Canada rest captain de Goede for France clash as Menin closes in on caps record

Canada head coach Kévin Rouet has rested captain Sophie de Goede for the WXV Global Series fixture against France at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle, making five changes to the side that drew 26-26 with England in their previous outing.

The lock forward played the full 80 minutes against England but has been deliberately left out of the matchday squad as the coaching staff look to manage key players ahead of home fixtures against the Red Roses in Toronto and Ottawa in October. In her absence, Rachel Smith will partner Laetitia Royer in the second row.

The headline selection news belongs to prop DaLeaka Menin, who starts in the front row and will earn her 75th cap — making her the second-most capped Canadian of all time. Menin was Player of the Match and WXV Global Series Player of the Week after scoring two tries against England, and her latest milestone underlines her standing as one of the programme’s most decorated players.

Sevens specialist Savannah Bauder comes into the starting XV at full-back, while Taylor McKnight replaces Gillian Boag on the bench. Aurora Bowie, who made her debut at this year’s Pacific Four Series, earns her first matchday squad inclusion of the WXV Global Series campaign.

Rouet expressed satisfaction with how his squad has developed across the opening two matches of the European leg. “After a short preparation time coming into these games in Europe, I am really happy with how much the team has grown and connected after just two games,” he said. “This weekend’s game against France will be a new challenge and another opportunity to continue to fine tune parts of our game to make sure we are at our best for our next two games that will be on home soil in Toronto and Ottawa.”

The decision to rotate reflects a broader squad-management strategy, with Canada clearly prioritising peak condition for the home stretch of the series rather than chasing results on the road in Europe.