\n<\/p>\n
The matches are the first time Canada have played on home soil since a Rugby World Cup warm-up match in August 2025.<\/p>\n
More than 15,000 Canada fans are expected to pack BMO Field.<\/p>\n
The two Tests have been sold to them as the Rugby Rematch Tour, riffing on Canada’s defeat by England in the Rugby World Cup final a year ago.<\/p>\n
A rematch with a revised outcome has been Rouet’s aim for the whole of 2026.<\/p>\n
“Being a different squad from the World Cup allows us to have more of a belief in our ability to beat England,” says Apps.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been together for five weeks, we have home advantage, mentally we feel really confident. There is definitely more of an expectation now.<\/p>\n
“Overall, I think we’d be really, really disappointed in ourselves if we couldn’t get a victory this weekend.”<\/p>\n
Doing so would further fuel the momentum of women’s rugby in Canada.<\/p>\n
While England benefit from top-class facilities, a deep player pool and central contracts, Canada launched a crowdfunding campaign before the last Rugby World Cup<\/a> to cover the cost of their training camps.<\/p>\n