Saskatchewan’s Gabrielle Senft will be part of Canada’s women’s rugby squad for the upcoming WXV 1 tournament in Vancouver
A Saskatchewan rugby player is set to represent her country on the world stage beginning this weekend in Vancouver.
Gabrielle Senft — who grew up on a farm near Lemberg before moving to Regina for high school — has been named to Team Canada’s roster for WXV 1, a global women’s rugby tournament featuring the top six teams in the world.
Canada begins action Sunday at 4:45 p.m. Saskatchewan time in Vancouver against France before taking on Ireland (Oct. 5 at 4:45 p.m.) and England (Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.) with all games are being shown on TSN.
The other teams in the top pool are New Zealand and USA. There are also WXV 2 and WXV 3 six-team tournaments being played featuring teams ranked outside the top six.
“It’s very exciting because it’s another showcase,” Senft told the Leader-Post this week. “I’m always proud to be announced with this team.
“Everyone on this team, we sacrifice so much so it’s a big family-base when we’re together. Everyone always wants to be part of something bigger than yourself.”
The 27-year-old Senft, who made her national team debut in 2018, is among 30 players set to represent Canada at the tournament, which debuted in 2023 and provides the top teams in the world an opportunity to play against each other.
Normally, Canada, which is ranked No. 3 in the world, wouldn’t play top-ranked England unless they set up a test match. Last year, Canada finished in second place behind England.
“The nice part about this tournament is you get what you’ve achieved and you get to play different teams where you normally don’t get to throughout the year,” said Senft. “When WXV was created, it was to get more international test matches for each team to play more games per year and for others to play different teams.
“It’s a reward of the point system and how you rank in the world. There’s more of an incentive to it.”
Canada enters WXV following a historic win earlier this year. In May, Canada beat New Zealand’s Black Ferns for the first time in team history to win the 2024 Pacific Four Series with a 22-19 comeback victory over the reigning World Cup champions.
“We’ve always kind of been the underdogs,” said Senft. “So, it’s just exciting to go into WXV after beating New Zealand.
“When we won that and won Pac 4, it was just like we’re continuing the rise.”
Following WXV, Senft and the Canadians are hoping to ride their momentum into the 2025 Rugby World Cup, which is set for Aug. 22 to Sept. 27, 2025, in England.
“We’re not just here to compete at the World Cup,” said Senft. “We’re here to win the World Cup.”
After WXV and before the World Cup, Senft will be off to England where she is set to suit up for the Saracens rugby squad after spending last season playing professionally in France.
“England is the best type of living situation that one can ask for,” said Senft, who spent two weeks in Saskatchewan this summer before heading to Victoria to train for the last eight weeks. “It’s a very successful team and I was very proud and excited to be offered a contract with them.
“It’s going to be a good year.”
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