Rugby Canada Announce Women’s XVs and 7s Player Selections for April’s Pacific Four and Hong Kong 7s
How would Rugby Canada divide up the talent for conflicting XVs and 7s commitments in April? We’ve now got the answer. It looks like 7s is the more immediate priority and that XVs is being used to introduce new players at the beginning of the world cup cycle. The 7s team have captured key players like Olivia Apps, Fancy Bermudez, Sabrina Poulin and Alysha Corrigan who would be certain selections on the XVs squad. The XVs team have brought in 8 debutantes.
Looking at the 8 debutantes, 2 are from the recent Canada U21 tour Brooke Rempel and Kiki Idowu; 2 are from UVic Maggie MacKinnon and Sierra Gillis (also plays Westshore in BC Premier); 2 from the Quebec East team Lizzie Gibson and Corinne Frechette, 1 playing in France with Grenoble Aurora Bowie; 1 Canada 7s player Chloe Daniels.
Some good news for the XVs program is that Sophie de Goede is deemed ready to play after suffering another injury that required extensive recuperation. She’s playing her first game for Saracens this weekend off the bench to mark her return.
from Rugby Canada
Kevin Rouet, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team, has selected a 30-player squad to represent Canada this April at the 2026 Pacific Four Series, which features matches against Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Alexandra Tessier, who has earned 66 caps for Canada, returns as captain after leading the team through 2025, including the Rugby World Cup.
Rouet’s squad includes 18 players from Canada’s 2025 Rugby World Cup roster, including World Rugby Player of the Year Sophie de Goede, Asia Hogan-Rochester—who scored five tries for Canada at the world cup last year—and DeLeaka Menin, who sits second on Canada’s all-time caps list with 69. Seven players could make their international debuts with Canada’s 15s team: Sierra Gillis, Kiki Idowu, Lizzie Gibson, Corinne Fréchette, Maggie MacKinnon, Chloe Daniels, and Aurora Bowie.
“Players, coaches, staff and myself are all very excited to get back together again and begin a new four-year cycle together,” said Rouet. “It’s a new chapter for the team, we want to enjoy the special moments and success we had last year but also understand we must start building towards the next Olympics games and the 2029 Rugby World Cup. These next two years will be focused on giving young players the opportunity to showcase themselves and continue to develop the players with international experience.”
Canada will assemble in Sacramento, California, at the end of March for a training camp before opening the series against Australia at Heart Health Park on Saturday, April 11.
Canada’s Pacific Four Series schedule is highlighted by a Rugby World Cup semifinal rematch against the New Zealand Black Ferns on Friday, April 17, in Kansas City, Missouri. Canada has won two of its last three matches against the 2021 world champions, including a 34–19 victory in the 2025 Rugby World Cup semifinal.
The Pacific Four Series will conclude in Chicago against long-time rival USA on April 24. Canada will face Jack Hanratty—former Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, who led the team to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics—now in charge of the USA Eagles women’s 15s team.
Canada’s first two Pacific Four Series matches will be available live on TSN. Details regarding Canada’s final match will be made available shortly.
PACIFIC FOUR SERIES SCHEDULE
Canada vs Australia
Heart Health Park – Sacramento, California
Saturday April 11 at 7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET
Canada vs New Zealand
CPKC Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri
Friday April 17 at 3:15 p.m. PT / 6:15 p.m. ET
Canada vs USA
Seat Geek Stadium – Chicago, Illinois
Friday April 24 at 5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET
CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM – 2026 PACIFIC FOUR SERIES SQUAD
FORWARDS
Ashlynn Smith (Abbotsford, BC) – University of Calgary / Rugby Club Toulon
Brooke Rempel (Ariss, ON) – Brock University / Brantford Harlequins / Ontario West*
Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats / Ontario West
Cassandra Tuffnail (Heidelberg, ON) – Ealing Trailfinders
DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Saracens
Kiki Idowu (Toronto, ON) – University of British Columbia / Toronto Scottish *
Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia University / Saracens
Lizzie Gibson (Caledon, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Queen’s University / Quebec East *
Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – Ealing Trailfinders / University of Ottawa
Pamphinette Buisa (Gatineau, QC) – Ottawa Irish / Bristol Bears
Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – University of British Columbia
Sierra Gillis (Victoria, BC) – University of Victoria *
Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens
Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) – University of Guelph / Aurora Barbarians / Ontario West
BACKS
Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs
Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC / Sale Sharks
Aurora Bowie (Stouffville, ON) – University of Ottawa / Markham Irish / FC Grenoble Amazones *
Chloe Daniels (Sutton, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Queen’s University / Bristol Bears*
Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders
Corinne Frechette (Saint-Zéphirin-de-Courval, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Université Laval / Québec East *
Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
Maggie MacKinnon (Sooke, BC) – University of Victoria *
Mahalia Robinson (Fulford, QC) – Rugby Club Montréal / Quebec West
Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Saracens
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau
Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders
from Rugby Canada
Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team, Jocelyn Barrieau, has selected the roster that will represent Canada at the HSBC Hong Kong SVNS, the first of three world championship events that will determine the 2026 HSBC SVNS Series World Champion.
Six of the thirteen players named to the squad were part of Canada’s silver medal–winning team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan, Charity Williams, Caroline Crossley, and Florence Symonds.
Olivia Apps has been named captain; she returns from competing in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) for the Saracens.
“All players and staff are looking forward to the opportunity ahead of us at the World Championships,” said Head Coach Jocelyn Barrieau. “The return of veteran players brings valuable leadership on and off field to the group as we enter this next phase of competition.”
Several players who have featured for Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team this season have been named to Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s Pacific Four Series roster and will be unavailable for selection, including Asia Hogan-Rochester, Pamphinette Buisa, Chloe Daniels, Claire Gallagher, Mahalia Robinson, Shoshannah Seumanutafa, Taylor Perry, and Gabrielle Senft.
“We’re proud to see so many athletes contributing across both sevens and fifteens programs,” Barrieau said. “While we’ll miss those competing in the Pacific Four Series, we have created opportunities for many players in our depth chart to step up and make an impact in both codes in these competitions this spring.”
Canada opened its 2025–26 HSBC SVNS Series campaign with back-to-back sixth-place finishes in Dubai and Cape Town in December, followed by improved results in Singapore (third), Perth (fifth), and Vancouver (fifth), before closing the series with a seventh-place finish in New York. The HSBC SVNS World Championship marks the beginning of a ‘new’ competition cycle, with all teams starting on equal footing as they compete for the world title alongside the top four teams from HSBC SVNS 2.
“Our focus is on building consistency in our performances and continuing to grow our game management in high-pressure moments. We’ve shown progress throughout the season, and now it’s about putting together complete performances.”
HSBC HONG KONG SVNS SCHEDULE
April 17-19
To be announced soon.
WHERE TO WATCH
All of Canada’s HSBC SVNS Series matches in Hong Kong will be available live on TSN+.
HSBC SVNS SERIES
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.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM – HSBC HONG KONG SVNS ROSTER
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
7. Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia
8. Carmen Izyk (High River, AB) – Foothills Lions / Queen’s University
9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC / Saracens
10. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers / Westshore RFC / Loughborough Lightning
14. Eden Kilgour (Barrie, ON) – Barrie RFC / University of Victoria
16. Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) – CRFC / Saracens
22. Sabrina Poulin (St-Georges, QC) – Town of Mount Royal RFC / Exeter Chiefs
33. Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers
38. Kennedi Stevenson (Glen Williams, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Queen’s University
47. Larah Wright (Calgary, AB) – Hornets RFC / Westshore RFC / University of Victoria