Canada's Gabrielle Senft and France's Emeline Gros vie for the ball during WXV 1 women's rugby union action, in Vancouver, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. Canada will open against Fiji before facing Scotland and Wales at next year's Women's Rugby World Cup in EnglandTHE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
Canada will open against Fiji before facing Scotland and Wales in group play at next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in England
The second-ranked Canadian women will meet No. 17 Fiji on Aug. 23, 2025, at York Community Stadium in York, one day after the tournament opener between top-ranked England and the ninth-ranked U.S. at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
Reigning champion New Zealand, currently third in the world rankings, begins its title defence against No. 13 Spain in York on Aug. 24, 2025.
Canada will then take on No. 10 Wales on Aug. 30, 2025, at Salford Community Stadium and No. 7 Scotland on Sept. 6, 2025, at Sandy Park in Exeter.
Tuesday’s schedule release followed last Thursday’s tournament draw, which placed Canada in Pool B in the 16-team tournament. The top two in each pool advance to the quarterfinals where the Pool B winner will face the runner-up in Pool A, likely No. 5 Australia or the U.S. with England favoured to win the group.
New Zealand could await Canada in the semifinals.
The Canadian women recorded their first-ever victory over New Zealand in May, dispatching the Black Ferns 22-19 in Christchurch to win the Pacific Four Series.
The Canadian women had lost all 17 previous meetings with the Black Ferns, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. Six-time world champion New Zealand won 52-21 they met in July 2023 in Ottawa in Pacific Four Series play.
The Canadians have a far better record against their Pool B opponents.
The Canadian women have a 10-2-2 career record against Wales, winning 42-22 the last time they met, at the 2023 WXV I tournament.
Canada is 6-1-0 against Scotland, winning 28-25 the last they met in November 2018 in Glasgow.
Canada has met Fiji just once, winning 24-7 in Suva in September 2022 in its final test match ahead of next month’s last World Cup.
The World Cup is scheduled to run Aug. 22 to Sept. 27, 2025, at eight venues across England. The final and third-place game will take place at London’s Allianz Stadium, formerly known as Twickenham Stadium.
Canada’s best showing at the tournament was in 2014 when it lost 21-9 to England in the final. The Canadian women finished fourth at the last World Cup, beaten 36-0 by France in the third-place game in November 2022 after pushing England to the limit in a 26-19 semifinal loss.
The Canadian women are coming off a 21-12 loss to England earlier this month in Vancouver in WXV 1 play. That loss snapped a six-game win streak for Canada under coach Kevin Rouet.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024
