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Karen Paquin: 'I needed time off after the World Cup and the Olympics'
By Joe Harvey
Karen Paquin knows a thing or two about getting ready for a Rugby World Cup. But there is something different about this one. At the end of 2024 the 37-year-old flanker returned to the Canada setup after two years away.
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In just over a year Paquin had represented her country at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo and then at the World Cup in New Zealand, where Canada lost to France in the bronze medal match.
Having experienced extended periods of time away from home and the mental fatigue of constant camp life, she decided to stay in her native Quebec City and coach the next generation at Notre-Dame-de-Foy, the local university.
But that did not mean her time on the field was finished. Paquin continued to play in club competitions alongside her full-time coaching role and maintained a dialogue with Canada head coach, Kevin Rouet, about a potential return to the team.
Last year the 2016 Olympic bronze medallists’ decision to hold off definitive international retirement was rewarded as she watched the national team win the Pacific Four Series (PAC4) and climb to second in the World Rugby rankings.
Now she is on the precipice of representing Canada on the biggest stage again at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.
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“I needed the time off after the World Cup and the Olympics,” said the 2014 World Cup runner-up.
“That time was just so heavy with rugby, with travel and everything that happened. I needed some time to reflect on what I wanted to do and give coaching a shot.
“Taking time away from running lines and lifting heavy weights all the time, just to make sure I still enjoyed the game, that I still had that fire (was important) and it was really clear to me that I still enjoyed playing.
“Watching the pack last year, watching the shift in mindset, it looked fun, and I wanted to be a part of it. That’s where the spark of ‘I might actually not be done’ came from.
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“I knew it was up in the air. Like sevens, I know I’m finished there, but in 15s there’s still something I want to achieve.”
Paquin rejoined the Canada squad ahead of last year’s WXV 1 in British Columbia.
As Canada finished second to England on home soil, the 37-year-old got only 15 minutes on the field against Ireland in a 21-8 win as she got back to grips with playing at the elite end of the scale again.
“I needed that time to adapt to international rugby for sure,” Paquin said. “There’s nothing quite like it, so there’s no real way to prepare for it, other than get minutes on the field.
“With the experience that I have had in the past, one of the good things is that it probably does not take me that much time to adapt to the pressure of the game or the intensity, but it took me a little bit of time to just feel like myself.”
After that cameo in WXV 1 when Paquin got back onto the field, it was clear that the rust had been shaken off in the next international tournament- Pacific Four Series.
A starter in all three matches, the 37-year-old made 56 tackles, 38 carries and even hit 79 rucks as the Canadian’s missed out on a consecutive title on points difference to the Black Ferns.
There was no sign of doubt. No hint that this was a 14th year of international rugby. No indication that the decision to come back was wrong.
Instead what supporters got to see was one of Canada’s most experienced players do the things that made her a formidable force on the field in the first place.
Even though Paquin is among the most experienced players at Rouet’s disposal, the flanker has still been getting to grips with the high stakes and instinctive style of play that the team has adopted since the past World Cup.
It is a brand of rugby that has contributed significantly to the team’s mesmeric 2024 and to Laetitia Royer, Sophie de Goede and Alex Tessier’s selections in the World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year.
“I’m still figuring it out,” Paquin laughed. “To me it’s a game where if you make a decision, you just go 100%.
“You back everything that’s happening and the support. It’s exciting to watch and the unpredictability of it is something that’s being worked on.
“For us it was about finding our identity as a team. The last brands of rugby that we’ve played before this was always some kind of copycat or a mix of other brands.
“This time around it’s our own and it is funny to see that people are starting to copy us in some ways now.”
Along with Tyson Beukeboom and Olivia Demerchant, Paquin is one of two players who remembers the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup well.
Both were figures for their country as they ventured all the way to the final and a clash with the Red Roses in Paris, when an Emily Scarratt-inspired England lifted silverware into the night sky.
It may have taken a decade but Canada are back to contend again. Thanks to their mesmeric 2024, the side are held in the same regard as this year’s host nation and New Zealand.
That is a label that Canada know has been attributed to them. And it is one they embrace too.
“I think the belief in this team can be compared to what we had in 2014,” Paquin said.
“In 2014 we had a very strong belief that we could do something, and, in that way, the belief of this team is very similar.”
Over the past two weekends Paquin has been in South Africa as Canada beat the Springbok Women in consecutive matches.
In the first clash at Loftus Versfeld, the touring side were 50-20 winners and repeated the feat a week later in Gqeberha with a 33-5 victory.
It was a a final audition for players before the squad is confirmed for this year’s show down in England.
Should Paquin be selected it will be the fourth time that she has represented her country at the tournament and, like her first, Canada have come to contend.
“I’m very lucky to be in my position at my age,” Paquin said. “To be able to strive for a World Cup and play on this team, I’m grateful for the opportunity.
“Hopefully this time around we come out with a big win at the end. If we bring a World Cup to Canada, I think it would be a massive game-changer across the country – for our sport and women’s sport in Canada.”
Canada kick off their 2025 World Cup campaign against Fiji in York Community Stadium on Saturday 23rd August. Buy tickets now.
New tickets for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 are now available, with prices starting at £10 for adults and £5 for children. Buy now!