East Camp begins for Canada Women

Canada’s second senior women’s selection camp gets underway today at the University of Guelph. Head coach François Ratier will run the rule over 34 players over the next five days in preparation for the Women’s Rugby Super Series to be held in July at Salt Lake City. A 33-player camp was held in March at Shawnigan Lake for those based west of Ontario.

Four members of Canada’s 2014 World Cup finalists team are present, including the only overseas-based member of the group – tighthead prop Olivia DeMerchant. Fellow prop Hilary Leith, hooker Mary-Jane Kirby, and loose forward Jacey Murphy are the other returnees from the France tournament.

Another six return from last year’s Super Series in Alberta – locks Camille Provençal-Aubé and Emma Taylor, halfbacks Lori Josephson and Alex Tessier, and outside backs Natasha Smith and Gillian Allen. Only one player, Montreal’s Anaïs Holly, was not in the original group of 79 named in January.

Players involved in the HSBC Sevens Series were not considered and won’t be available for the team until after the Olympics. The Super Series kicks off on July 1 with matches against England, USA, and France.

FORWARDS
Olivia DeMerchant (Saracens, UK), Colleen Irowa (McMaster), Hilary Leith (Capilano), Tobi Owotomo (York), Simone Savary (Ottawa), Emily Barber (Lindsay), Mary-Jane Kirby (Highland), Gillian Pegg (Queen’s), Brittany Kassil (Guelph), Camille Provençal-Aubé (Laval), Emma Taylor (HRFC), Louise Chen (Aurora Barbarians), Megan Copeland-Dinan (Barrhaven Scottish), Fabiola Forteza (Laval), Ngalula Fuamba (UdeM), Daria Keane (Guelph), Jacey Murphy (Aurora Barbarians), Katie Svoboda (McMaster), Sara Svoboda (McMaster)

BACKS
Lori Josephson (Aurora Barbarians), Justine Pelletier (CRQ), Erin van Gulik (Ottawa), Mackenzie Higgs (Aurora Barbarians), Anaïs Holly (UdeM), Alex Tessier (Concordia), Brianna Miller (SABRFC), Emily Ricketts (McMaster), Caroline Suchorski (SABRFC), Amanda Williams (Calgary Hornets), Frédérique Rajotte (Concordia), Natasha Smith (Barrhaven Scottish), Petra Woods (York), Gillian Allen (Kirin), Irene Patrinos (Ottawa)