Alex Tessier (right) will serve as Canada's captain at the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. Canada opens play on Aug. 23 against Fiji.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
Alexandra Tessier will captain Canada’s second-ranked squad when the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicks off in England.
On Thursday, Rugby Canada announced its 32-player roster for the elite women’s rugby tournament.
Tessier, a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, is set to earn her 59th cap for Canada.
She has scored six tries and 53 points over her 10-year international career that includes World Cup appearances in 2017 and 2021 (played in 2022).
Twenty-one players from the 2021 Rugby World Cup team have been named to head coach Kevin Rouet’s squad, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin. All three will represent Canada at the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time.
Sophie de Goede, a member of the World Rugby Women’s Dream Team in 2022 and 2024, was named to her second World Cup squad. She came off the bench in a 33-5 win over South Africa earlier this month after a 13-month injury absence.
Emily Tuttosi will play in her second Rugby World Cup. She led Canada with six tries at the World Cup in 2022, landing her a spot on that year’s Dream Team.
“Selecting the World Cup squad forced the coaching staff to make some very difficult decisions,” Rouet said in a release. “Since the last World Cup, our focus has been on building depth in the squad, so we had more than just 32 players who could step on the field and perform at any moment.
“We achieved our goal but as a result it meant needing to make some very challenging decisions.”
Six players who helped Canada to silver in sevens competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics are also on the squad: Caroline Crossley, Fancy Bermudez, Florence Symonds, Olivia Apps, Asia Hogan-Rochester and Taylor Perry.
Canada is in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and Scotland. It opens its tournament Aug. 23 against Fiji in York.
Before leaving for England, Canada will face the ninth-ranked United States on Aug. 1 at TD Place in Ottawa. They will play a final tune up against No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Dublin.
The Canadians finished fourth at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. They have gone 14-5-1 since.
Canada’s best finish was runner-up to England at the 2014 event in France.