This July, the city of Ottawa and TD Place are ready to host Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA in the 2023 Pacific Four Series.
The tournament will be the first major international women’s rugby series hosted in Canada in eight years, the last being the 2015 Women’s Rugby Super Series.
On Saturday, July 8th, Canada will face the reigning, six-time World Champion, New Zealand Black Ferns, and then Australia on July 14th. The USA will also face matches against New Zealand and Australia on the same field.
“We are excited to see our excellent Canadian National Team take on the best in the world in front of a home crowd. Our women made Canada so proud at the Rugby World Cup, getting so close to reaching the final,” said Nathan Bombrys, CEO of Rugby Canada. “TD Place is a great stadium for international rugby, and we will be aiming to pack it with thousands of Canadians to get behind our team and celebrate the women who represent Canada.”
So far, Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team is off to a strong start. The team played the USA on April 1st, winning 50-17. They are currently ranked fourth in the world, with a fourth-place performance at the 2021 Rugby World Cup (Played in 2022) under their belt.
This year, the Pacific Four Series stakes include qualification for the inaugural WXV, a new three-tier annual global women’s international 15s competition. In partnership with MasterCard, the 2023 Pacific Four Series will see the top three teams qualify for the top WXV tier, with the bottom team headed for tier two.
Personal stakes lay on the team’s hopes for a historic finish at the 2025 Rugby World Cup, and this tournament marks a significant first step on their road to becoming the next World Cup champions.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team is passionate about sharing opportunities with youth to be involved in sports and celebrating every generation of players. The next generation of women’s rugby will be centre stage as the tournament unfolds.
Here in Ottawa, Canada’s U20 Women’s Team and U18 East Women’s Team will play and train throughout the week, with Canada and the USA’s U20 teams playing a thrilling curtain raiser on July 8, 2023.
Rugby Canada will run a series of events for children in the days leading up to the Pacific Four Series to give back to the Ottawa community. The goal is to introduce youth in Ottawa and surrounding communities to rugby in a free, fun, low-barrier environment.
Rugby Canada’s Get into Rugby program will see 5,000 children in the region receive rugby coaching, and 3,000 rugby balls will be donated to local schools.
In a further act of giving back, Rugby Canada is offering every school-age child in the Ottawa region the opportunity to redeem a complimentary ticket to Canada’s match against New Zealand on July 8, 2023, at TD Place. Families are encouraged to reach out to their school administration to inquire about how to register for this opportunity.
“Our team is very excited about this initiative. There’s no better feeling than playing in front of a home crowd, and we can’t wait to help bring the sport we love into the lives of Ottawa’s children and youth,” said Sophie de Goede, captain of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team. “Representation matters, and I know that many of us wish that we had this kind of opportunity when we were kids. The atmosphere at TD Place on July 8 is going to be incredible.”
The Pacific Four Series is so much more than just a rugby match. Rugby Canada will not only give rugby fans a chance to watch Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team begin their push for the podium in 2025 but also the opportunity to cheer on the next generation of rugby players and celebrate women in sports as they continue to break down barriers at the national and international level.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is thrilled to host the tournament in the capital. “This top-tier sporting event will not only display some of the best in women’s rugby but will also showcase our beautiful city to visitors from around the world. I am confident it will leave an important legacy, inspiring new rugby players in our community and highlighting Ottawa as a premier destination for major sporting events.”
Canada’s matches will be broadcast live across the country and worldwide.
Tickets for the July 8th Canada vs. USA game and the July 14th Canada vs. Australia match start at just $20.
Purchase your tickets at rugby.ca/en/tickets.