Canada
Canada are the team that has gone confusingly under the radar going into this World Cup. They are second in the world and have reached that position with big wins, including victories over New Zealand. Rouet's side will face a challenging task in the group with Scotland, and Wales, providing stiff opposition. Assuming that they win Pool B, Canada will likely face one of Australia or the USA in the quarter-finals. These are familiar sides to Canada as they all take part in the Pacific Four Series which also includes New Zealand. In that competition, Canada and New Zealand have created a gap between themselves and Australia and the USA who have sometimes struggled to remain competitive within those games. Against the USA, Canada have won the last 11 games with the most recent fixture taking place earlier this month when Canada won a World Cup warm-up match by 32-points. Against Australia, Canada also have a dominant record and last beat them by 38-points so confidence of reaching the semi-finals will be very high - and rightly so.
Canada's biggest competition for the title comes from England, New Zealand and France. The North Americans have a dominant record against France having won their previous two encounters with their most recent encounter finishing 46-24 to Canada in the 2024 WXV 1 tournament. Their record against New Zealand has also improved in recent times having registered a win and a draw in their last two meetings in the Pacific Four Series. Their toughest challenge would be a game against England who they haven't beaten since 2016. What will give them hope is the fact that they only lost by 9-points when they last played which is a much smaller margin of victory than the Red Roses are used to. This is a great opportunity for the best team in North America to become the most famous team in North America and perhaps get some of the media spotlight that has otherwise been focused on their southern neighbours.
World Ranking: 2nd
Best ever Result: Final (2014)
2021 Result: Semi-final (4th)
Head Coach: Kevin Rouet
Captain: Sophie de Goede
Player to Watch: Alex Tessier
Expectation: Final
Pool Prediction: 1st
Fixtures:
Saturday 23rd August, 5:30pm vs Fiji at the York Community Stadium
Saturday 30th August 12pm vs Wales at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 6th September, 12pm vs Scotland at Sandy Park
SQUAD
Hooker: Gillian Boag - Taylor McKnight - Emily Tuttosi
Prop: Olivia DeMerchant - McKinley Hunt - Brittany Kassil - DaLeaka Menin - Maya Monteil - Mikiela Nelson
Lock: Tyson Beukeboom - Caroline Crossley - Courtney O'Donnell - Rachel Smith
Back Row: Pamphinette Buisa - Sophie de Goede - Fabiola Forteza - Karen Paquin - Laetitia Royer - Gabby Senft
Scrum Half: Olivia Apps - Justine Pelletier
Fly Half: Claire Gallagher - Taylor Perry - Alex Tessier
Centre: Alysha Corrigan - Shoshanah Seumanutafu
Wing: Fancy Bermudez - Paige Farries - Asia Hogan-Rochester - Florence Symonds
Fullback: Sarah-Maude Lachance - Julia Schell
Fiji
Fijiana come into this World Cup as underdogs in this group but with the benefit of playing without pressure. They are a dangerous side who have pushed sides like the USA in recent games and will be targeting the Wales game to cause an upset and earn some of the neutral support that the men's team enjoys. Fijian women's rugby is behind the men's game but is quickly catching up and a good World Cup could catapult this team into the forefront of the minds of a rugby-mad nation. Scotland and Wales will be expected to fight it out for a spot in the quarter-finals but Fiji will be lurking, ready to punish any side that takes their eye off the ball.
