By Priscilla Jepchumba
Wales captain Hannah Jones eagerly anticipates facing Canada at the 2025 Rugby World Cup, which will take place from August 22 to September 27 in England across eight venues.
Canada, the number two team in the world, is the top-ranked team in Pool B. Scotland, Wales, and Fiji will also compete in the pool. Wales has a history of competitive matches against Scotland and Fiji, but they have not faced Canada in recent years. Scotland is ranked 7th, Wales is 10th, and Fiji is 17th.
"Canada are brilliant athletes, and they definitely show that on the field. You know they're physical, they're fast, they're fit. So, definitely, it's going to be a high-tempo game with a lot of ball in play. So yeah, that’s an exciting one," said Jones.
Wales’ most recent encounter with Canada occurred last October at the 2023 WXV 1 tournament, resulting in a 42-22 victory for Canada. Canada and Scotland last faced off in November 2018 in Glasgow, with Canada emerging victorious with a score of 28-25. In a warm-up match before the 2021 Rugby World Cup, Canada secured a 24-7 win over Fiji.
Head Coach Kevin Rouet expressed his anticipation for the upcoming matches, acknowledging Wales as a consistently tough opponent and highlighting Fiji as an unpredictable team.
“Wales, we know when we face them, it’s always a hard fight. Fiji could be this unpredictable team that could be amazing. It’s a fun three teams to play. I think it’s going to be good for us,” said Rouet.
"I think Wales and Scotland will test us in one way, and Fiji will test us in another, so it's a good balance for us to have across our pool," said Canada’s Sophie de Goede.
The schedule for the 2025 Rugby World Cup will be revealed on October 22, 2024, and ticket sales are already brisk.
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