Canadian Women named for Pan Am Games

John Tait has wasted no time in naming his squad to compete for gold at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. The women’s head coach has retained 11 of the players who came away winners in Amsterdam, with the lone change seeing Kelly Russell take the place of Mandy Marchak. A loose forward in the full version of the game, Russell captained Canada to a 2nd place finish at the Women’s World Cup last year in France.

Jen Kish will lead the team in Toronto, with 2014/15 Dream Team members Karen Paquin and Ashley Steacy also present. Series leading points scorer Ghislaine Landry is present, as is 2014 World Rugby women’s player of the year Magali Harvey.

The Canadian women made history in the final stop of this year’s World Rugby Series, winning the Cup Final for the first time and qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Men’s rugby sevens made it’s debut in the 2011 Pan Am Games, and this is the first time that women’s sevens has been included. The sevens takes place on July 11th and 12th. Canada will play round robin matches against Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the USA.

CANADA SQUAD for PAN AM GAMES
Brittany Benn (Guelph Redcoats), Hannah Darling (Peterborough Pagans), Bianca Farella (Town of Mount Royal), Magali Harvey (Club de Rugby Quebec), Sara Kaljuvee (Toronto Scottish), Jen Kish (capt., Edmonton Rockers), Ghislaine Landry (Toronto Scottish), Kayla Moleschi (Williams Lake Rustlers), Karen Paquin (Club de Rugby Quebec), Kelly Russell (Toronto Nomads), Ashley Steacy (Lethbridge), Natasha Watcham-Roy (University of Ottawa)