The Canadian women's rugby team, ranked second in the world and looking to turn heads at this summer's World Cup, just got better.
Rugby Canada announced Tuesday that captain Sophie de Goede, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament a year ago, will rejoin the team ahead of the team's upcoming tour to South Africa.
"I feel good," said the 25-year-old backrower from Victoria, who despite the injury was named to World Rugby's Women's 15s Dream Team of 2024, along with fellow Canadians Alex Tessier and Laetitia Royer. "I'm really excited just to get back with the group and excited to get back on field, but also just excited to be in the (team) environment again and spend more time with people.
"Obviously with our team being so spread out most of the time, I haven't got to see the girls in a while."
De Goede's return is timely with the World Cup kicking off Aug. 22 in England.
Canada coach Kevin Rouet has invited de Goede and 37 other players to a training camp that runs Friday through June 27 in Perth, Ont. Thirty-two will then be chosen for the trip to South Africa and games against the 12th-ranked Springbok women on July 5 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria and July 12 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
De Goede was injured June 21, 2024, in a non-contact scrimmage against the United States on the last day of a Canada sevens camp in Chula Vista, Calif. — almost a year to the day she returns.
"It has been a really long long, tough year." said de Goede, who missed out on the Paris Olympics sevens competition that saw Canada win silver. "I think I'll be a lot stronger for it, mentally and physically, coming out the other side."
She is also grateful for the help on the road to recovery.
"Honestly it's taken a village to get me to this point," she said. "So I feel really fortunate to have the people around me that have pushed me when I needed pushing and pulled me back when I needed some reins."
Madison Grant, Paige Farries and Pamphinette Buisa also return from injury, while Carissa Norsten, the 2024 HSBC SVNS Women’s Rookie of the Year and a member of Canada's silver-medal squad at the Paris Olympics, earns her first call-up to the senior 15s.
The training camp roster includes 33 members of the squad that came second at the Pacific Four Series in May after wins over the ninth-ranked U.S. (26-14) and No. 6 Australia (45-7) and a 27-27 tie with No. 3 New Zealand.
The Canadians, who won the Pacific Four Series last year with their first-ever win over New Zealand, finished runner-up to the Black Ferns this year on points differential.
“We are looking forward to reconvening as a group after a short break following the Pacific Four Series,” Rouet said in a statement. “This training camp and the matches against South Africa are important components in our on- and off-field preparation for the Rugby World Cup.
"We will continue to refine our gameplay as we spend some valuable training hours together."
Canada will face No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 15 Fiji in Group B play at the World Cup.
After the South Africa tour, Canada plays the U.S. on Aug. 1 in Ottawa and No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Dublin. The Canadian women open the World Cup against Fiji on Aug. 23 in York.
The Canadian women have finished fourth four times at the World Cup, most recently in 2022. Canada was runner-up to England in 2014.
Canada is 12-5-1 since the last World Cup. Four of the losses were to top-ranked England, with the other to New Zealand.
Canada Training Camp Roster
Forwards
Alysia Comtois, Magog, Que., University of Ottawa; Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Cassandra Tuffnail, Heidelberg, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Courtney O'Donnell, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Holly Phillips, Canmore, Alta., Bristol Bears (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt. King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Mikiela Nelson, North Vancouver, Exeter Chiefs (England); Olivia DeMerchant, Mapledale, N.B., Halifax Tars RFC; Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rachel Smith, South Surrey, B.C., UBC; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Sophie de Goede, Victoria, Saracens (England); Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England).
Backs
AlexTessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Westshore RFC; Carissa Norsten, Waldheim, Sask., University of Victoria; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., Loughborough Lightning (England).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
