Canada makes six changes to starting lineup to face Wales at Women’s Rugby World Cup

Canada is favoured by 45.5 points over Wales, according to Ontario’s Proline.

Saturday’s game is at Salford Community Stadium in Manchester, the site of Wales’ first match.

Rouet has chosen an entirely new front row of McKinley Hunt, Emily Tuttosi and DaLeaka Menin with Brittany Kassil, Gillian Boag and Olivia DeMerchant shifting to the bench.

There is little drop in experience with Hunt, Tuttosi and Menin going into the game with a combined 133 caps compared to 140 for Kassil, Boag and DeMerchant.

Veteran Tyson Beukeboom will tie the retired Aaron Carpenter as Canada’s most-capped Canadian rugby player when she earns her 80th cap.

“As an experienced player, she knows her role when she comes from the bench. She knows her role when she’s starting,” said the French-born Rouet. “And I think she’s going to be a very valuable asset for our team because she can be as violent as she is smart on the field.”

The 34-year-old Beukeboom slots in for Courtney O’Donnell in the second row while Karen Paquin, like Beukeboom in her fourth World Cup, replaces Fabiola Forteza at open-side flanker.

Hogan-Rochester makes her World Cup debut, starting in place of Fancy Bermudez, who had to leave the Fiji game with an injury. Rouet said Bermudez has returned to training and will be available for selection next time out.

Fly half Claire Gallagher could also make her tournament debut off the bench.

The rest of the backline is unchanged with scrum half Justine Pelletier, fly half Taylor Perry, wing Alysha Corrigan, centres Alex Tessier and Flo Symonds, and fullback Julia Schell.

Schell’s six tries against Fiji, all scored in the second half (in the 50th, 53rd, 54th, 61st, 69th and 72nd minute), were the most by a Canadian in a Rugby World Cup match.

Canada’s starting 15 goes into Saturday’s match with a combined 509 caps, with another 284 on the bench. Against Wales, those numbers were 486 and 293 caps, respectively.

The Canadian women were perfect in set pieces, winning all five scrums and eight lineouts against the outmatched Pacific Islanders.

Wales has made seven changes with flanker Bethan Lewis, winning her 60th cap, leading out the team for the first time, with co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams both injured.

Canada has won seven straight meetings with the Welsh since a 16-11 loss in May 2006 and leads the overall series 10-2-2.

“We have taken a hard look at ourselves and there have been honest conversations about the performance we need against one of the best teams in the world,” said Wales coach Sean Lynn. “Canada are the No. 2 team in the world and one of the favourites to win the World Cup and we know they will be a major challenge.

“We need to bring real energy and pride in the jersey, and the focus all week has been on us and what we need to do to produce a performance on Saturday. There have been changes and they have been made because players have earned the opportunity in training to play in a World Cup. All 23 players selected have been told to be brave and to have no regrets when they walk off the field on Saturday.”

Canada wraps up Pool B play Sept. 6 against Scotland in Exeter. The top two teams from each of the four pools advance to the quarterfinals, where No. 6 Australia likely awaits the Canadians.

The Canadian women have won six straight and are unbeaten in eight games (7-0-1) this year since losing 21-12 to top-ranked England in XVV play in October in Vancouver.

Canada’s best showing at the World Cup came in 2014 when it finished runner-up to England. The Canadians finished fourth last time out, losing 36-0 to France in the third-place game after falling 26-19 to England in the semifinal.

Canada also finished fourth in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

Canada Roster

McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Mas., Exeter Chiefs (England); DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., (England); Sophie de Goede, Victoria, Saracens (England); Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Justine Pelletier, Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England); Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Ont., Westshore RFC; Alex Tessier (capt.), Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Florence Symonds, Vancouver, UBC; Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders, (England).

Replacements

Gillian Boag, Calgary, Capilano RFC; Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Olivia DeMerchant, Mapledale, N.B., Halifax Tars RFC; Courtney O’Donnell, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canada makes six changes to starting lineup to face Wales at Women’s Rugby World Cup

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