Sitting on the sidelines hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy for Sophie de Goede.

Perched in the press box at BC Place on Sunday, the Canadian rugby star leapt from her seat every time her teammates appeared poised to make a big play against France at the WXV 1 tournament.

Six weeks out of surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and with her knee locked in a large brace, de Goede should not be leaping B次元官网网址� she simply canB次元官网网址檛 resist.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a bit of a bittersweet feeling,B次元官网网址� she said of watching Canada compete. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 honestly so excited to see where theyB次元官网网址檙e taking the game while IB次元官网网址檓 out. And I just hope to be able to add when I get back here.B次元官网网址�

De Goede missed a big moment in Canadian rugby this summer.

The 25-year-old from Victoria, B.C., was expected to be part of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 sevens squad at the Paris Olympics in July, but tore her ACL at a national team training camp before the Games.

With de Goede back home, Canada captured silver B次元官网网址� the countryB次元官网网址檚 best-ever showing in the sport.

B次元官网网址淚 think that we often feel a little underestimated on the global stage in the rugby world. B次元官网网址� To come out and do that at the Olympics, when the moment matters most, I think, just shows what an incredibly resilient and fiery group of women we have,B次元官网网址� de Goede said.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l have made an affect on the rugby community in Canada that youB次元官网网址檒l see ripples of for years and years to come.B次元官网网址�

WomenB次元官网网址檚 rugby is climbing in popularity around the world, she added, with more girls joining the sport and new professional clubs popping up across the globe.

Canada is currently ranked third in the world in womenB次元官网网址檚 15s, but staying on top will require more investment.

B次元官网网址淎s womenB次元官网网址檚 rugby ascends, we donB次元官网网址檛 want to get left behind just because weB次元官网网址檙e a smaller (rugby) nation,B次元官网网址� de Goede said.

Players for many of the top-ranked nations are paid annual salaries by their countries, she explained, while the Canadian teams get stipends for training camps and match fees for playing individual games.

Many players make money by playing for professional teams overseas, including de Goede, who plies her craft with Saracens in the U.K.

Hosting events like WXV 1 helps, de Goede said, by giving people a chance to see the game being played by the very best in the world. The tournament currently taking place in Vancouver features six of the worldB次元官网网址檚 top teams, including No. 1-ranked England.

B次元官网网址淭hese (Canadian) women perform against the odds to a certain extent, compared to the resources that other nations get and just the size of the game in other nations,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淎nd imagine how great our team could be if we really had the backing of more Canadian partners, had more young Canadians aspiring to play for the team, bigger crowds, etc. But youB次元官网网址檝e got to start somewhere.B次元官网网址�

WXV 1 is the start of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 preparation for next yearB次元官网网址檚 World Cup in England.

De Goede and her teammates finished fourth at the pandemic-delayed 2021 World Cup in New Zealand.

Ahead of that tournament, players quit jobs and lived out of suitcases with billet families to attend camps in Halifax and Victoria.

B次元官网网址淲e came so close against England in that semifinal game,B次元官网网址� de Goede said. B次元官网网址淎nd if we could have even more time together earlier in the year, we would have hit our stride earlier in the World Cup campaign, or potentially before the World Cup campaign, so that we could really take off when it came to those middle rounds.

B次元官网网址淪o thatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檇 love to see in this World Cup cycle is just that time, time that weB次元官网网址檙e able to invest together earlier in the cycle, earlier in the year.B次元官网网址�

With Canada preparing for WXV so close to her home this month, de Goede has had a chance to spend time with teammates.

Being around them has brought her spirits up during a difficult recovery process.

B次元官网网址淲henever I feel down, I have a good crew to lift me up and look after me,B次元官网网址� she said.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 still ample work to be done, but de Goede is confident sheB次元官网网址檒l be back on the rugby pitch with Canada before long.

B次元官网网址淢y mantra is just to come back Sophie 2.0, bigger, better stronger,B次元官网网址� she said.