Manassero, Fox take third-round lead at RBC Canadian Open; Hughes low Canadian
Italy's Matteo Manassero and New Zealand's Ryan Fox both shot a 6-under 64 on Saturday to share the third-round lead at the RBC Canadian Open at 14-under overall. Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., also fired a 66 to move 13 spots up the leaderboard and become the low Canadian, two shots behind Manassero and Fox.
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Toronto Star
35 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Basketball's loss is rugby's gain as Alex Tessier leads Canada at Rugby World Cup
France's Marine Menager grabs Canada's Alex Tessier's leg as she runs the ball during WXV 1 women's rugby union action, in Vancouver, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. Canadian Tessier is a finalist for World Rugby's Women's 15s Player of the Year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns EC flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian women's rugby team chases World Cup dream on shoestring budget
On the eve of the tournament, Rugby Canada has announced it has reached 95 per cent of its $1 million target for its 'Mission: Win World Cup 2025' fundraising campaign. While the Canadian women are ranked second in the world and seen as legitimate contenders to challenge No. 1 England, which is hosting the expanded 16-country tournament, they are have-nots off the field compared to other top teams. The Canadian women get paid the same as the men for wearing the Maple Leaf, according to a deal negotiated with the Canadian Rugby Players Association. It is not much. 'If they did everything this calendar year, they can earn about 12K,' said Rugby Canada CEO Nathan Bombrys, adding there are some 'success bonuses' on top of that. Rugby Canada has looked to pool its resources on and off the field, making the most of what it has with talent flowing between the sevens and 15s squads. Veteran flanker Karen Paquin, the Canadian Olympic Committee representative on the Rugby Canada board of directors, believes the governing body is on the right course. 'There have been a lot of people that have worked really hard to change things and to ask questions and to make sure that we keep evolving,' said the 38-year-old Paquin, who is headed to her fourth World Cup. 'I think we're heading into a good direction, a good place. And I think you can see it on the field.' But Rugby Canada can only do as much as its bottom line allows. And that is modest. Rugby Canada reported revenue of $20.21 million in 2024, with some $11.5 million coming from World Rugby, Sport Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Olympic Foundation and other grants Contrast that with England's Rugby Football Union, which cited revenue of 175.2 million pounds ($327.2 million) for the year ending June 30, 2024. And that was down from 221.4 million pounds ($413.5 million) the year before, with the drop attributed to fewer home Six Nations games and no men's Autumn Nations Series matches. England has 32 women under full-time contracts for the 2024-25 season, with another eight on 'transition contracts.' And that is in addition to their club contracts. New Zealand, Australia and other Six Nations countries like Scotland, Ireland and Wales also offer player contracts. 'I don't see this as a women's rugby problem. This is kind of where rugby is in Canada,' said Bombrys. 'And we're up against nations that have established major revenue streams like the Six Nations tournament. And the RFU or Scottish Rugby, or IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) could spend more on their teams if they choose to. They have the ability to do that. We just don't.' Bombrys notes that Scotland's Glasgow Warriors, the United Rugby Championship side he ran as managing director from 2011 to 2021, had the same budget as Rugby Canada. 'England will have, we reckon, about 10 times the resources that we do,' he said. 'But they don't have our players. And that's something special … Frankly, any of these young people that put on the Canadian jersey, men or women, they're not doing it for the money. They know they're up against it in terms of resources and time. I think the biggest thing that resources buy is time together, time for the Canadian team to be together — to prepare, train and improve.' Bombrys said the fundraising campaign came out of the need to fill a $1 million shortfall in paying for Canada coach Kevin Rouet's tournament preparation plan. 'As an organization, we actually provided more money than probably we've ever been able to put behind a Canadian team but it's still 10 per cent of what England have and, I don't know, 15 or 20 per cent of some of what the other top countries have.' World Rugby looks after the travel and accommodation costs of teams at the World Cup. Of the 32 players on the Canadian World Cup squad, 20 are affiliated with teams in England or France. Most earn room and board but little else, says veteran prop DaLeaka Menin, who plays for the Exeter Chiefs. 'Generally, you break even,' said Menin. 'You're not losing money being over there but you're maybe not gaining any money to put into savings or maybe apply to the future.' Bombrys credits the Canadian players for making do with what Rugby Canada has been able to offer. 'They've made this commitment to each other, to Canada, and they appreciate the support,' he said. 'I certainly am very proud to be part of this and to be part of this group of players and what they're trying to achieve.' England's Red Roses reportedly will each earn a bonus of 15,000 pounds ($28,015) if they win the tournament. New Zealand's Black Ferns collected a bonus of 25,000 New Zealand dollars ($20,190) for winning in 2022, with then-prime minister Jacinda Ardern joining others in saying the women deserved equal pay, given the All Blacks received bonuses of 150,000 New Zealand dollars ($121,135) after their World Cup win in 2015. The World Cup kicks off Friday with England facing the 10th-ranked U.S in Sunderland. Canada opens Saturday against No. 14 Fiji in York. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Basketball's loss is rugby's gain as Alex Tessier leads Canada at Rugby World Cup
