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Top 5 players of 2025: Canada Women
By Joe Harvey
2025 should be remembered as the year that Canada inspired a nation as they went all the way to the Women’s Rugby World Cup final.
In front of a world record crowd at Allianz Stadium, Kevin Rouet’s side were unable to stop a white tide of Red Roses becoming world champions 11 years on from their last World Cup title. Which, coincidentally, was claimed against the North Americans too.
Coming into the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the world’s second ranked side had publicly funded an additional CAD$1,000,000 to give themselves the best possible chance of success in England.
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They were also the tournament’s greatest entertainers and wowed crowds up and down the country with their high-tempo, dynamic style of play. Their semi-final victory against the Black Ferns at Ashton Gate Stadium will live long in the memory as one of the most exciting and comprehensive displays to expel the six-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winners from the competition.
Blessed with the otherworldly talents of World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, Sophie de Goede, who it will not shock you to learn is on this list, after missing out on RugbyPass’ Top 50 Women’s Players earlier in the year through injury, a number of players were in the form of their life en route to a top two finish.
As we approach the end of 2025, here are Canada’s top 5 players of the year:
Sophie de Goede (lock)
It would be difficult to omit the reigning World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year from this list.
From almost the moment that Sophie de Goede stepped back onto a rugby field over a year after a devastating ACL injury, she looked better than ever. Put simply, the goal-kicking lock forward did everything and did it well.
Her all-court play saw her start in all six matches for Canada in their run to the Rugby World Cup final at Allianz Stadium.
Over the course of that tournament De Goede registered 61 points, assisted four tries, took the ball 38 times at the lineout and completed 80 tackles.
There are plenty more headline stats to throw into the mix about just why the 26-year-old was handed the Women’s 15s Player of the Year award in West London on Saturday 27th September despite only returning to the international game a month before the tournament began.
Those six games on the world stage will live long in the memory. They were the gold standard. Best in class.
DaLeaka Menin (prop)
In a Canada team packed with players that enjoyed standout years, DaLeaka Menin had her finest year on the rugby pitch to date.
The 30-year-old Exeter Chiefs tighthead prop was able to not only enjoy dominance at scrum time, but until the Rugby World Cup final at Allianz Stadium, Menin and her teammates did not concede a penalty at the scrum all tournament long.
On top of that Menin was doing things that we are not used to seeing props doing. By the end of the Rugby World Cup, Menin had carried the ball for an astonishing 220 metres from 72 carries.
She also completed 62 tackles, beat nine defenders and won three turnovers as she took part in all six matches at the tournament.
Menin ended the Rugby World Cup as Canada’s second-most capped women’s international of all time, behind only lock forward Tyson Beukeboom.
Justine Pelletier (scrum-half)
Justine Pelletier’s efforts in the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against the Black Ferns will go down in history. For her 61 minutes on the Ashton Gate Stadium turf the 29-year-old put Canada on her back.
The Bordeaux scrum-half opened the scoring just eight minutes into the contest and was also in assistance for Asia Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds, Sophie de Goede and Alex Tessier’s scores as the North Americans picked up just a second-ever win against New Zealand.
That one performance just scratches the surface. Throughout the Rugby World Cup the scrum-half was heavily utilised by Kevin Rouet and benefitted massively from her team’s quick ruck speed.
By the tournament’s end Pelletier had a whopping eight try assists and a 92 per cent pass accuracy. Unerringly good.
Asia Hogan-Rochester (wing)
We already knew that Asia Hogan-Rochester was talented ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. But most of their body of work had been on the sevens field.
After Fancy Bermudez sustained an injury against Fiji in Canada’s Women’s Rugby World Cup opener Hogan-Rochester was handed a starting role. They shone.
A glittered face captured the imagination of thousands and try-scoring knowhow went a long way to helping Canada to the Women’s Rugby World Cup final.
By the tournament’s end the 26-year-old had scored five tries, including two at Allianz Stadium, beaten 22 defenders, made 12 line breaks and carried the ball 475 metres. Nothing short of astonishing.
Luckily we will get to see more of Hogan-Rochester in the months to come after it was announced that the 26-year-old has signed with Premiership Women’s Rugby side Sale Sharks.
Karen Paquin (back row)
There was something so enjoyable about seeing Karen Paquin playing at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Months out from the tournament the 38-year-old talked about her return to international rugby after a two year break, along with all the trials and tribulations that came with it.
By the time the first whistle blew there was no sign of rustiness. Just the Paquin we had all known for over a decade.
We got glimpses of the line breaks that landed her with an Olympic bronze medal in 2016 and the defence that consolidated her as one of the most uncompromising flankers in world rugby.
Those performances meant that Paquin was one of Rouet’s most-trusted lieutenants demonstrated by her starting five out of Canada’s six games at the tournament.
Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players 2025 and let us know what you think!
