Historic weekend for Women’s Rugby League in Canada as two new clubs debut

Canada Rugby League welcomes two new clubs this weekend when the Waterloo Wyverns clash with the Toronto Valkyrie at Waterford High School this Saturday in the opening round of the Ontario Women’s Rugby League Festival.

Both the Wyverns and the Valkyrie serve as crucial feeder programs for the Ontario Ospreys, the provincial representative team. Their introduction signifies a strengthening of Women’s Rugby League in the country.

The Waterloo Wyverns, aptly named after the mythical two-legged winged creature resembling a dragon, boast a formidable squad brimming with international experience. The team will be co-captained by Canada Ravens stalwarts Bethany Hofstetter and Candace Scholten. Adding further Test match pedigree are Ben Skinner and Lea Milošević, both of whom recently represented Canada on their tour of Serbia.

Their opponents, the Toronto Valkyrie, are equally stacked with talent. The Valkyrie will field a star-studded lineup including Petra Woods, Natalie Tam, Tamisha Toussaint, Krista Kent, and Sara Canini, all familiar faces in the Canadian national team setup.

The Toronto club’s moniker, the Valkyrie, carries a special significance, paying direct homage to former Ontario Ospreys prop, Megan Pakulis. Pakulis, a respected figure in Canadian Rugby League, now showcases her talent in the prestigious English Women’s Super League with the York Valkyrie.

This weekend’s encounter is just the beginning of the Ontario Women’s Rugby League Festival, a two-week Tri-Series that will also feature the Ottawa Tigers. This inaugural club competition holds immense significance for the sport in Canada. Not only does it provide a platform for regular high-level competition, but it will also serve as crucial selection trials for the Ontario Ospreys squad. The Ospreys will later compete in the National Championship against teams from British Columbia and Alberta, making these festival matches vital for players aspiring to represent their province.

All matches in the Rugby League Festival will be recorded by Rugby in the GTA and available on their YouTube channel.