Canada's Fancy Bermudez pulls away from France's Chloe Jacquet to score a try during WXV 1 women's rugby union action, in Vancouver, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
March 18, 2025 - 9:17 AM
The Canadian women's rugby team will open defence of its Pacific Four Series title on May 2 against the ninth-ranked United States at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.
Second-ranked Canada will then fly to Christchurch to face the third-ranked New Zealand Black Ferns on May 17 at Apollo Projects Stadium. The final game of the series is against the fifth-ranked Wallaroos on May 23 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
The Canadian women scored a historic win over New Zealand last May in Christchurch, dispatching the reigning World Cup champion 22-19 to win the Pacific Four Series.
The Canadian women 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.
The 2025 Pacific Four Series marks the Canadian women's first time together this year ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England. Canada has been drawn in Pool B with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji.
Rugby Canada, meanwhile, says its "Mission: Win the Rugby World Cup 2025" fundraising campaign has already exceeded $400,000. The goal of the campaign is to reach $1 million to provide the Canadian women with resources in their bid to win the World Cup.
USA Rugby, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that the 15th-ranked U.S. men will host No. 6 England in a July 19 marquee doubleheader in Washington, D.C., that will also see the American women face Fiji.
The American men will play the 27th-ranked Netherlands on July 5 and No. 12 Spain on July 12, with both games in Charlotte. The U.S. will also host a Nov. 1 test match between the second-ranked New Zealand All Blacks and No. 3 Ireland at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Rugby Canada is expected to announce later this month the 24th-ranked Canadian men's next fixtures.
Pacific Four Series Schedule
May 2: Canada versus U.S. at CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, Mo., 8:30 p.m. ET.
May 16: Canada versus New Zealand at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch, 11:35 p.m. ET (3:35 p.m. May 17, local time).
May 22: Canada versus Australia at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, 2:55 a.m. ET (4:55 p.m. local time).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2025.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2025