After 13 months of painstaking rehab, the Canadian XVs captain finally returned to the line-up on Saturday
Little did Sophie De Goede of Victoria know last summer that she would face the greatest challenge of her rugby career — and that it wouldn’t be on the pitch.
The Oak Bay High graduate, considered one of the best female players in the world and twice named to the XVs All-World Dream Team, tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the last training session before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, forcing her to miss the event.
After 13 months of painstaking rehab, the Canadian XVs captain finally returned to the line-up on Saturday, coming off the bench to play the final 22 minutes in Canada’s 33-5 Test victory over South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
The goal is to get De Goede completely match fit and ready to start in next month’s 2025 World Cup in England.
Drawing in as starters were University of Victoria Vikes star winger Carissa Norsten and former UVic standout Krissy Scurfield, 2024 Olympic silver medallists in sevens last summer in Paris. Both scored tries on Saturday against the world No. 12 Springboks. Norsten will long remember her maiden cap and was named player of the match in her first career XVs game for Canada.
Former UVic star and 2020 Tokyo Olympian Pamphinette Buisa also started for world No. 2 Canada. Rori Wood of Sooke came off the bench.
Caroline Crossley of Victoria, a Paris Olympics silver medallist in sevens and a standout in Canada’s 50-20 win over South Africa last week in Pretoria, sat this one out.
“We were very happy to have been able to give all 32 players who came on tour the opportunity to play in these two games,” Canada head coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement.
“We came to South Africa to be challenged in the scrum, maul and to face their physicality. South Africa showed us that in these two games.
“We have a lot to learn from after this tour, but the more we play together, the better we will be able to perform once we are at the World Cup.”
Canada has two more preparatory Tests before the World Cup — against the United States on Aug. 1 at TD Place in Ottawa and Aug. 9 in Belfast against Northern Ireland.
Canada will open the 2025 World Cup in England against No. 15 Fiji on Aug. 23 at York Stadium, with its other Pool B games on Aug. 30 against No. 10 Wales at Salford Stadium in Greater Manchester and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6 at Sandy Park in Exeter.
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