Canadian rugby captain Kelly Russell announces retirement after storied career
TORONTO — Kelly Russell, a hard-hitting high-flying forward who helped Canada to some of its finest rugby moments, has announced her retirement from the international game.
As a sevens player, the 30-year-old from Bolton, Ont., won gold at the 2015 Pan-American Games, silver at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens and bronze at the 2016 Olympics. She won 53 caps in the fifteens game and played in three World Cups, captaining Canada to the final in 2014.
Russell was named Rugby Canada’s women’s fifteens player of the year in 2013 and was a finalist for World Rugby’s player of the year award in 2014, when teammate Magali Harvey won.
“One of our best players,” said Francois Ratier, who coached her at the 2014 and 2017 World Cups. “The kind of player, male or female, that you could put anywhere on any team and she’s going to make the team better.”