Canada is preparing to open its 2025 World Cup campaign next month
Langford-based Rugby Canada knows the days grow fewer before Canada’s opening game of the 2025 women’s World Cup in England next month.
That was the prevailing backdrop to Canada’s 50-20 Test victory Saturday over South Africa at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The second Test against world No. 12 South Africa is next Saturday at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“These two matches in South Africa [are] a fantastic opportunity to build depth and confidence amongst the squad and for the players to showcase themselves with the World Cup coming up quickly,” Canadian head coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement.
Florence Symonds and Alysha Corrigan certainly did showcase with two tries each for Canada, ranked No. 2 in the world and with a real shot in the World Cup.
Caroline Crossley of Victoria, proving to be an all-rounder by jumping to XVs after winning Olympic silver last summer in Paris in sevens, scored her first career Test try as the McGill law student out of Oak Bay Secondary earned her fifth cap.
Fancy Bermudez, from Westshore RFC, also scored a try for Canada before being stretchered off with an injury. Rugby Canada reported she was medically cleared and rejoined her teammates following the game.
Crossley, Bermudez, Corrigan and Olivia Apps were the sevens 2024 Paris Olympic silver medallists who started for Canada on Saturday.
Former University of Victoria Vikes star and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Pamphinette Buisa and Rori Wood of Sooke were dressed in reserve.
UVic Vikes star Carissa Norsten and former UVic star Krissy Scurfield, both Paris Olympics silver medallists, were named for the two South Africa Test matches but did not dress and are targeted for the second Test against the Springboks.
So likely is Canadian captain Sophie De Goede of Victoria, the Oak Bay Secondary graduate considered one of the best players in the world, who tore her ACL in training last summer and had to miss the Paris Olympics.
After 13 months of painstaking rehab, De Goede has made the trip to South Africa with the Canadian team, but was left off the roster on Saturday as team officials look to ease her back slowly.
Gabrielle Senft of the Castaway Wanderers started in De Goede’s usual No. 8 slot and was successful on five of eight conversion attempts in Pretoria.
Canada is preparing to open its 2025 World Cup campaign against No. 15-ranked Fiji on Aug. 23 at York Stadium.
Its other Pool B games are on Aug. 30 against No. 10 Wales at Salford Stadium in Manchester and against No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 at Sandy Park in Exeter.
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