Canada vs New Zealand: 2019 Super Series

The 2019 Women’s Super Series begins on June 28 at Chula Vista, California. The top five teams in the world, New Zealand, England, Canada, France, and the USA will compete in a round robin format for the title. Canada claimed in the 2016 edition of the Super Series event after an undefeated performance.

Kickoff is set for 4 PM Pacific Time at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, LIVE on FloRugby.com. Single day tickets start at only $19 with a full tournament pass available for only $69. To purchase and for a full schedule, visit usarugby.org/superseries2019.

Canada

Canada head coach Sandro Fiorino said “The Super Series is a great platform for our players and staff to compete and perform against the best nations in the world. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup 26 months away, it’s key for us as a team to have a good understanding of where we are at and where we need to build to after this series.”

The Super Series provides an opportunity for all five teams to gain necessary playing time.

Canada’s team will include many Rugby World Cup veterans including Amanda Thornborough, Elissa Alarie, and captain Laura Russell who all competed in the 2014 World Cup where Canada finished in second place. The team also includes up-and-coming athletes.

New Zealand Black Ferns

The Black Ferns Head Coach Glenn Moore squad has named four players to make their test debut against Canada in round one of the Women’s Rugby Super Series 2019 and will have two returning players from the 2017 World Cup winning side.

Debutants include North Harbour No.8 Pia Tapsell, who will make her first Test start in the series opener. “Tapsell, 20, has been a standout for her province where she has established herself as the most prolific try-scorer in North Harbour women’s rugby history.

The Bay of Plenty pair, of hooker Luka Connor and loose forward Karli Faneva, Counties Manukau halfback Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu have all been named to make their Test debuts from the reserves. Ward-Duin is bracketed with Leilani Perese at this stage.”

“Centre Carla Hohepa and prop Toka Natua will wear the black jersey for the first time since the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup final in Belfast. Hohepa, 33, took time out to have a baby and Moore said the speedy Waikato midfielder/wing was back to her best form and eager to make her mark in the series. “Toka was the player of the World Cup Final, she’s had a year off, she’s back, and we want to see what she brings.”

2019 Super Series Squads

Canada: 1 Olivia DeMerchant 2 Laura Russell (C) 3 DeLeaka Menin 4 Courtney Holtkamp 5 Sophie De Goede 6 Fabiola Forteza 7 Janna Slevinsky 8 Gabrielle Senft 9 Brianna Miller 10 Alexandria Tessier 11 Elissa Alarie 12 Sara Kaljuvee 13 Anaïs Holly 14 Paige Farries 15 Irene Patrinos 16 Gillian Boag 17 Maude Laliberté 18 Veronica Harrigan 19 Jacey Grusnick 20 Marie-Pier Fauteux 21 Sara Svoboda 22 Lori Josephson 23 Alysha Corrigan

New Zealand Black Ferns: 1. Toka Natua (16) 2. Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (24) 3. Aleisha-Pearl Nelson (29) 4. Eloise Blackwell (37) 5. Charmaine Smith (21) 6. Charmaine McMenamin (19) 7. Les Elder (Captain, 13)
8. Pia Tapsell* 9. Kendra Cocksedge (Vice-captain, 47) 10. Ruahei Demant (5) 11. Ayesha Leti-I’iga (3) 12. Chelsea Alley (18) 13. Carla Hohepa (19) 14. Renee Wickliffe (35) 15. Selica Winiata (Vice-captain, 36) 16. Luka Connor* 17. Phillipa Love (7) 18. Leilani Perese (5) / Olivia Ward-Duin* 19. Karli Faneva* 20. Marcelle Parkes (2) 21. Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu* 22. Krysten Cottrell (5) 23. Alena Saili (2) [Indicates * test debut, (caps)]

Canada’s Travelling Roster: 1. Alex Tessier, SABRFC (Sainte-clotilde-de-Horton, QC) 2. Alysha Corrigan, CRFC (Charlottetown, PEI) 3. Amanda Thornborough, Westshore RFC (Brandon, MB) 4. Anaïs Holly, TMR RFC, (Montreal, QC) 5. Brianna Miller, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue (Point-Claire, QC) 6. Courtney Holtkamp, Red Deer Titans (Rimbey, AB) 7. DaLeaka Menin, Calgary Hornets (Vulcan, AB) 8. Elissa Alarie, Ste-Anne-De-Bellevue RFC/Westshore RFC (Trois Rivieres, QC) 9. Fabiola Forteza, Club de Rugby de Quebec (Quebec Cuty, QC) 10. Gabrielle Senft, Castaway Wanderers (Regina, SK) 11. Gillian Boag, Capilano/UBC (Calgary, AB) 12. Irene Patrinos, Toronto Saracens (Mississauga, ON) 13. Jacey Grusnick, Barrhaven Scottish (Alliston, ON) 14. Janna Slevinky, Kingston Panthers (St. Albert, AB) 15. Laura Russell, Toronto Nomads (Bolton, ON) 16. Lori Josephson, Guelph Redcoats, (Beaverton, ON) 17. Marie Thibault, CRQ (Quebec City, QC) 18. Maude Laliberté, Club de Rugby Quebec (Quebec City, QC) 19. Mckinley Hunt, Aurora Barbarians (King City, ONT) 20. MP Fauteux, Abenakis de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC) 21. Ngalula Fuamba, TMRRFC, (Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot) 22. Olivia DeMerchant, Fredericton Loyalists (Mapledale, NB) 23. Paige Farries, Westshore RFC (Red Deer, AB) 24. Sabrina Poulin, Town of Mount Royal Rugby (St-Georges de Beauce, QC) 25. Sara Kaljuvee, Toronto Scottish (Pickering, ON) 26. Sara Svoboda, Belleville Bulldogs/Toronto Saracens (Belleville, ON) 27. Sophie De Goede, Castaway Wanderers/Queens University (Victoria, BC) 28. Taylor Black, Oakville Crusaders (Oakville, ON) 29. Tyson Beukeboom, Cowichan Piggies (Uxbridge, ON) 30. Veronica Harrigan, London St. George’s (Lucan, ON)

World Rugby 2019 Super Series

Women’s Rugby Super Series 2019 – Round 1

World Rugby Women’s Rankings stats:

CANADA (3) 86.13 v NEW ZEALAND (1) 94.71

Canada beat New Zealand by 15 points or fewer – Canada 87.99, New Zealand 92.85
Canada beat New Zealand by more than 15 points – Canada 88.92, New Zealand 91.93
Draw – Canada 86.99, New Zealand 93.85
New Zealand beat Canada by 15 points or fewer – Canada 85.99, New Zealand 94.85
New Zealand beat Canada by more than 15 points – Canada 85.92, New Zealand 94.93

Head to head:
Played 14 – New Zealand leads 14-0 Points for Canada 113 / New Zealand 584 Average score: Canada 8-41 New Zealand

First met: 6 April, 1991 – WRWC 1991 – New Zealand 24-8 Canada in Cardiff
Most recent meeting: 17 August, 2017 – WRWC 2017 – Canada 5-48 New Zealand in Dublin

- Canada will fall one place – swapping with France – if they lose to New Zealand
- Canada can only close to within a third of a point of England if they win by more than15 and England lose by the same margin
- New Zealand must lose by more than 15 and England win to lose top spot to them