Canada’s women’s rugby team opened the 2025 Rugby World Cup in emphatic fashion, powering past Fiji 65-7 on Aug. 23 at York Community Stadium in England.
The win, built on 11 tries, was fuelled by a strong contingent of Greater Victoria talent.
Oak Bay High graduates Sophie de Goede and Caroline Crossley, along with former Castaway Wanderer Julia Schell, all made their presence felt in the dominant performance.
De Goede, 26, steered Canada’s attack with four conversions and a try in her 35th international appearance, a fitting return after a 13-month recovery from a serious knee injury.
The Castaway Wanderer showed no hesitation in Canada’s opener.
27-year-old flanker Caroline Crossley added to the scoresheet with Canada’s third try of the match, recording her first-ever Rugby World Cup try.
For the former Oak Bay High standout and current Castaway Wanderer, it was another milestone in an international career that now stands at seven caps.
Head coach Kevin Rouet praised the team’s sharp start but noted there is still more to come.
“It’s good to start with confidence. We know there’s still room to improve, especially as this group adjusts to being ranked No. 2 in the world,” said Rouet. “It’s about building belief and showing we can deliver.”
The day’s biggest storyline, however, came from former Castaway Wanderers standout Julia Schell.
The 26-year-old turned the match into a personal showcase, scoring six consecutive tries in a blistering 21-minute span.
She had entered the tournament with three career tries in 26 appearances, but by full-time had tripled that total.
“At halftime, Kevin challenged us to win our one-on-ones," Schell said. "I just wanted to get out there and do that – for myself and for the team. I know if I’m in the right place at the right time, the tries will come, but our focus was always on the team’s performance.”
By the final whistle, seven Canadians had found the try line. Canada also showed strength in the set piece, winning all five of their own scrums, while posting an 82 per cent tackle success rate.
Canada continues pool play against Wales on Aug. 30 and Scotland on Sept. 6.
The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals on Sept. 13.
