Canada's Pamphinette Buisa, seen here scoring a try against the Australia Wallaroos earlier this month, will hope to get back in the win column after Friday's game against the United States.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
After falling 36-14 to New Zealand, Canada looks to get back on track Friday against a familiar foe when it takes on the U.S. at the Pacific Four Series women’s rugby tournament.
Canada coach Kevin Rouet will be matching wits against former Canada women’s sevens coach Jack Hanratty at SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Chicago.
Hanratty, an Irish native who took over the U.S. team in January, was in charge of the Canadian women when they won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
And his ties with Rouet run deep.
The two spent time together as assistant coaches on the Canadian women’s 15s team before Rouet was elevated to the top job in March 2022. Rouet served as an assistant to Hanratty when he took over the sevens side in August 2022 – after 10 months in the role on an interim basis – and Hanratty also spent time on Rouet’s 15s staff before leaving Rugby Canada to coach the University of Ottawa women’s team.
“He is not a friend any more,” Rouet said with a big grin that suggested exactly the opposite.
Laetitia Royer (5) of Canada and Samantha Wood (9) of the Australia Wallaroos go for the ball during their match earlier this month in Sacramento. After a loss to New Zealand this past Friday, Canada dropped to third in the world rankings.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Canadian women have won their last 11 meetings with the U.S. since a 20-18 loss to the Americans in July 2019 in Chula Vista, Calif.
Canada took it on the chin in the second half against New Zealand last Friday in Kansas City, giving up 31 unanswered points after leading 14-5 at halftime.
Limited preparation and a green bench, with several veterans away with the sevens side, did not help the Canadian cause. But there were other letdowns.
“We need to be better at the breakdown, definitely,” said Rouet. “We did not adapt to the referee, I think, in some aspects ... New players [who] need to learn to play how to the game under pressure. All of that adds up to something and you have a big score at the end.
“There’s positives and negatives from this game, definitely,” he added.
Canada led 14-10 through 60 of 80 minutes before New Zealand reeled off 26 more points through four tries.
The Black Ferns replaced Canada at No. 2 in the world rankings, dropping Rouet’s team to No. 3. The Americans, meanwhile, jumped one spot to No. 7 at the expense of Australia after defeating the Wallaroos 33-12.
The Canadian women blanked Australia 24-0 in their April 11 tournament opener, played in soggy conditions in Sacramento. It marked Canada’s first outing since the 33-13 loss to top-ranked England in the Sept. 27 World Cup final before an announced crowd of 81,885 at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
Canada will renew its rivalry with the Red Roses this fall as part of the new expanded WXV Global Series. The marquee matchup, which represents the Canadian women’s first game in Toronto in 17 years, is to be announced at a news conference Monday at BMO Field.
The England women, who have won their last 35 test matches against all opposition, hold a career 34-3-1 record against Canada, winning 14 straight since a 52-17 Canadian win in July 2016 in Salt Lake City.
Kickoff for both of Canada’s previous Pacific Four Series games were delayed several hours due to inclement weather. Mother Nature may not co-operate again Friday, with showers and thunderstorms in the forecast.
The Americans were beaten 48-15 by New Zealand in their Pacific Four Series opener.
Rachel Smith (centre), seen here in Canada's match against Australia earlier this month, is a replacement player for Friday's match against the Americans.Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
New Zealand can defend the title with a win or bonus point loss against Australia on Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. The Black Ferns won the tournament in 2022 and ‘23 with the Canadian women prevailing in 2021 and 2024.
Last week’s loss to New Zealand – which snapped a three-match Canadian win streak (2-0-1) against the Black Ferns who had won the first 17 meetings between the two – was only the 10th for Rouet at the Canadian helm. His record stands at 31-10-1, with six of the losses at the hands of England, three to New Zealand and one to France.
With No. 8 Fabiola Forteza injured in the New Zealand loss, Sophie de Goede shifts to the back row with Pamphinette Buisa joining Gabrielle Senft at flanker. Julia Omokhuale, who started the last game at open-side flanker, replaces de Goede in the second row.
The backline is unchanged.
The starting 15 goes into the match with a combined 503 caps, down from 511 against New Zealand. The eight-woman bench has just 18 caps between it, compared to 57 for the previous match’s replacements.
Reserve scrum half Mahalia Robinson, who has three caps, could see her first action of the tournament off the bench. The replacements also include Brooke Rempel and Sierra Gillis, who made their international debuts against Australia.
Canada roster
Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Ontario West; Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Saracens (England); Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Bristol Bears (England); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Sophie de Goede, Victoria, Saracens (England); Justine Pelletier, Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Oakville Crusaders; Aurora Bowie, Stouffville, Ont., FC Grenoble Amazones (France); Alexandra Tessier (capt.), Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que, Exeter Chiefs (England); Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Sharks (England); Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England).
Replacements
Kiki Idowu, Toronto, Toronto Scottish; Sierra Gillis, Victoria, University of Victoria; Brooke Rempel, Ariss, Ont., Ontario West; Ashlynn Smith, Abbotsford, B.C., Rugby Club Toulon (France); Rachel Smith, South Surrey, B.C., UBC; Lizzie Gibson, Caledon, Ont., Quebec East; Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Quebec West; Chloe Daniels, Sutton, Ont., Bristol Bears (England).