Canada revises Pacific Four squad

Canada has reduced their roster to 30 players ahead of the Pacific Four matches to be played in Ottawa. Kevin Rouet’s squad will take on the World Cup-winning New Zealand Black Ferns on Saturday before facing Australia next Friday.

Six uncapped players have made the cut down from the initial 40-strong training group. Front rowers Mya Brubacher and Sara Cline join towering lock Ashlynn Smith among the forwards. In the backs there is a first selection for flyhalf or center Claire Gallagher, with scrumhalf Olivia Apps and midfielder Florence Symonds joining from the national sevens side.

Included are 22 members of the World Cup Semi Finalist squad with Sophie de Goede continuing as captain and Justine Pelletier named vice-captain. Apps was a late call-up to that group but did not make a test appearance before the tournament’s conclusion.

Pacific Four results to date include a 50-17 win for Canada over the USA on April 1, played in Spain, and a 50-0 victory for New Zealand over Australia. A scrimmage between the Maple Leafs and Eagles was held on Canada Day (July 1) before the final selections were made.

 

*denotes uncapped

PROP
*Mya Brubacher (Queen’s Gaels)
Olivia DeMerchant (Halifax Tars)
Alex Ellis (Saracens, UK)
DaLeaka Menin (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

HOOKER
Gillian Boag (Capilano)
*Sara Cline (Leprechaun Tigers)
Emily Tuttosi (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

SECOND ROW
Tyson Beukeboom (Cowichan)
Courtney Holtkamp (Red Deer Titans)
McKinley Hunt (Aurora Barbarians)
Laetitia Royer (ASM Romagnat, FR)
*Ashlynn Smith (Calgary Dinos)

BACK ROW
Sophie de Goede (Castaway Wanderers)
Fabiola Forteza (Stade Bordelais, FR)
Gabrielle Senft (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Sara Svoboda (Loughborough Lightning, UK)
Emma Taylor (Halifax RFC)

SCRUMHALF
*Olivia Apps (Lindsay)
Justine Pelletier (Stade Bordelais, FR)

FLYHALF
*Claire Gallagher (Ottawa Gee-Gees)
Julia Schell (Castaway Wanderers)

MIDFIELD
Fancy Bermudez (Westshore)
Sara Kaljuvee (Westshore)
Shoshanah Seumanutafa (UBC Thunderbirds)
*Florence Symonds (UBC Thunderbirds)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown)
Paige Farries (Worcester Warriors, UK)
Maddy Grant (Cornwall Claymores)
Sarah-Maude Lachance (Lons, FR)
Sabrina Poulin (Eibar Taldea, ES)