Canadian international Petra Woods is using an unconventional sporting background to make her mark with York Valkyrie – and hopes her Super League move can inspire the next generation back home.

WHEN you think about what other sports could give a new convert to rugby league a good grounding in the game, you would probably go straight to rugby union, given how closely linked the two games are.

You’d perhaps also consider athletics for the speed and stamina it provides its competitors, football for the contact element of the sport, and maybe even wrestling for the foundations of a good tackling technique.

Very few, though, might consider dance as a strong footing to become a top player in the 13-a-side code.

But one player looking to prove that it can be is Petra Woods, the second Canadian international to join York Valkyrie ahead of 2026.

Having already re-signed Megan Pakulis from NRLW side Gold Coast Titans, York have gone transatlantic once again to bring in Woods, who is keen to take her decade-long career to the next level.

“When I was in high school I majored in dance, and I still go back to some dance classes every now and then,” Woods, who studied a variety of dance styles while at Mayfield Secondary School in Ontario, told Rugby League World.

“It was around the same sort of time that I found the sport of rugby, which was union at first — that’s the more popular version back home — and it was hard to juggle both of them.

“They’re both very physical, but I think they worked well together because my footwork is great on the field, and I think the quickness of my game comes a lot from my dance background.

“I also did some competitive gymnastics as a young kid. I think that has proven to be the basis for most of my strength, and I think I owe a lot of my conditioning to that as well.

“But I have also been training with a personal trainer back in Canada, with the hope of getting this sort of opportunity. I have always thought there are parts of my game that could shine in Super League, and now I have the opportunity to show that.

“I’m one of the top try-scorers for Canada, so I just love crossing the tryline, but also I’m quite a shifty, evasive running player, and I plan to put in plenty of running metres for the team. I would also say my defensive ability, especially on the edges, is something that I can add to the squad.

“The domestic competition in Canada is still growing, and every year we add a few new teams, but because of the distances involved, it’s very hard to get regular game time. For example, if we were to play a team in the British Columbia province, it would take a six-hour flight just to get there.

“That’s why I was looking for opportunities abroad to get more consistent game time and I feel confident and ready to compete in the Super League.”

Woods, who has played most of her domestic games for Ontario Ospreys, only took up league in the months before the 2017 World Cup in Australia, but as one of the members of that debut squad, has remained an active part in building up the game in the North American country.

And now she is hoping that whenever she does return home from the Minster city, she will do so armed with vital knowledge that will help her country grow into a more dominant role within the game.

“Women’s rugby league was first introduced to Canada in 2016 and I was part of the original team trialling for the 2017 World Cup,” added Woods, who made that squad but was unable to play a game due to injury, but went on to feature in the 2022 tournament, scoring Canada’s only try against England in the group game in Wigan.

“Since then, I’ve been involved in a few of the executive boards to keep the clubs and the game growing. Obviously, we’re nowhere near Super League, but there is still a lot of room to grow and seeing that happen is a big passion of mine.

“By coming over to the UK and playing in the Super League, it’s hopefully showing other players in Canada that there are opportunities out there for them in rugby league.

“But I’m hoping to learn a lot from this move too. On the skills front, I know I’m going to grow as a player and expand into different ways to play the game, but I’m also hoping to take a lot from how the organisations and clubs operate here.

“Then hopefully, when I go back to Canada, I can take all that knowledge with me and share it to benefit teams over there. So I am very excited by what this move can offer.”

And if she wants to see how women’s rugby league operates in England, there is perhaps no better club to join than York Valkyrie, who for many years have been at the forefront of growing the game. They were the first team to put their players on a contract, the first to win back-to-back Super League titles, and have often thought outside the box when it comes to recruitment, growing the club and growing the game.

And while she has only been in the country for a matter of weeks, Woods has already been impressed by what she has seen from the club. York have undergone major changes over the winter, including the appointment of former Super League champion Leon Pryce, who replaced Lindsay Anfield at the helm.

“I arrived in York on Wednesday, 4th March and went down to the club to see the girls play a pre-season match that same night,” added Woods, who is currently living with team mate Ellie Williamson in the Huntington area of York.

“It was a bit of a busy start, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“I could just see from that game that the team is very confident in everything that the new coaching staff is bringing to them. They are very confident in their new structures, and they dominated the game, so that was a good sign for me.

“Even when I was still in Canada, the coaching staff and the support staff were constantly reaching out to make sure that I was ready to make the move over, and that says a lot about the organisation.

“It is not just athletes here; there is an organisation that wants to put them in a position to win.

“Leon was one of those who reached out to me and really welcomed me to the team. He made sure that I had the resources I needed before I arrived, and he’s got a good energy.

“He brings a competitiveness to the training sessions, and sometimes he jumps in himself, so I can see he’s got all the skills.

“We don’t get the exact same coverage of the British game in Canada, but from doing some research and talking to the other girls on the team, I know Leon is a big name in the game in England, so I’m excited to learn from him and I’m hoping he’ll pass on some of his knowledge to the women in the game, too.

“The coaching staff is dedicated and very competitive, and the athletes are super hungry to be a dominant team this year. They don’t just want to get by.

“Everything is very positive and competitive, and I just cannot wait for my first game now.”

Such a big change for Woods could have been daunting for the 30-year-old back, but the move across the Atlantic was made much easier by the fact that her long-time friend and international teammate Pakulis was already on board with the Valkyrie once again.

Pakulis scored five tries in 11 appearances for the club in 2024, before heading to Australia, further strengthening her position as Canada’s flagship player.

With the duo now reunited, Woods is hopeful they can prove even more of an inspiration to aspiring young players back in their homeland.

“It’s not easy leaving home and putting yourself in a new country, but I’ve had the support of my family, my partner, and people back home since my rugby journey started,” added Woods, who last featured alongside Pakulis in the 2025 World Series in Brampton, USA. Defeat there to Fiji meant the Ravens failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup.

“I’m so grateful to have been given the chance to make this move and have my close friend Megan alongside me. I’ve really missed her back home, so it’s nice to be back together again, and that has definitely made the move less nerve-wracking.

“Since Megan was young, she has been an outstanding player, and she has been an inspiration for most of the national programme.

“For her, it was just a matter of getting those opportunities and making her name known worldwide. And she’s done just that. She’s played in Super League and then transitioned to the NRLW, which was a great experience for her.

“But I know she also valued her time at York, and I know she’s happy to be back here because she feels like it’s a sense of home as well.

“Megan was that inspiration for me, and that’s probably a big reason why I’m at York now. She inspired me to make the move, and hopefully the players in Canada can look at what we’re achieving and aim to emulate us.”

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 519 (April 2026)