The Red Roses’ run to the World Cup final will naturally bring plenty of attention on how the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have resourced the programme – but England’s investment in women’s rugby has helped their opponents, too. Canada’s place in the tournament decider comes on the back of many important qualities, from the clever leadership of head coach Kevin Rouet to a tightly-knit squad bound by challenging circumstances, yet as crucial as any factor has been the playing opportunities presented to them by Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR).
Commonly considered the world’s best domestic league by a distance, Canada are far from alone in benefitting from PWR but the manner in which Rouet, his staff and his squad have weaponised the chances on offer is notable. With no regular, high-level playing opportunities on offer back home, most of the Canadian squad have had to look overseas to obtain the consistency of fixtures that is vital to driving standards.
