Stacy Boit,

In a previous life, as a structural engineer, Kevin Rouet used to build bridges.

As a rugby coach, he still is.

In September, the Frenchman was Canada’s head coach, attempting to upset England in the Women’s Rugby World Cup final.

A few weeks later, he added attack coach at Saracens, one of Premiership Women’s Rugby’s powerhouse sides, to his CV as well.

To span those two briefs is a stretch.

Rouet was plotting against the likes of Zoe Harrison, Marlie Packer and Jess Breach one month.

The next, he was conspiring with them to capture the PWR title that has eluded them since 2022.

Come the autumn, the 39-year-old will be back in his Canada role, attempting to end the Red Roses’ 38-Test hot streak.

Like any good engineer, Rouet knows the value of laying groundwork.

“For the previous three years, I used to come to England in the winter and do the tour of every club in PWR,” he said.

“I had been part of meetings for two or three years at Saracens, so I heard how they think about the game, how they run practices and stuff like that.

“But sometimes that’s just not exciting as a coach – just watching people coaching. So I said to [Saracens women’s director of rugby] Alex Austerberry, ‘do you think I come in for a couple of weeks?’, and he said, ‘you can come for a full year if you want’.”

It turned into a full-blown exchange scheme.

Austerberry was seconded to work on Canada’s defence in 2025, before and during their Rugby World Cup run.

“Alex is my boss when I’m in Saracens, and I’m his boss when he’s in Canada,” explained Rouet.

For some at the Rugby Football Union, the arrangement was a little too cosy for comfort.

Insider knowledge is crucial. In the men’s Test game, it is protected with closed-door sessions and non-compete clauses.

To have Rouet so closely embedded with one of England’s foremost clubs, seeing some of England’s key players up close up, felt awkward.

When he took up his Saracens role, the RFU opted not to supply some of England women’s training data, routinely shared with PWR clubs, in case it gave Canada an on-pitch advantage.

Rouet, though, believes England are the ones benefiting.

“I give more information about the way we play in Canada, that I receive information about how England plays,” he said.

“You have so many games, so much stuff to analyse – I already know how England think about rugby.

“I could see there was some stress at the beginning from the players to share information, but I just said, ‘I already have it – I know what you guys are doing with England. I don’t need you to tell me, but this is what we try to do with Saracens and that’s different’.”

Rouet’s role at Saracens is just one example of how other nations are using the PWR – the strongest domestic league in the world by a distance – to try to close the gap on England at Test level.

Sixteen players in Rouet’s initial Rugby World Cup squad plied their trade in the PWR.

United States stars Kate Zackery, Alev Kelter and Erica Jarrell-Searcy also play for Ealing Trailfinders, Loughborough and Sale respectively.

A raft of Black Ferns, including captain Ruahei Demant, signed deals to play in England after the Rugby World Cup too, while Australia announced an official policy of sending Wallaroos to English clubs earlier this month.

Even France’s best, who have traditionally stuck to their own domestic game, are making the trip. Gabrielle Vernier, a former World Player of the Year nominee, is on her way to England next season., external

That influx has heightened concerns that, despite a requirement that teams average 13 English-qualified players in each matchday squad, the pathway for young English talent may be squeezed.