World No. 3-ranked Canada, considered a podium threat for the women’s rugby World Cup this fall in New Zealand, will play two home preparatory Tests, with one of them against No. 6 Italy on July 24 at Starlight Stadium in Langford. The other will be at the Wanderers Ground in Halifax on Aug. 27 against No. 9 Wales.
Rugby Canada announced its complete XVs national teams summer schedule, with the men to play Belgium on July 2 in Halifax and the French Barbarians on July 10 at TD Place in Ottawa.
“We’re delighted to be hosting fixtures from coast to coast in Canada this summer,” Jamie Levchuk, interim CEO of Rugby Canada, said in a statement.
“After lacking fixtures for our senior XVs teams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an exciting prospect for Canadian rugby fans across the country to watch our senior women’s and men’s teams in action on home soil. We’re looking forward to bringing events to the Ottawa and Halifax communities, as well as our home in Langford.”
The Canadian women’s team features Sophie De Goede of Victoria, an all-rounder in rugby and basketball for Queen’s University, and nominee for 2021-22 U Sports national female athlete of the season. The Canadian roster also includes former University of Victoria Vikes star Paige Farries of Westshore RFC, Gabrielle Senft of Castaway Wanderers and veteran Elissa Alarie of Westshore RFC, who was also an Olympian at Tokyo in rugby sevens.
The Canadian men will miss the 2023 World Cup in France, for the first time since the event was inaugurated in 1987. The rebuild toward 2027 begins for world No. 21 Canada with the need to beat nations such as No. 27 Belgium.
The match versus the French Barbs will provide a much stiffer challenge against a side that is the national B team of France, one of the great rugby nations. Displaying a style known as champagne rugby, the French Barbs last played Canada at Bullen Park in Esquimalt in 2008 and came away with a 17-7 victory.
Tickets for the Canada-Italy women’s game at Starlight Stadium will go on sale on May 31. It will be the Canadian female XV’s first Test match in Canada in seven years.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
