Canada women stick with winning rugby lineup for showdown with New Zealand

TORONTO — Canada has named an unchanged starting 15 to face New Zealand on Wednesday in Dublin in a showdown of the top two women’s rugby teams in the world.

The Black Ferns are ranked No. 1 in the world while Canada reclaimed its No. 2 position in this week’s rankings. The two teams are slated to meet next August in the pool stage of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Canada coach Francois Ratier has stuck with the same team that thumped fifth-ranked Ireland 48-7 on Saturday.

“My philosophy is to put the best on the field to start a game,” Ratier said Monday. “But it’s also about giving playing time to players coming back from (sevens).”

Captain Kelly Russell, Karen Paquin, Elissa Alarie and Magali Harvey have all returned to Ratier’s 15s team from the sevens program in the wake of the Rio Olympics.

Week in Review

Week In Review: Week of March 16

4h ago

Salmon Arm Fraud

Salmon Arm business loses almost $200,000 to fraud

6h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Kamloops food system assessment shows a region growing stronger together

10h ago

Playing the same lineup is also a chance to build some chemistry, especially the women do not get to play that often. They had only played three times this year prior to this November tour.

Wednesday’s lineup is an experienced unit, however. Including the four sevens alumni, it features nine starters from the 2014 World Cup final loss to England. Two others were on the bench that day.

The Canadian women wrap the tour against No. 3 England on Saturday in London. The Black Ferns conclude their Northern Hemisphere trip on Sunday against Ireland in Dublin.

New Zealand is coming off a 25-20 win over England on Sunday.

The Black Ferns beat the Canadian women 40-22 the last time they met, in Calgary in June 2015. New Zealand also won twice at home in 2014, downing Canada 16-8 and 33-21. 

Ratier says his players are viewing the game as a chance to test their skills against a team with a better world ranking.

“What a great challenge,” he said. 

Most of the Canadians are familiar with New Zealand’s pre-game haka ritual and Ratier says they will not be fazed by it.

“We are not really impressed by the haka, to be honest,” he said.

Canada

Carolyn McEwen, Laura Russell, Daleaka Menin, Latoya Blackwood, Kayla Mack, Jacey Grusnick, Karen Paquin, Kelly Russell (capt.), Chelsea Guthrie, Emily Belchos, Magali Harvey, Andrea Burk, Alexandra Tessier, Elissa Alarie, Julianne Zussman.

Replacements

Julia Folk, Demi Stamatakis, Olivia DeMerchant, Tyson Beukeboom, Barbara Mervin, Brianna Miller, Anais Holly, Brittany Waters.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press