By Canadian Press

Canadians Sophie de Goede, Emily Tuttosi named to World Rugby’s dream team

Nov 20, 2022 | 9:35 PM

Canadians Sophie de Goede and Emily Tuttosi have been named to World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year.

De Goede, who captained Canada to fourth place at the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, was also a finalist for the Women’s 15s Player of the Year award won by New Zealand fly half Ruahei Demant.

De Goede, a powerful No. 8, led the tournament with 101 runs and ranked fifth in tackles with 65. The 23-year-old from Victoria also served as Canada’s placekicker, tying for fourth with nine conversions. 

Tuttosi tied for second at the tournament with six tries, five of which came in Canada’s opening two wins over Japan and Italy. As hooker, Tuttosi did most of her damage at the back of Canada’s forceful driving maul.

The Canadian women, the lone amateur side to reach the final four of the World Cup, gave top-ranked England all it could handle before falling 26-19 in the semifinals. Canada, now fourth in the rankings, then lost 36-0 to France in the third-place match.

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De Goede, whose parents Hans de Goede and Stephanie White also captained Canada in rugby, said being selected to the world all-star team was “such an incredible honour.” 

“To get this award is really a humbling representation of where I’ve personally come from but more so where our team’s come from in order to get to this point,” she added. “Hopefully we just grow from here.”

Said Tuttosi: “This award is truly the cherry on top of an amazing (World Cup) experience.”

The 27-year-old from Souris, Man., plays for the Exeter Chiefs in England.

The World Rugby Awards were held Sunday in Monaco at the Salle des Etoiles.

Josh van der Flier was named Men’s Player of the Year, the third Irish winner after Keith Wood (2001) and Johnny Sexton (2018). The flanker beat out Sexton, South Africa’s Lukhanyo Am and France’s Antoine Dupont.

Ruahei Demant co-captained the Black Ferns to their sixth title in the last seven World Cups, beating England’s Red Roses 34-31 in the final. Other nominees were New Zealand teammate Portia Woodman, England flanker Alex Matthews, France scrum half Laure Sansus and de Goede.

“I never knew about the Black Ferns growing up as a kid,” Demant said. “I guess like most women my age, women’s rugby was never accessible, was never something that you kind of aspired to be like, because you never had role models like that to look up to.

“And that was one of the great things about this World Cup, it was free to air, so everyone could watch it. But people could turn on the TV or go to the games and see people that look like them and so many strong women out there doing amazing incredible things.”

The 29-year-old van der Flier started all 11 of Ireland’s tests in 2022, including its historic series victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand.

Canada figured in another award but this one went to England wing Abby Dow for women’s try of the year.

The play covered the length of the field after England turned the ball over metres from its own try-line in the World Cup semifinal in Auckland. The ball went wide to wing Claudia MacDonald who sliced through the Canadian defence before feeding Dow who raced 65 metres to cap the free-flowing move. 

The winners were selected by the World Rugby Awards panels, with the exception of the tries of the year which were selected by fans.

World Rugby Award Winners:

Men’s 15s Player of the Year: Josh van der Flier, Ireland.

Women’s 15s Player of the Year: Ruahei Demant, New Zealand.

Coach of the Year — Wayne Smith, New Zealand women.

Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Ruby Tui, New Zealand.

Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Ange Capuozzo, Italy.

Men’s Sevens Player of the Year: Terry Kennedy, Ireland.

Women’s Sevens Player of the Year: Charlotte Caslick, Australia.

Referee Award: Tappe Henning, South Africa.

Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Farah Palmer, New Zealand.

Men’s Try of the Year: Rodrigo Fernandez, Chile versus U.S. on July 9.

Women’s Try of the Year: Abby Dow, England versus Canada on Nov. 5.

International Rugby Players Special Merit Award: Bryan Habana, South Africa.

World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year

1. Ellis Genge (England) 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa) 3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland) 4. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland) 5. Sam Whitelock (New Zealand) 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina) 7. Josh van der Flier (Ireland) 8. Grégory Alldritt (France) 9. Antoine Dupont (France) 10. Johnny Sexton (Ireland) 11. Marika Koroibete (Australia) 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa) 13. Lukhanyo Am (South Africa) 14. Will Jordan (New Zealand) 15. Freddie Steward (England). 

World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year

1. Hope Rogers (U.S.) 2. Emily Tuttosi (Canada) 3. Sarah Bern (England) 4. Abbie Ward (England) 5. Madoussou Fall (France) 6. Alex Matthews (England) 7. Marlie Packer (England) 8. Sophie de Goede (Canada) 9. Laure Sansus (France) 10. Ruahei Demant (New Zealand) 11. Ruby Tui (New Zealand) 12. Theresa Fitzpatrick (New Zealand) 13. Emily Scarratt (England) 14. Portia Woodman (New Zealand) 15. Abby Dow (England). 

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2022

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press