Captain Sophie de Goede rejoins Canada rugby team after yearlong injury layoff
Captain Sophie de Goede, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament a year ago, will rejoin the Canada women's rugby team ahead of the team's upcoming tour to South Africa.
Despite the injury, the 25-year-old backrower from Victoria was named to World Rugby's Women's 15s Dream Team of 2024, along with fellow Canadians Claire Tessier and Laetitia Royer.
De Goede's return is timely with the second-ranked Canadian women preparing for the Rugby World Cup, which runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 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.
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
Alex Tessier, 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, Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France)
Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., Loughborough Lightning (England).
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