By Canadian Press

Canadian women ready to open Rugby World Cup against unheralded Hong Kong

Aug 8, 2017 | 4:15 AM

Latoya Blackwood and Andrea Burk, who missed Canada’s tour of New Zealand in June through injury, return to the lineup Wednesday as third-ranked Canada opens its Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign against No. 23 Hong Kong in Dublin.

Blackwood, a second-row forward, and Burk, a centre, are two of 14 members of the match-day 23 who dressed for the 2014 final when Canada lost 21-9 to England.

Blackwood’s return means Tyson Beukeboom moves to the bench.

“Latoya is bringing the energy that we need at the beginning of the game,” coach Francois Ratier said.

Vice-captain Elissa Alarie moves from the wing to fullback to give Julianne Zussman a few more days to recover from a neck injury. That opens a spot for Frederique Rajotte on the wing.

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With Chelsea Guthrie suffering from a hip flexor, Lori Josephson gets the start at scrum half. Burk and Alex Tessier start at centre.

Emily Belchos starts at fly half with strike runner Magali Harvey, the world female player of the year in 2014, on the other wing.

Captain Kelly Russell, starting at No. 8, wins her 49th cap and should reach 50 on Aug. 13, when Canada plays No. 9 Wales. The big match in Pool A is Aug. 17 when Canada faces No. 2 New Zealand.

Hong Kong, the lone team in the 12-country competition with a female coach in Jo Hull, is making its tournament debut.

Hull has Canadian ties having coached the St. Albert Rugby Football Club men’s team from 2012 to 2015. She also coached the Edmonton Rockers women’s team and was an assistant coach for the University of Alberta Pandas.

“We are stronger physically, no doubt,” said Ratier. “And we play better rugby.”

Still his pre-game message to the Canadian women is to keep moving forward.

“We respect that team,” he said of the Asian runners-up. “It’s not a cliche. We want to respect them by playing the best rugby we can.”

Hong Kong is coming off losses of 60-19 and 58-0 to No. 14 Japan in July.

“We’re not just coming to be here. We’re coming here to be as competitive as we can,” Hull told World Rugby.

There is little margin for error at the World Cup with the top team in each of the three pools, plus the best second-place finisher, moving on to the quarter-finals.

 

Canada

Carolyn McEwen, Laura Russell, DaLeaka Menin, Kayla Mack, Latoya Blackwood, Jacey Grusnick, Karen Paquin, Kelly Russell (capt.), Lori Josephson, Emily Belchos, Frederique Rajotte, Andrea Burk. Alex Tessier, Magali Harvey, Elissa Alarie.

Replacements

Jane Kirby, Brittany Kassil, Olivia DeMerchant, Tyson Beukeboom, Cindy Nelles, Brianna Miller, Amanda Thornborough, Brittany Waters.

 

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

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