The Canadian women's rugby team is headed to the Southern Hemisphere in May to defend its Pacific Four Series title.
The second-ranked Canadians will face No. 3 New Zealand on May 17 in Christchurch and No. 5 Australia on May 24 in Brisbane. Before that, Canada will take on the ninth-ranked U.S. some time in May at a location to be announced.
The Canadian women won the Pacific Four title in May with a historic 22-19 win over reigning World Cup champion New Zealand in Christchurch.
Canada had lost all 17 previous meetings with the Black Ferns, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. The closest Canada had come to a win before that was a 16-8 loss in Tauranga in June 2014, a match that marked the only time New Zealand had failed to score 20 points against Canada.
Canada also won the inaugural Pacific Four Series in 2021, when the event consisted of a two-game series with the United States. The Canadians finished runner-up to New Zealand in 2022 and '23 when the tournament was expanded to four countries.
The Canadian women are gearing up for next year's 16-team World Cup, scheduled to run Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England.
Canada, which secured its World Cup berth by finishing fourth at the last tournament in New Zealand in November 2022, has been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 17 Fiji.
Organizers reported earlier this month that the World Cup has already sold more than 220,000 tickets.
In the past, the Pacific Four Series has served as a qualifier to the WXV tournament. But because of the World Cup, there won't be a WXV in 2025.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
