Carissa Norsten named captain of Canadian women’s rugby sevens side
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Carissa Norsten, named U-Sports’ women’s rugby player of the year last month, will captain Canada in the opening events of the HSBC SVNS season in Dubai and Cape Town.
The 22-year-old from Waldheim, Sask., is one of seven returning players from the Canadian side that won bronze at last season’s HSBC SVNS World Championship. The other returnees are Breanne Nicholas, Carmen Izyk, Savannah Bauder, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Charity Williams and Larah Wright.
The Canadian women finished eighth in Dubai last December, losing 24-22 to Japan in their final. They followed that by placing fifth in Cape Town, fourth in Perth, seventh in Vancouver and third in both Hong Kong and Singapore to stand fourth overall in the standings in the six events leading up to the season-ending World Championship in Carson, Calif., in May.
“Last year was about solidifying our foundations and showing the world that we are one of the top teams on the series,” Canada coach Jocelyn Barrieau said in a statement. “Now we must continue to build on our successes and learn from the challenges we face as we frame our 2025-2026 season.”
Hogan-Rochester is the lone member of Canada’s runner-up 15s team at the 2025 World Cup in this season’s opening sevens squad.
Rugby Canada says several other World Cup veterans were unavailable for selection due to club commitments in the Premiership Women’s Rugby league in England. Olivia Apps, who captained the Canadian women seven’s side last season. signed with England’s Saracens in October.
Norsten helped the Vikes to an undefeated season and Canada West championships, leading the team with eight tries. A two-time first team All-Canadian, she won U-Sports rookie of the year honours in 2022.
“Carissa is everything a Canadian captain should be,” Barrieau said. “Strong, gritty, smart and has an amazingly kind character. She is the perfect fit to be a captain and leads by example. I am so happy to be working with her and this group moving forward to see how far and how high we can reach.”
Victoria lost the U Sports championship game 15-13 to the UBC Thunderbirds earlier this month, beaten by a late try.
Chloe Daniels and Piper Logan, members of Canada’s 2024 Olympic silver medallist team like Norsten, are unavailable for selection due to injuries. Uncapped Ivy Poetker and Kennedi Stevenson are in line to make their debuts.
Canada opens Pool B play Saturday against Britain, Australia and Japan at The Sevens Stadium.
Following the Dubai tournament, the women head straight to to South Africa for the Dec. 6-7 Cape Town SVNS.
The revamped HSBC SVNS season features eight men’s and eight women’s teams competing in six events in Dubai, Cape Town, Singapore, Perth (Australia), Vancouver (March 7-8) and New York before the three-stop SVNS World Championship in Hong Kong, Valladolid (Spain) and Bordeaux (France).
Relegated from the top tier in June 2024, the Canadian men continue their fight to earn their way back. While the road has not been helped by World Rugby’s reshaping of the sevens landscape, the Canadian men took their first step back this season by winning the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens on Sunday in Trinidad.
The men now move on the next stage of the promotion road, an HSBC SVNS 3 event set for January.
Canada Roster (x- denotes uncapped)
Breanne Nicholas, Blenheim, Ont., Kent Havoc RFC; Savannah Bauder, North Vancouver, Capilano RFC; Charity Williams, Toronto, UBC; Carmen Izyk, High River, Alta., RCTPM; Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., University of Victoria; Eden Kilgour, Barrie, Ont., University of Victoria; Carissa Norsten, Waldheim (capt.), Sask., University of Victoria; Adia Pye, Victoria, UBC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Westshore RFC; x-Kennedi Stevenson, Georgetown, Ont., Brantford Harlequins; Larah Wright, Calgary, University of Victoria; Monique Coffey, Dauphin, Man., Scion Sirens; x-Ivy Poetker, Calgary, Calgary Rams; Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2025.