The Canada womenB次元官网网址檚 rugby team sees its first action of 2024 on Sunday when it opens the Pacific Four Series against the ninth-ranked United States in Carson, Calif.

The game is the first for the fourth-ranked Canadians since November, when they finished runner-up to No. 1 England at the WXV tournament. Canada has won eight straight matches over the U.S., including a 50-17 victory to begin last yearB次元官网网址檚 Pacific Four Series.

SundayB次元官网网址檚 match is one-half of a doubleheader at Dignity Health Sport Park, with RFC Los Angeles hosting the defending Major League Rugby champion New England Free Jacks in the nightcap.

Canada coach Kevin Rouet had a camp in Barcelona for the European-based players before a four-day session in Langford, B.C., with the full roster before leaving for California.

B次元官网网址淭he beauty is for this camp I didnB次元官网网址檛 have new caps,B次元官网网址� said Rouet. B次元官网网址淪o everybody has at least one cap and one tour with us, so they know the dynamic, they know how we work. So I think it was an efficient four days of camp. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the beauty of not having new people in the environment.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian matchday 23 for Sunday features 16 players who are with overseas clubs B次元官网网址� 10 from England, four from France and once each from Australia and New Zealand.

After Sunday, Canada flies Down Under to face No. 5 Australia on May 11 in Sydney before heading to Christchurch to take on No. 2 New Zealand on May 19.

The top three teams in the Pacific Four Series qualify for the WXVB次元官网网址檚 top division, which also features the top three from the WomenB次元官网网址檚 Six Nations. And there is added incentive for RouetB次元官网网址檚 team since Canada is hosting the WXV.

Vancouver will stage the WXV from Sept. 27 to Oct. 13 with B次元官网网址渟elect gamesB次元官网网址� to be held at B.C. Place Stadium.

Canada opened last yearB次元官网网址檚 Pacific Four tournament by thumping the U.S. in Madrid before coming home to Ottawa, where it downed Australia 45-7 and lost 52-21 to New Zealand in front of a Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 record crowd of 10,092 at TD Place.

Veteran lock Tyson Beukeboom will earn her 66th cap for Canada, putting her just one behind CanadaB次元官网网址檚 all-time womenB次元官网网址檚 cap leader, Gillian Florence. Captain Sophie de Goede shifts to openside flanker with Gabrielle Senft taking over at No. 8.

Edmonton hooker Sara Cline is set to make her first start for Canada after coming off the bench to earn her first two caps last year.

Claire Gallagher, now playing in England for Leicester Tigers, starts at fly half.

The matchday 23 includes three players who represented Canada at the HSBC SVNS Series in Hong Kong earlier this month. Pamphinette Buisa starts at blindside flanker and Sabrina Poulin at fullback with sevens captain Olivia Apps on the bench

Cassandra Tuffnail, sidelined by an injury, has been replaced by Mya Brubacher in CanadaB次元官网网址檚 30-player squad.

Canada Roster

Olivia DeMerchant, Mapledale, N.B., Halifax Tars RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Western Force (Australia); DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England)B次元官网网址�; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Sophie de Goede, Victoria, Saracens (England); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Stade Bordelais (France); Justine Pelletier, Riviere-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Chiefs Manawa (New Zealand); Maddie Grant, Cornwall, Ont., Cornwall Claymores; Sabrina Poulin, St-Georges, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC.

Bench

Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Fran莽ais (France);; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Westshore RFC.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press