Sophie De Goede reclaims Canada captaincy for WXV after 13-month ACL absence

Sophie De Goede has been restored as Canada women’s captain for the WXV Global Series, with head coach Kévin Rouet naming a 36-player squad for September fixtures against Scotland, England and France. The reigning World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year reclaims the armband from Alexandra Tessier, who stepped in during De Goede’s 13-month absence with a long-term ACL injury.

De Goede, 27, made an immediate impact on her return to the pitch, proving talismanic as Canada reached the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final at Allianz Stadium — a repeat of the 2014 decider — before losing 33-13 to England’s Red Roses. Tessier retains a vice-captaincy role alongside scrum-half duo Olivia Apps and Justine Pelletier.

Rouet cited Canada’s ‘One Squad’ philosophy as a key factor in assembling the group. “It was important for us to assemble our strongest team,” he said. “Because of our ‘One Squad’ philosophy, we had some players not available during PAC4 earlier this year because they were playing with the sevens team in Hong Kong. This September and October we have all our players available.”

The squad includes several notable inclusions. Charity Williams, a veteran of three Olympics with Canada Women’s Sevens who has won bronze and silver medals at the Games, earns a place despite never previously representing Canada in Test rugby. Fellow sevens regular Savannah Bauder is also named in a senior squad for the first time.

Age-grade graduates Emily Clark, Sophie McDonald and Faith Tilley are also included and could earn their first Test caps during the campaign.

Canada will base themselves in Ireland for a week-long camp ahead of their WXV opener against Scotland, with funding provided by the Canadian Rugby Foundation through the Monty Heald Senior Women’s Fund, which has donated $700,000 to the programme since its founding.

The squad’s October schedule includes home fixtures against England in Toronto and Ottawa, branded ‘The Rugby Rematch Tour’. Ticket sales for the BMO Field clash in Toronto have already surpassed the record for a standalone women’s rugby union international in North America.