It’s been a long climb back for 2025 World Rugby women’s player of the year Sophie De Goede of Victoria to regain the captainship of the Canadian national team ahead of the 2026 WXV Global Series in September in Europe against Scotland, England and France.
Although De Goede led Canada to the championship game of the 2025 World Cup and was named World Rugby player of the year, it was Alexandra Tessier who was Canadian captain due to the several injuries former captain De Goede faced leading up to the World Cup and which held her out of Canada’s run to the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I’ve had lots of ups and downs the last couple of years and it’s great finally not being in rehab mode and going in with a decent runway this time,” said De Goede.
De Goede was renamed captain for the WXV Global Series — with Tessier and Olivia Apps and Justine Pelletier vice-captains — as the national team broke camp in Langford and leave Saturday to face Scotland in Edinburgh on Sept. 12, and England in Exeter on Sept. 19 in a reprise of the 2025 World Cup final, before closing against France on Sept. 26 in La Rochelle.
“It was nice to have this long camp in Langford. It will allow us to hit the ground running in Europe,” said De Goede.
The WXV tournament will be followed by two Tests against World Cup-champion England on Oct. 16 at BMO Field in Toronto and Oct. 23 at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa.
“It’s a huge honour to captain your country and it’s a role I have had before. But this is such an able group that our leadership is by committee and is a multi-player thing for us, regardless,” said De Goede.
“The captain is more of a figurehead for us because all our leadership group has input. That approach has been key to our success.”
With qualifying looming next year in sevens for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — Canada can qualify by either placing in the top-four of the HSBC World Series season or through the North American and Caribbean qualifying tournament — there is a “One Squad” approach with players flowing between both the XVs and sevens team rosters.
Asia Hogan-Rochester and Fancy Bermudez of Westshore RFC, Charity Williams and Apps are examples as those 2024 Paris Olympics silver medallists in sevens have been named to the upcoming WXV Global Series in XVs.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are also very much De Goede’s goal.
“I was devastated having to miss the Paris Olympics [due to a torn ACL on one of the last training sessions before the 2024 Summer Games] and am definitely looking at playing in sevens in this Olympic cycle,” said the Oak Bay Secondary graduate out of both JBAA and the Castaway Wanderers.
“But I have to prove myself all over again.”
That shouldn’t be too hard when your resume includes being named World Rugby player of the year.