Head Coach Barrieau Selects 14 Players for Canada Trip to Dubai 7s: Kick Off November 29th
Canada have selected 14 to make the trip to Dubai, and then South Africa, the 13 selected for the tournament will be announced later. Carissa Norsten has been selected as captain, an honour for a 22 year old to be given that responsibility but a testament to her work ethic and leadership. Canada will face Great Britain, Australia and Japan in the pool round. Since there are only 8 teams now in the tournament, 4 teams in 2 pools, only the top 2 in each pool advance to the Cup round. It make the first match against GB particularly important.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM DUBAI & CAPE TOWN SQUAD
4. Breanne Nicholas (Blenheim, ON) – Kent Havoc RFC
5. Savannah Bauder (North Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC
6. Charity Williams (Toronto, ON) – Markham Irish / University of British Columbia
8. Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University / RCTPM
13. Krissy Scurfield (Canmore, AB) – University of Victoria
14. Eden Kilgour (Barrie, ON) – Westshore RFC / University of Victoria
19. Carissa Norsten (Waldheim, SK) – Kirin RWC / University of Victoria
21. Adia Pye (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / University of British Columbia
24. Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC
38. Kennedi Stevenson (Georgetown, ON) – Brantford Harlequins
47. Larah Wright (Calgary, AB) – University of Victoria
55. Monique Coffey (Dauphin, MB) – Scion Sirens
68. Ivy Poetker (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Rams
99. Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish
from Rugby Canada
Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, Jocelyn Barrieau, has selected Canada’s travelling 14-player squad for the kick-off of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai, UAE.
The final roster of 13 players will be determined before the tournament begins on Saturday, November 29 at 12:04 a.m. PT / 3:04 a.m. ET, when Canada will face Great Britain in their opening match of the tournament.
“All the players and staff are excited to begin the sevens season this week in Dubai,” said Barrieau. “Since we assembled for camp earlier this month, there has been a lot of work put in to make sure we start the season strong. Last year was about solidifying our foundations and showing the world that we are one of the top teams on the series. Now we must continue to build on our successes and learn from the challenges we face as we frame our 2025-2026 season.”
Canada’s squad includes seven players from the team that helped capture a bronze medal at last season’s HSBC SVNS World Championship: Breanne Nicholas, Carissa Norsten, Carmen Izyk, Savannah Bauder, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Charity Williams and Larah Wright.
Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Rookie of the Year and recently named the 2025 U SPORTS Player of the Year, has been selected by Barrieau as the team’s captain for Dubai and Cape Town.
“Carissa is everything a Canadian captain should be,” said Barrieau. “Strong, gritty, smart and has an amazingly kind character. She is the perfect fit to be a captain and leads by example. I am so happy to be working with her and this group moving forward to see how far and how high we can reach.”
Hogan-Rochester is the lone player on Barrieau’s roster who also helped Canada capture a silver medal at the Rugby World Cup in September. Several players from Canada’s World Cup squad were unavailable for selection as they are competing in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) league in England.
Calgary’s Ivy Poetker and Ontario’s Kennedi Stevenson have been selected for their first tour with Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team and could make their debuts in Dubai or Cape Town.
Chloe Daniels and Piper Logan, members of Canada’s 2024 Olympic team, were both unavailable for selection due to injuries.
The Sevens Stadium in Dubai is host to the first stop of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Series, the first of nine tournaments in the newly formatted circuit, featuring the top eight women’s and eight men’s sevens teams in the world.
DUBAI POOL PLAY SCHEDULE
Saturday November 29
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Great Britain
12:04 a.m. PT / 3:04 a.m. ET
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Australia
3:05 a.m. PT / 6:05 a.m. ET
Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team vs Japan
5:49 a.m. PT / 8:49 a.m. ET
WHERE TO WATCH
All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS Series matches in Dubai and Cape Town will be available live on TSN+
MORE INFO
Following the Dubai tournament, the team will travel to South Africa for Cape Town SVNS (December 6-7, 2025). The first tournament of the new year will take place in Singapore from January 31 to February 1, 2026. Catch both Canada’s Men’s and Women’s Teams in action on home soil at HSBC Vancouver Sevens (March 7-8, 2026) at BC Place. Buy tickets now at vansevens.com.
For the most up to date information on the HSBC SVNS Series and live coverage, including details on the event format, the schedule and the latest news, visit the official website: https://www.svns.com/en