INTERVIEW – Alex Tessier, who was nominated for the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award, has taken some time off her busy schedule to do this interview with this writer.
The interview will be split into two parts. The first part will look at how Tessier fell in love with the game. The article will also look at Tessier’s preferred positions to play and how important fellow Rugby Canada and Exeter Chiefs player Emily Tuttosi is on and off the field.
Alex Tessier: Quebec and Playing with Emily Tuttosi
1. Can you talk about how you got involved with the game of rugby union?
I started at 17. I think it was around the summer of 2010-11. I played a lot of soccer, basketball, and baseball, and then in the summer one of my friends said, “You should try playing rugby at a club in Montreal” and I thought, yeah, why not? I went into it knowing nothing about the sport at all.
I went for the one practice, and I really enjoyed myself. At first, I was a bit confused since I did not understand much about it because where I am from, there was no rugby at the time. It was not being played at school and as you might know, rugby on TV in Canada is difficult to find. So, I gave it a go, and I never really looked back. I joined all the practices and then pursued rugby at university.
2. Who was your biggest role model growing up?
That is a good question. I’d say probably my grandmother. My grandmother has always been a strong female figure that I look up to. She is a very kind and welcoming human, and she always stands her ground and sticks to her core values. I spent quite a lot of time with my grandmother growing up.
3. I noticed that you play two positions, fly-half and centre. Is there any preference in the positions that you like to play?
Not really, especially with the style that we play with the Canadian team. It doesn’t matter where you play in our back line. Our style of play allows us to perform or be useful at any position which I think really fits our style.
It is hard for me to pick a position because of the way we play but I would say maybe 12 is my current favourite, the inside centre position because I am always connecting with the other backs around me. But if you ask me this in a few weeks or months, maybe I’ll say 10, or maybe I’ll say fullback.
4. What is it like playing with Emily Tuttosi on the Exeter Chiefs and Rugby Canada, and what does she bring on and off the field?
She brings a lot on and off the field that is for sure. To have Canadians such as Emily Tuttosi on the team is very beneficial on so many levels (as seen by her scoring three tries against Japan in the 2021 Rugby World Cup above). It is always reassuring to play with someone you know in a foreign country and while playing for a club in the UK that is far away from home. It is cool to be alongside other Canadians just because we keep each other accountable. We support each other, on and off the pitch.
From a training perspective, we push each other in training, in the gym, and on the field, and I feel you always need support. At times things can be difficult, or even when times are fun, you want to celebrate with your closest friends.
So, whether it is as a friend or as a teammate, it is cool to have this connection and for it to continue, because when we play for a club, we try to represent our club as best as we can and help the team.
Alex Tessier: What She Means for the National Team
READ MORE: Rugby Canada 15s Women 2024: A Year to Remember Forever
Alex Tessier has done a lot with the national team and the Exeter Chiefs. She took on the massive responsibility of being a kicker in the WXV1 tournament as Sophie de Goede was sidelined because of an injury. Tessier also takes a similar role with the Chiefs. She is also known with both teams for her playmaking and her ability to create tries for other teammates as seen in the game against France Rugby in the WXV1 competition, where Tessier found a running Fancy Bermudez, who scored one of her two tries in the game.
She also can play at both the fly-half and the centre positions, making her a very versatile player.
READ MORE: Kévin Rouet: The Women’s 15’s Rugby Canada Head Coach
For the next article, Tessier will look at the year 2024. She also talks about the current state of Rugby Canada and what her goals are for 2025 with both the Exeter Chiefs and Rugby Canada.
The interview took place on Tuesday, January. 21, 2025.
Photo Credit: Exeter Chiefs
