Canada coach Rouet builds PWR bridges as 25 internationals anchor national team's rise

Canada head coach Kévin Rouet has made strengthening relationships with Premiership Women’s Rugby clubs a central pillar of his coaching strategy, with 25 Canada internationals currently contracted across the English top flight providing the foundation for the national team’s recent surge.

Ahead of Canada’s WXV Global Series opener — a 64-26 victory over Scotland at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh — Rouet brought Trailfinders Women coach Barney Maddison into camp as a guest coach for two weeks. Maddison guided the West London club to the PWR final last season. Rouet’s permanent coaching setup already includes Saracens director of women’s rugby Alex Austerberry and Loughborough Lightning head coach Nathan Smith.

“The girls spend 80 per cent of their time in a PWR environment,” Rouet explained. “I think it’s important that we have this relationship to make sure that both environments profit from each other. It’s a win-win situation.”

The logic is straightforward: Trailfinders have eight or nine Canadians on their books, Loughborough eight, and Saracens a significant number despite a slight reduction this season. Loughborough have already signed six Canada internationals for next season, joining Fancy Bermudez in the East Midlands. Last season, a Saracens side bolstered by Canadian players claimed the club’s fourth PWR title since the league was rebranded ahead of the 2017/18 season, with Canada captain Sophie de Goede playing a starring role.

Rouet is candid about the underlying necessity. “Sadly, we don’t have a quality league in Canada at the moment,” he said. “I hope that will come. That’s my number one wish. But it’s not there yet.”

The arrangement has delivered tangible results. Canada reached the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final, where they fell to top-ranked England at Allianz Stadium, and the PWR clubs have provided the consistent match minutes that fuelled that run.

The relationship may face some recalibration in the years ahead. England Rugby’s lobbying with PWR over game time for England-qualified players appears to be bearing fruit. The RFU confirmed that while the current requirement for 13 England-qualified players per matchday squad will remain, the club injury credit will be removed from the 2027/28 season — meaning only players injured while representing an England team will be eligible for that exemption. The change could subtly shift the balance of squad-building at PWR clubs.

For now, Rouet’s focus is on the immediate challenge: Canada face England’s Red Roses this weekend in a direct rematch of that World Cup final, a fixture that will test how much ground the Canadians have closed on the side that beat them on the sport’s biggest stage.