Maple Leafs chosen for England tour

Canadian senior women’s head coach François Ratier has named a 24-player roster to travel to England on a two-match development tour this coming December. The Maple Leafs will be comprised of a number of uncapped players along with 10 members of the senior Women’s Super Series squad that competed against England, New Zealand, and the USA earlier this summer.

Among the returning players is dynamic forward Cindy Nelles. Capable of playing both lock and loose forward, the highly-rated Belleville native was a late call-up to the World Cup side in 2014 and has been selected as captain for the forthcoming tour. She will have some experience beside her in front row DaLeaka Menin, second rows Camille Provençal-Aubé and Emma Taylor, and versatile Tyson Beukeboom. Belleville clubmate Katie Svoboda, most recently captain of the national u20 side, has been rewarded with her first senior representative selection.

Halfbacks Chelsea Guthrie, Lori Josephson, Jess Neilson, and Alex Tessier were all part of the group that took part in the Super Series. Winger Natasha Smith rounds out the veterans list, with a host of new names among the backs.

Some positional experimentation might also be on the cards with four midfielders named and no specialist hooker. Ratier has shown a willingness to move players into new spots in the past, as evidenced by Julia Folk’s switch to the front row for the Super Series. Folk misses out on this tour with injury, along with prop Tiffany Picketts.

Both matches against England ‘A’ will take place at Esher Rugby Club, where the senior men took on Georgia in a World Cup warm-up match in early September. Kick-off times have not yet been determined, but both matches will be streamed live, details to be announced in due time.

FORWARDS
DaLeaka Menin (Calgary Hornets), Chelsey Minter (Westshore Valkyries), Kristy Sargent (Lep Tigers), Simone Savary (Ottawa Gees-Gees), Demi Stamatakis (Simon Fraser), Camille Provençal-Aubé (CRQ), Emma Taylor (HRFC), Tyson Beukeboom (Aurora Barbarians), Cindy Nelles (capt., Belleville Bulldogs), Brittany Priddle (Guelph Gryphons), Gabrielle Senft (UVic Vikes), Katie Svoboda (Belleville Bulldogs)

BACKS
Chelsea Guthrie (Strathcona Druids), Lori Josephson (Aurora Barbarians), Jess Neilson (UVic Vikes), Alex Tessier (Montreal Barbarians), Fabiola Forteza (CRQ), Janai Haupapa (Calgary Rams), Amanda Williams (Calgary Hornets), Frédérique Rajotte (SABRFC), Emma Jada (Guelph Redcoats), Natasha Smith (Barrhaven Scottish), Mackenzie Higgs (Aurora Barbarians), Irene Patrinos (Hull Volant)

COACHING STAFF
Head coach – François Ratier
Forwards coach – Shaun Allen
Scrum coach – John Lavery
Video analyst – James Kent
Therapist – Nicole Ainsworth
Manager – Nicole Crowley

FIXTURES
12/01 – v England ‘A’
12/05 – v England ‘A’