(Submitted)
Belleville’s Sara Svoboda has punched her ticket to the 2022 women’s rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Svoboda, a graduate of Centennial Secondary School, was named to the 32-player roster for the Canadian women’s team announced Wednesday by Rugby Canada. Also from Belleville, lock forward Cindy Nelles (St. Theresa Secondary School) has been selected as a non-travelling reserve. Nelles currently lives in New Zealand.
Both Svoboda, a flanker, and Nelles kicked off their rugby careers in the Belleville Bulldogs minis program and progressed through the junior and senior ranks to eventually represent Ontario at the same levels. They also played together at McMaster University in Hamilton, capturing a Canadian women’s rugby championship in 2015.
Most recently, Svoboda has been playing in the United Kingdom for the Loughborough Lightning of the English women’s Premier League. Nelles is with Canterbury in New Zealand’s top women’s circuit.
The 2022 women’s rugby World Cup runs from Oct. 8-Nov. 12 in New Zealand with a dozen nations competing for the gold. Canada, currently ranked third in the world, is pooled in Group B with North American rival USA, Italy and Japan.
Host New Zealand and England are currently ranked 1-2 in the world.
