Kevin Rouet is in the happy position of being able to announce an unchanged side for their clash with New Zealand
They saw off Australia 46-5 last time round, and have every intention of reaching a second final after 2014.
This is the squad:
1 McKINLEY HUNT 2 EMILY TUTTOSI 3 DALEAKA MENIN 4 SOPHIE DE GOEDE 5 COURTNEY O’DONNELL 6 CAROLINE CROSSLEY 7 KAREN PAQUIN 8 FABIOLA FORTEZA 9 JUSTINE PELLETIER 10 TAYLOR PERRY 11 ASIA HOGAN-ROCHESTER 12 ALEX TESSIER 13 FORENCE CROSSLEY 14 ALYSHA CORRUGAN 15 JULIA SCHELL
16 GILLIAN BOAG 17 BRITTANY KASSIL 18 OLIVIA DEMERCHANT 19 TYSON BEUKEBOOM 20 LAETITIA ROYER 21 GABRIELLE SENFT 22 OLIVIA APPS 23 SHOSHANAH SEUMANUTAFA
Once more we see a 6:2 split on the bench. I must bow to greater wisdom.
DaLeaka Menin will gain her 68th cap, leaving only Tyson Beukeboom ahead of her.
Karen Paquin will reach 50 caps. My apologies for not registering all the players reaching this admirable total, but it’s a gratifying indication of the growth of elite women’s rugby.
We can now cast an eye over the two sides to meet in the Friday evening semi-final in Bristol. I still feel the Canadians have the advantage. Not only have they not suffered unwanted injuries, but they have an encouraging record against the Black Ferns in recent matches: a win and a draw, gained at the death by a desperate Black Ferns side.
The fascination comes with the newer names. The most celebrated, Jorja Miller, is missing; Braxton Sorensen-McGee has survived. For the Canadians Caroline Crossley and Florence Symonds have provided enormous go-forward for their team.
Bench strength grows ever more important. There again I see the Canucks holding the advantage. Theirs combines experience, skill, strength and pace.
I tip them to win.
Match details:
Friday 19 September
KO 19.00 BST
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU), fresh from her adventures in the France-Ireland game