A basketball player growing up in Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., 125 kilometres northeast of Montreal, Alex Tessier didn't pick up a rugby ball until she moved to Montreal for school. She was 17 and knew next to nothing about the sport when a friend took her to rugby practice. 'When I first actually tried it out, the training was so confusing, but at the same time intriguing. So I was very curious,' Tessier recalled. 'I was amazed at how there were so many aspects that I never thought a sport could offer,' she added. 'On the field, there was just so much going on in my head, like everything was new.' After leaving CEGEP — Quebec's junior college system — for Concordia University, Tessier initially tried to play both basketball and rugby. 'That just didn't last very long. I decided to focus my energy on rugby because I saw true potential to just be a better rugby player, be a better person.' Mission accomplished At 31, Tessier is now Canada's captain and will lead out the second-ranked Canadian women when they open World Cup play Saturday against No. 14 Fiji in York, England. It will be cap No. 61 for Tessier. If the results stay true to the rankings, Canada is on a collision course with top-ranked England, which enters the tournament on a 27-match winning streak that includes four victories over the Canadian women. The Red Roses have won 57 of their last 58 matches, with the lone blemish a 34-31 loss to New Zealand in the final of the last World Cup in November 2022. In her third World Cup, Tessier is Canada's Owen Farrell — the 33-year-old English fly half with 112 caps who captained his country from 2018 to 2023 before stepping back from international duty. Like Farrell, Tessier is a fly half who has shifted to centre to serve as another decision-maker in the backline. Tenacious tacklers and skilled kickers, they both quarterback their teams. 'I guess he's a decent player, although he's English,' Tessier, tongue in cheek, said of Farrell, who just took part in his fourth British and Irish Lions' tour. Veteran flanker Karen Paquin says Canada is in good hands with Tessier. 'She's someone that can do something really, really well and kind of get the idea of it within a millisecond. So she's really, really good under pressure,' said Paquin, who is attending her fourth World Cup. 'And I think she's a player that's going to play big in the big moments. I'm really excited to have her as our skipper, and I really trust her.' Tessier took over as captain while Sophie de Goede was sidelined by knee surgery. Restored to health, the 26-year-old de Goede is now the team vice-captain, with Rouet opting to keep Tessier as skipper so de Goede can focus on her game. Rouet says playing Tessier at centre outside fly half Claire Gallagher gives his captain a better view of what's happening on the pitch. 'Her kicking game is amazing, as is her leadership of the team,' added the France-born coach. 'She's not a big speaker, but when she speaks, she says something interesting every time.' Tessier says she doesn't care whether she lines up at fly half or centre. 'It doesn't matter much where I play as long as I can contribute.' Tessier is one of several Canadians who play their club rugby in England for Exeter Chiefs. Tessier played in France before the last World Cup in November 2022, a pandemic-delayed competition that saw Canada finish fourth. She returned to her club in Bordeaux after the tournament before joining Exeter ahead of the 2023-24 season in England. 'It's probably been the best move for my rugby career,' said Tessier, who was named to the Premiership Women's Rugby's 2023-24 team of the season. 'One of the best choices I've made in my life.' 'I've enjoyed it because it is professional,' she added. 'There's a good club vibe. You have so many resources around the club, whether it's your staff being full-time, having access to a pitch, to proper-quality training, S and C (strength and conditioning). Everything. Everything is set up for you to be your best self, in your best shape as well.' Plus, Exeter 'suits me well, in that it's not in a big city.' Tessier, who graduated from Concordia's John Molson School of Business in operations management, left her 'grown-up job' as a buyer and production planner at Montreal cosmetics manufacturer Groupe Marcelle to pursue rugby full-time. Tessier has already left her mark on the world stage, chosen as a finalist for World Rugby's Player of the Year in November 2024. 'In some ways, you could argue that I didn't expect it because I don't play for that kind of recognition,' she said. 'But I definitely felt a lot of pride.' — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2025
