Sandro Fiorino, Canada’s Head Coach, has announced the names of 48 players who are taking part in the first pre-World Cup training programme in Halifax, Nova Scotia (13-21 August).
The list (in full below) contains familiar names from past campaigns led by Laura Russell, whom we can reliably expect to lead the Maple Leafs once more (if selected, as modest souls say).
Alongside her are players familiar to English fans from their appearances in last season’s Prem 15s, plus a host of less experienced hopefuls.
A number of likely candidates are absent injured.
Like every other nation the Maple Leafs must be hoping for a trouble-free passage through the coming year. They have been gravely deprived of rugby over the past season.
Three Signings
One fascinating move concerns Karen Paquin, the great flanker and sevens star listed below. She becomes one of a trio of players signed up by Stade Bordelais, the ambitious French club. She is joined by Monserrat Amédée, the French international full-back and, surprise, surprise, Rhona Lloyd, the flying Scottish winger, once of Loughborough Lightning who will miss her sorely. She becomes only the second British player I am aware of to be playing in France. Lucy Attwood joined Lyon last year. But first Lloyd will play her part in Scotland’s coming World Cup qualifiers; they missed out last time in Ireland.
ABBY DUGUID
ALEX TESSIER
ALEX ELLIS
ALYSHA CORRIGAN
ANAÏS HOLLY
ASIA HOGAN
BRIANNA MILLER
BRITTANY KASSIL
CHLOE DANIELS
COURTNEY HOLTKAMP
DALEAKA MENIN
ELISSA ALARIE
EMILY BELCHOS
EMILY SAMEK
EMILY TUTTOSI
EMMA TAYLOR
GABI SENFT
GILLIAN BERGSMA
GILLIAN BOAG
IRENE PATRINOS
JANNA SLEVINSKY
JOANNA ALPHONSO
JORDYN ORLANDO
JULIA SCHELL
JUSTINE BLATT-JANMATT
JUSTINE PELLETIER
KAREN PAQUIN
KIRI NGAWATI
LAETITIA ROYER
LAURA RUSSELL
MAGGIE MACKINNON
MARIE THIBAULT
MCKINLEY HUNT
M P FAUTEUX
MIKELA NELSON
NAKISA LEVALE
NGALULA FUAMBA
OLIVIA DEMERCHANT
PAIGE FARRIES
RACHEL SMITH
RENEE GONZALEZ
SABRINA POULAIN
SARA KALJUVEE
SARAH-MAUDE LACHANCE
SOPHIE DE GOEDE
TEMITOPE OGUNJIMI
TYSON BEUKEBOOM
VERONICA HARRIGAN
