Canada’s Women’s Fifteens head coach Francois Ratier has announced his long list of players selected for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign.
Forty-one players from across the country have been selected to attend a two-week training camp beginning next week at Shawnigan Lake School and the Canadian Rugby Centre of Excellence in conjunction with a two game Can-Am series.
Games will be hosted at Shawnigan Lake School on April 15 and at Westhills Stadium on April 19.
This selections camp is in preparation for the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup to be hosted August 1-17 in Marcoussis and Paris, France.
They will also play in a two-game series against the USA in April and will then be selected for a three-game tour to New Zealand in June .
Rathier told the media “It will be great to see all the talent that will be here from across the country and this is a very gifted group of ladies we have to select from this year.
It will be a tough decision, but in the end we will come out with the strongest team possible leading us to the World Cup in August.”
Veteran Kelly Russell, who is currently in China with the Women’s Sevens team, is looking forward to the development she has been seeing in the fifteens program.
With eleven newly capped players last year, Canada’s Women’s program is booming with new talent, showing the rapid growth of the women’s game.
“It really shows how much the sport is progressing; the level of talent and skill we have invited to this camp is excellent,” said Rugby Canada’s High Performance Manager Steve Lancaster. “With so few opportunities to showcase their skills, these players are primarily responsible for training and preparing for the international fifteens program on their own. From a high-performance perspective, it is great to see these players working so hard to ensure they are ready for the huge year of international women’s rugby ahead of us in 2014.”
This two-week camp is the only opportunity these athletes have to show off their hard work and skills in hopes of being selected for the New Zealand tour and ultimately the 2014 World Cup.
Rugby Canada would like to thank Shawnigan Lake for their support and the hosting of our athletes during this training camp.
The entire CAN-AM Series will be streamed LIVE from Shawnigan Lake School and Westhills Stadium in Langford.
CANADA’S WOMEN’S WORLD CUP LONG LIST:
Elissa Alarie, (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby Club) Trois-Rivieres, QC
Jean Baker, (Saint Mary’s) Argyle Shore, P.E.I.
Asya Bartley, (Barrhaven Scottish RFC) Ottawa, ON
Emily Belchos, (Markham Irish RFC) Barrie, ON
Brittany Benn, (Guelph Redcoats) Napanee, ON
Stephanie Bernier, (Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, Quebec
Tyson Beukeboom, (Aurora Barbarians) Uxbridge, Ontario
Latoya Blackwood, (St. Anne de Bellevue) Montreal, QC
Andrea Burk, (Capilano RFC) North Vancouver, BC
Olivia DeMerchant, (Woodstock Wildmen) Mapledale, NB
Kim Donaldson, (Burnaby Lake Rugby Club) Toronto, ON
Jessica Dovanne, (Velox RFC) Victoria, BC
Arielle Dubissette-Borrice, (Toronto Scottish RFC) Toronto, ON
Bianca Farella, (Town of Mount Royal RFC) Montreal, QC
Magali Harvey, (Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, QC
Sara Kaljuvee, (Toronto Scottish RFC) Pickering, ON
Mary Jane Kirby, (Highland RFC) Brampton, ON
Ghislaine Landry, (Toronto Scottish RFC) Toronto, ON
Hilary Leith, (Saracens/Capilano RFC) Vancouver, BC
Megan Lowry, (Toronto Barbarians) Shanty Bay, ON
Ashley Macdonald,
Kayla Mack, (Wild Oats RFC) Saskatoon, SK
Katie McNally, (Guelph RFC) Guelph, ON
Mandy Marchak, (Capilano RFC) Winnipeg, MB
Barbara Mervin, (Velox RFC) Peterborough, ON
Kayla Moleschi, (Williams Lake Rustlers) Williams Lake, BC
Jacey Murphy, (Aurora Barbarians) Alliston, ON
Cindy Nelles (Oakville Crusaders/McMaster University) Belleville, ON
Karen Paquin, (Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, QC
Clarah Pegg, (Kingston RFC) Barrie, ON
Marie-Pier Pinault-Ried, (Club de Rugby Quebec) Quebec City, QC
Kelly Russell, (Toronto Nomads) Bolton, ON
Laura Russell, (Toronto Nomads) Bolton, ON
Maria Samson, (Calgary Hornets) Calgary, AB
Ashley Steacy, (Lethbridge Rugby Club) Lethbridge, AB
Caroline Suchorski, (McGill University) Kirkland, QC
Julia Sugawara, (Burnaby Lake RFC) Surrey, BC
Amanda Thornborough, (Brandon Barbarians RFC) Brandon, MB
Natasha Watcham-Roy, (University of Ottawa) Gatineau, QC
Brittany Waters, (Meraloma Athletic Club) Vancouver, BC
Julianne Zussman, (Town of Mount Royal RFC) Montreal, QC
Thanks to Rugby Canada for the info and for more info visit www.rugbycanada.ca
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