Canada will face the USA on March 28 and April 1 in a two-game series in San Diego. The team will gather for a training camp March 19-25 at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island.
“They all have the skills and fitness to compete at this level, but now we need to reach another level in all aspect of the game to be the best in five months,” Ratier said. “We want to play faster, read and execute better, increase the level of our physicality so we are able to play total and adaptive rugby.”
It kicks off what is going to be a busy year for Canada’s senior women in the lead-in to the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland in August. Canada is currently ranked third in the World Rugby rankings and will face New Zealand, Wales and Hong Kong in the pool stages of the tournament.
Canada and the USA last faced off in the 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series where they secured a convincing 33-5 win en route to a perfect 3-0 tournament to claim the title. Canada is 16-18 all-time against the USA.
“Playing is always the best assessment and nothing replaces international rugby for a team in preparation for the World Cup,” Ratier said.
Broadcast details for the Can-Am Series, along with kickoff times, will be detailed in the coming weeks.
Canada’s Can-Am Series Long-List Roster (Name, club, hometown):
Elissa Alarie, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC/Westshore RFC (Trois Rivieres, QC)
Emily Belchos, Westshore RFC (Innisfil, ON)
Tyson Beukeboom, Aurora Barbarians/Cowichan RFC (Uxbridge, ON)
Latoya Blackwood, Westshore RFC (Montreal, QC)
Gillian Boag, Capilano RFC (Calgary, AB)
Andrea Burk, Capilano RFC (North Vancouver, BC)
Olivia DeMerchant, Woodstock Wildmen/Castaway Wanderers (Mapledale, NB)
Julia Folk, Regina Rogues/Castaway Wanderers (Regina, SK)
Julia Goss, Leprechaun Tiger Rugby (Edmonton, AB)
Jacey Grusnick, Aurora Barbarians (Alliston, ON)
Chelsea Guthrie, Stratchona Druids (Edmonton, AB)
Magali Harvey, Club de Rugby de Quebec (Quebec City, QC)
Anais Holly, TMRRFC (Montreal, QC)
Lori Josephson, Aurora Barbarians (Beaverton, ON)
Brittany Kassil, Guelph Redcoats (Guelph, ON)
Daria Keane, Guelph Redcoats (Sarnia, ON)
Jane Kirby, Highland Fergus Rugby Club (Brampton, ON)
Kayla Mack, Saskatoon Wild Oats (Saskatoon, SK)
Carolyn McEwen, Burnaby (Vancouver, BC)
Katie McNally, Castaway Wanderers (Guelph, ON)
DaLeaka Menin, Calgary Hornets (Vulcan, AB)
Barbara Mervin, Westshore RFC (Peterborough, ON)
Brianna Miller, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC/ Westshore RFC (Pointe-Claire, QC)
Chelsey Minter, Westshore RFC (Victoria, BC)
Cindy Nelles, Belleville Bulldogs (Belleville, ON)
Karen Paquin, Club de Rugby de Quebec/ Castaway Wanderers (Quebec City, QC)
Camile Provencal-Aube, Abénakiset CRQ/Castaway Wanderers (Sherbrooke, QC)
Frederique Rajotte, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC (Montreal, QC)
Laura Russell, Toronto Nomads/ Cowichan RFC (Bolton, ON)
Kelly Russell, Toronto Nomads/ Cowichan RFC (Bolton, ON)
Kristy Sargent, Leprechaun Tigers (Edmonton, AB)
Natasha Smith, Barrhaven Scottish/ Cowichan RFC (Ottawa, ON)
Demi Stamatakis, SFU (Vancouver, BC)
Sara Svoboda, Belleville Bullldogs (Belleville, ON)
Alex Tessier, Montreal Barbarians (Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, QC)
Amanda Thornborough, Westshore RFC (Brandon, MB)
Brittany Waters, Meraloma Athletic Club/Castaway Wanderers (Vancouver, BC)
Julianne Zussman, Castaway Wanderers (Montreal, QC)
Can-Am Series Schedule
Canada vs. USA — March 28
Canada vs. USA — April 1
With files from Rugby Canada Communications