World Ranking: 14th
Best ever Result: Pool Stage (2021)
2021 Result: Pool Stage
Head Coach: Ioan Cunningham
Captain: Alfreda Fisher
Player to Watch: Alfreda Fisher
Expectation: Win a game
Pool Prediction: 4th
Fixtures:
Saturday 23rd August, 5:30pm vs Canada at the York Community Stadium
Saturday 30th August, 12pm vs Wales at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 6th September, 12pm vs Scotland at Sandy Park
SQUAD
Hooker: Keleni Marawa - Selai Naliva
Prop: Vika Matarugu - Tiana Robanakadavu - Loraini Senivutu - Bitila Tawake - Bulou Wainikiti Vasurutaga
Lock: Jade Coates - Mereoni Nakesa - Asinate Serevi
Back Row: Nunia Daunimoala - Alfreda Fisher - Karalaina Naiwesa - Adi Salaseini Railumu - Sulita Waisega - Carletta Yee - Manuqalo Komaitai
Scrum Half: Kolora Lomani
Fly Half: Salaneita Kinita - Setaita Railumu
Centre: Verenaisi Ditavutu - Rusila Nagasau - Alowesi Nakoci - Kelereyani Luvu - Adi Salote Nailolo - Josifini Neihamu
Wing: Ilisapeci Delaiwau - Mere Vocevoce - Michaelle Stolz - Litiana Vueti
Fullback: Eda Adivitaloga - Repeka Tove
Scotland
Scotland are a team full of top players who star consistently in England's PWR and will be favourites to make it through in second in this group. The likes of Malcolm and Gallagher will bring the hedt and experience in the pack whilst the likes of Emma Orr will bring the youth and excitement in the backs. Their previous meeting with Wales ended in a 24-21 win so the second round of this group will be blockbuster as both teams scrap for a place in the knockout rounds. Second place in this group could also lead to a game against England which would be a big prize for both teams who consider England to be the ultimate rival.
World Ranking: 8th
Best ever Result: 5th (1994)
2021 Result: Pool Stage
Head Coach: Bryan Easson
Captain: Rachel Malcolm
Player to Watch: Evie Gallagher
Expectation: Get out of the pool
Pool Prediction: 2nd
Fixtures:
Saturday 23rd August, 2:45pm vs Wales at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 30th August, 2:45pm vs Fiji at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 6th September, 12pm vs Canada at Sandy Park
SQUAD
Hooker: Elis Martin - Lana Skeldon - Molly Wright
Prop: Leah Bartlett - Elliann Clarke - Lisa Cockburn - Molly Poolman - Anne Young
Lock: Sarah Bonar - Becky Boyd - Eva Donaldson - Adelle Ferrie - Emma Wassell
Flanker: Rachel Malcolm(C) - Rachel McLachlan - Alex Stewart
Number 8: Evie Gallagher - Jade Konkel
Scrum Half: Leia Brebner-Holden - Rhea Clark - Caity Mattinson
Fly Half: Helen Nelson - Hannah Ramsay
Centre: Beth Blacklock - Emma Orr - Lisa Thomson - Evie Wills
Wing: Coreen Grant - Rhona Lloyd - Francesca McGhie
Fullback: Chloe Rollie - Hannah Walker
Wales
Wales have struggled in recent times, finishing bottom of the women's Six Nations this year. However, there have been signs that the new head coach, Sean Lynn, has been able to make an impact since that point. Lynn has dominated PWR with Gloucester-Hartpury before taking up the Wales job and got less than a week of preparation between winning the PWR title and coaching his first Six Nations match. Since then, they have achieved a massive win in a warm-up game against Australia which brought back some positivity before Australia exacted some painful revenge in the next week with a 31-point win. Despite that second result, Wales will have taken some confidence from their victory and will be ready to take their shot at Scotland.
World Ranking: 9th
Best ever Result: 4th (1994)
2021 Result: Quarter-final
Head Coach: Sean Lynn
Captain: Alex Callender and Kate Williams
Player to Watch: Jasmine Joyce-Butchers
Expectation: Get out of the pool
Pool Prediction: 3rd
Fixtures:
Saturday 23rd August, 2:45pm vs Scotland at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 30th August, 12pm vs Canada at the Salford Community Stadium
Saturday 6th September, 2:45pm vs Fiji at Sandy Park
SQUAD
Hooker: Kelsey Jones - Carys Phillips - Molly Reardon
Prop: Katherine Baverstock - Maisie Davies - Gwenllian Pyrs - Donna Rose - Jeni Scoble - Sisilia Tuipulotu
Lock: Gwen Crabb - Abbie Fleming - Alaw Pyrs - Tilly Vucaj
Back Row: Kate Williams(CC) - Alex Callender(CC) - Georgia Evans - Bryonie King - Bethan Lewis - Branwen Metcalfe
Scrum Half: Megan Davies - Seren Lockwood
Fly Half: Lleucu Geoge - Kayleigh Powell
Centre: Carys Cox - Hannah Dallavalle - Courtney Keight - Kerin Lake
Wing: Jasmine Joyce-Butchers - Lisa Neumann - Catherine Richards
Fullback: Nel Metcalfe
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