Canadian women’s rugby team captain Sophie De Goede of Victoria could do for her sport what Hayley Wickenheiser did for Canadian women’s hockey, Christine Sinclair for soccer and Kia Nurse for basketball. That continuing journey has taken her from the sa国际传媒 capital to the national capital this week.
De Goede posed on Parliament Hill on Thursday with New Zealand’s Ruahei Demant, Australia’s Michaela Leonard and the United States’ Kate Zackary for the captains’ photo ahead of the start of the 2003 Pacific Four Series on Saturday at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa.
De Goede, daughter of former Canadian men’s and women’s team captains Hans De Goede of Victoria and Stephanie White, was literally born for the role. Not that she has had much chance to display it on home turf in her 22 caps to date. Saturday will be just De Goede’s third time playing at home when sa国际传媒 opens the Pacific Four Series against defending World Cup champion New Zealand.
The first time on home turf for the Oak Bay Secondary graduate was truly special in her hometown, a 34-24 victory over Italy at Starlight Stadium last July, and the second was a 31-3 win over Wales in Halifax last August. Both Tests were in preparation for the World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, last fall in which De Goede led sa国际传媒 to fourth place en route to being named one of the five finalists for World Rugby women’s player of the year.
The Starlight Stadium and Halifax fixtures were the only two women’s rugby Tests sa国际传媒 has hosted at home in its last 46 games, according to Canadian Press.
De Goede told CP: “For most of us this is uncharted territory. We might have played a Test at home, but this is the first time hosting a major tournament like this in quite a while.”
The last time was the 2015 Super Series in Alberta.
Langford-based Rugby sa国际传媒 has made a special ticketing push, with deals and giveaways focusing on young female players and fans in the Ottawa region. As a result, a Canadian record women’s XVs crowd of more than 7,500 is expected to watch sa国际传媒 play New Zealand on Saturday (4 p.m. PT on TSN4). The Canadians meet the Australians next Friday (4 p.m. PT on TSN1). Australia plays the U.S. on Saturday while New Zealand and the U.S. meet next Friday, all in Ottawa.
sa国际传媒 opened the 2023 Pacific Four Series in the spring by beating the U.S. 50-17 in Madrid, Spain, while New Zealand defeated Australia 50-0 in Brisbane last month.
The top-three teams in the Pacific Four Series will qualify for the inaugural and to-be-annual WXV global women’s tournament in October.
“So there’s a lot on the line for sure,” said the starting No. 8 De Goede, a two-sport high school basketball and rugby star at Oak Bay, who also kicks conversions and penalties for sa国际传媒.
Among those selected to start Saturday for sa国际传媒 are the swift winger and former University of Victoria Vikes standout Paige Farries of Westshore RFC, Sara Kaljuvee and Fancy Bermudez of Westshore RFC, and De Goede, Julia Schell and Gabrielle Senft from the Castaway Wanderers. Veteran and starter Tyson Beukeboom is listed with Cowichan RFC.
Because the World Cup was planned for 2021 in its natural rotation, but pushed back a year due to the pandemic, Canadian head coach Kevin Rouet noted the shorter quadrennial to the next World Cup.
“This [versus New Zealand] is an important game in our preparation towards the 2025 World Cup.” Rouet said in a statement.
“We are looking forward to putting on a performance this Saturday that both our team and sa国际传媒 will be proud.”
RUGBY NOTES: The versatile De Goede played in the final HSBC World Sevens Series tournament in May at Toulouse, France, and could also be on the Canadian sevens roster as Langford hosts the women’s and men’s North American and Caribbean qualifying tournaments, on Aug. 19-20 at Starlight Stadium, for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
— With files from Canadian Press
