Waldheim, SK) – Kirin RFC / University of Victoria
12. Maddy Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores
13. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau
14. Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) – University of Victoria / Loughborough Lightning
15. Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders

FINISHERS
16. Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) – University of Guelph / Aurora Barbarians
17. Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – Capilano RFC / Exeter Chiefs
18. Rori Wood (Sooke, BC) – College Rifles RFC / Ealing Trailfinders
19. Courtney O’Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
20. Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – University of British Columbia
21. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
22. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC
23. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia

from Rugby Canada

Wednesday July 9, 2025 (Pretoria, South Africa) – Following a 50-20 victory for Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team this past Saturday, Head Coach Kevin Rouet has selected his roster for the second of back-to-back matches in South Africa against the Springbok women.

Canada and South Africa will kick off at 1:30pm local time (4:30am PT / 7:30am ET) on Saturday July 12 at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha, taking to the pitch ahead of the men’s match between the Springboks and Italy for the second-straight week.

Carissa Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Rookie of the Year, will earn her first cap for Canada’s 15s team, starting on the wing. Taylor McKnight, a hooker from the University of Guelph, is also in line for her international debut after being named as the reserve hooker.

Sophie de Goede returns to the Canadian lineup for the first time in over a year, following a knee injury. She will start the match on the bench. De Goede last represented Canada in the team’s historic victory over New Zealand during the 2024 Pacific Four Series.

“One of the main purposes of this tour was to make sure all 32 players got valuable playing experience and to give them the opportunity to showcase themselves on the field,” said Rouet. “It was a tough encounter in altitude last weekend, it’s now time to keep growing and gaining experience with our next game. You’ll see that there are a lot of changes to our team compared to last week but this tour was about building our depth and confidence ahead of the World Cup. I am excited to see how this group performances this week.”

WHERE TO WATCH
Canada’s match versus South Africa on July 12 will kick off at 1:30pm local time (4:30am PT / 7:30am ET) and will be available on TSN3 and TSN+.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM 2025 SCHEDULE

Canada vs South Africa
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – Gqeberha, South Africa
July 12 at 4:30am PT / 7:30am ET (1:30pm local time)

Canada vs United States
TD Place – Ottawa, Ontario
August 1 at 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET

Canada vs Ireland
Kingspan Stadium – Belfast, Northern Ireland
August 9 at 4:00am PT / 7:00am ET (12:00pm local time)

Canada vs Fiji (Rugby World Cup)
York Community Stadium – York, England
August 23 at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET (5:30pm local time)

Canada vs Wales (Rugby World Cup)
Salford Community Stadium – Manchester, England
August 30 at 4:00am PT / 7:00am ET (12:00pm local time)

Canada vs Scotland (Rugby World Cup)
Sandy Park – Exeter, England
September 6 at 4:00am PT / 7:00am ET (12:00pm local time)