Buisa injury forces Canada squad change for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025

Canada’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 squad has been dealt a blow with flanker Pamphinette Buisa ruled out through injury.

Head coach Kevin Rouet has called up Julia Omokhuale as her replacement in the 32-player squad heading to England. Buisa sustained the injury during Canada’s final warm-up match against Ireland, ending her hopes of featuring in the tournament.

Canada will begin their Pool B campaign against Fiji at York Community Stadium on 23 August, followed by clashes against Wales in Salford on 30 August and Scotland in Exeter on 6 September.

The squad will be captained by Alexandra Tessier, a 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee who will play in her third World Cup.

Twenty-one players from the Rugby World Cup 2021 squad (played in 2022) return, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin, all preparing for their fourth tournament.

Sophie de Goede and Emily Tuttosi also return, with De Goede making a comeback from a major knee injury earlier this year. Tuttosi was Canada’s top try-scorer in the last tournament, crossing six times.

Eleven players will make their Rugby World Cup debuts. Six members of Canada’s silver medal-winning Rugby Sevens team from Paris 2024 — Caroline Crossley, Fancy Bermudez, Florence Symonds, Olivia Apps, Asia Hogan-Rochester and Taylor Perry — have also been named, reflecting Rugby Canada’s “One Squad” approach.

Coach Rouet said the squad reflects years of preparation.

“We believe in the group we have selected and the process we’ve taken to get to this point, but the work isn’t done yet. It all starts in England when we face Fiji in our first match.”

Canada squad:

Forwards: Brittany Kassil (Guelph, ON) – Guelph Goats, Caroline Crossley (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers, Courtney O'Donnell (Rimbey, AB) – Red Deer Titans Rugby, DaLeaka Menin (Vulcan, AB) – Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs, Emily Tuttosi (Souris, MB) - Calgary Hornets / Exeter Chiefs, Fabiola Forteza (Quebec City, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais, Gabrielle Senft (Regina, SK) – Castaway Wanderers / Saracens, Gillian Boag (Calgary, AB) – Capilano RFC / Gloucester-Hartpury, Karen Paquin (Quebec City, QC) - Club de rugby de Quebec, Laetitia Royer (Loretteville, QC) – St-Anne-de-Bellevue / Concordia University / Saracens, Maya Montiel (Dieppe, NB) – Saracens, McKinley Hunt (King City, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Saracens, Mikiela Nelson (North Vancouver, BC) – Capilano RFC / Exeter Chiefs, Olivia DeMerchant (Mapledale, NB) - Halifax Tars RFC, Julia Omokhuale (Calgary, AB) - Calgary Irish Rugby Club / Leicester Tigers, Rachel Smith (South Surrey, BC) – University of British Columbia, Sophie de Goede (Victoria, BC) - Castaway Wanderers / Saracens, Taylor McKnight (Stouffville, ON) - University of Guelph / Aurora Barbarians, Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, ON) – Cowichan Piggies / Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders

Backs: Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC) – Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC / Exeter Chiefs, Alysha Corrigan (Charlottetown, PEI) - CRFC / Saracens, Asia Hogan-Rochester (Toronto, ON) - Toronto Nomads / Westshore RFC, Claire Gallagher (Caledon, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / Ealing Trailfinders, Fancy Bermudez (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Westshore RFC / Saracens, Florence Symonds (Vancouver, BC) - University of British Columbia, Julia Schell (Uxbridge, ON) – Guelph Goats / Castaway Wanderers / Ealing Trailfinders, Justine Pelletier (Rivière-du-Loup, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais, Olivia Apps (Lindsay, ON) – Lindsay RFC, Paige Farries (Red Deer, AB) – Saracens, Sarah-Maude Lachance (Victoriaville, QC) – Club de rugby de Québec / Stade Bordelais, Shoshanah Seumanutafa (White Rock, BC) – Counties Manukau, Taylor Perry (Oakville, ON) - Oakville Crusaders / Exeter Chiefs