Chiefs Trio to start for Canada Rugby against England's Red Roses

Alex Tessier kicks during Rugby World Cup 2021 New Zealand Quarterfinal match between Canada and USA

21/09/2023

With one month remaining until the inaugural WXV tournament in New Zealand, Canada will kick off against the Red Roses at 2:30pm here at Sandy Park. 

Three Exeter Chiefs are starting for Canada including Emily Tuttosi, DaLeaka Menin and Alexandra Tessier.

Looking for their first ever win against England in England, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s match day roster includes 16 players who were also named to take on England at the Rugby World Cup last autumn and 20 who competed at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa in July.

Tessier will start for Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team for the first time since April following recovery from injury. Also back after extended injury recovery is Taylor Perry, who suffered a knee injury in training ahead of Canada’s first Rugby World Cup match last October.

Another experienced player could make her return to action with Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team off the bench. Magali Harvey, a 2014 Rugby World Cup silver medallist and 2014 Women’s Rugby Player of the Year, last played for Canada in 2018.

Three players who earned their first caps for Canada this July in Ottawa against New Zealand have also been named to Canada’s match day roster. Florence Symonds and Claire Gallagher are in the starting 15, with Olivia Apps on the bench. Symonds and Apps both helped Canada qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics in August, while Gallagher followed up the Pacific Four Series with dominating performances against the USA with Canada’s U23 Women’s Rugby Team.

“Our team reconvened in Exeter over the weekend for the first time since July, and preparations for this first test match against England have gone well,” said Kevin Rouet. “We know the task at hand and the importance of these matches in the team’s journey towards the 2025 Rugby World Cup. It is exciting to see the return of some experienced players, as well as newer players to the program earning an opportunity to play in a match such as this.”

This match will mark two years since Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team’s last test match in England, as well as the twelfth time that Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team has played the Red Roses in England. England has taken the win in the last eight meetings between these two teams, with Canada having last won over England in 2016 in Salt Lake City.

Following this tour, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team heads to New Zealand for WXV, where they will face England once again, along with Wales and France.

CANADA’S WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM MATCH DAY ROSTER vs ENGLAND

1. McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens
2. Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs
3. DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Exeter Chiefs
4. Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan RFC / Ealing Trailfinders
5. Courtney Holtkamp (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby
6. Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers
7. Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
8. Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers RFC / Saracens
9. Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais
10. Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / University of Ottawa
11. Florence Symonds (Hong Kong) – University of British Columbia
12. Madison Grant (Cornwall, ON) – Cornwall Claymores
13. Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – NorWester Athletic Associations / Westshore RFC
14. Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Westshore RFC / Worcester Warriors
15. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs

FINISHERS

16. Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC
17. Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) – Halifax Tars RFC
18. Alexandria Ellis (Ottawa, ON) – Barrhaven Scottish / Saracens
19. Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / ASM Romagnat 
20. Sara Svoboda (Belleville, ON) – Brantford Harlequins / Belleville Bulldogs / Loughborough Lightning
21. Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC 
22. Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders 
23. Magali Harvey (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Queen’s University / Stade Bordelais