Tyson Beukeboom struggled to comprehend her ascension to the pinnacle of Canadian rugby history.
On Saturday afternoon, the lock forward celebrated her 81st appearance, eclipsing Aaron Carpenter’s previous benchmark, as Canada secured the top spot in Pool B with a 40-19 victory over Scotland. This win propelled them to a 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final showdown with Australia at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium.
The 34-year-old’s journey with the Canadian national team commenced in 2013, and she was a key member of the squad that secured a second-place finish against England at the 2014 Rugby World Cup in France.
“It feels incredibly unreal,” Beukeboom expressed. “I’ve mentioned to a few individuals that I’m still trying to fully grasp the reality of it being me.
“But fundamentally, it highlights the progress our programme has achieved. We celebrated two players reaching their 50th caps today (Brittany Kassil and Courtney O’Donnell), indicating a growing number of individuals accumulating significant cap numbers.
“It’s truly exciting, and I anticipate that I won’t maintain this lead for an extended period. The emerging young talents are poised to surpass me quite rapidly.”
Canada successfully repelled a determined Scottish side at Exeter’s Sandy Park, securing another bonus-point victory. Emily Tuttosi, named Mastercard Player of the Match, crossed the try line twice in Devon, marking a memorable return to Sandy Park for the Exeter Chiefs front-row.
It proved to be the Canadians’ most challenging encounter of the tournament thus far. It wasn’t until the final 25 minutes that Tuttosi and her teammates managed to distance themselves from the Scots, thanks to a second try by the hooker and scores from fellow front-rows Brittany Kassil and Olivia DeMerchant.
“Many of us had not previously faced Scotland,” Tuttosi remarked. “We anticipated their fierce competitiveness, and the prevailing wind conditions created distinct halves. However, it was an enjoyable and physically demanding rugby match, with commendable play from both teams.”
When questioned about the significance of concluding Saturday with a victory for Canada, Beukboom affirmed that she and her teammates “couldn’t have asked for a better outcome”.
In the preceding two years, the Maple Leafs have solidified their position as genuine contenders in this edition of the World Cup.
Having showcased their unpredictable offensive capabilities in their triumphs over Scotland, Wales, and Fiji, the Canadians have begun to fulfill the high expectations surrounding them.
Their focus now shifts to a clash with Australia at Ashton Gate Stadium. The North Americans boast an unblemished record against the Wallaroos in their seven previous encounters, and Canada can draw confidence from their 45-7 Pacific Four Series victory in May.
“We are incredibly excited. Our primary objective entering the tournament was to advance beyond the pool stage, and we have achieved that. This has positioned us favorably for success in the quarter-finals,” Tuttosi stated.
“Bristol is conveniently located nearby, and we are becoming adept at adapting to different locations. We anticipate a productive week of preparation for an exciting week of knockout matches.”
