Young Canadian women’s rugby side wraps up three-match series with England

Canada interim women’s rugby coach Sandro Fiorino has made three personnel changes and one positional switch for his team’s third and final test match against England on Saturday.

Pamphinette Buisa moves to No. 8 to replace the injured Cindy Nelles while Janna Slevinsky makes her test debut in place of Buisa at blindside flanker.

Justine Pelletier comes in for Jess Neilson at scrum half and Emily Belchos, forced out of the lineup minutes before kickoff of the second game of the England series due to injury, returns at inside centre.

While the Canadian women are currently ranked fourth in the world, Fiorino has taken a young side on tour.

That was evident in a 79-5 defeat at the hands of the World Cup runners-up at Allianz Park on Nov. 17. Canada put on a better showing in a 49-12 loss Tuesday at The Stoop.

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Saturday’s game at Twickenham Stadium is part of a doubleheader with the England-Samoa men’s test. It is also the final match of the year for the Canadian women, who are 7-5-0 in a year that saw them finished fifth at the World Cup.

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Canada

Brittany Kassil, Guelph Redcoats, Guelph, Ont.; Emily Tuttosi, Calgary Hornets, Souris, Man.; Olivia DeMerchant, Woodstock Wildmen, Mapledale, N.B.; Tyson Beukeboom, Aurora Barbarians, Uxbridge, Ont.; Laura Russell (capt.), Toronto Nomads, Bolton, Ont.; Janna Slevinsky, Calgary Saracens, St. Albert, Alta.; Sara Svoboda, Toronto Saracens, Belleville, Ont.; Pamphinette Buisa, Ottawa Irish, Gatineau, Que.; Justine Pelletier, Club de Rugby de Quebec, Quebec City; Anais Holly, TMRRFC, Montreal; Emmanuela Jada, Guelph Redcoats, Guelph, Ont.; Emily Belchos, Westshore RFC, Innisfil, Ont.; Dria Bennett, Ottawa Irish, Ottawa; Paige Farries, Westshore RFC, Red Deer, Alta.; Brianna Miller, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC, Pointe-Claire, Que.

Replacements

Emily Barber, Aurora Barbarians, Toronto; Alexandria Ellis, Barrhaven Scottish, Ottawa; Veronica Harrigan, London St Georges, Lucan, Ont.; McKinley Hunt, Aurora Barbarians, King City, Ont.; Emilie Nicholl, Guelph Redcoats, Toronto; Courtney Holtkamp, Red Deer Titans, Rimbey, Alta.; Jess Neilson, Castaway Wanderers, Victoria; Sam Alli, Barrhaven Scottish, Caledon, Ont.

The Canadian Press