In the everyday world, the women of Canada's national rugby team define themselves as many things -- teachers, physiotherapists, firefighters, financial planners, engineers and students.
Starting Monday, they'll be defined by ambition and by the Maple Leaf they will wear at the fourth Women's World Cup of Rugby in Spain.
"This is our first chance in four years to prove we've closed the gap on the top teams, and we're out to do just that," said Maureen MacMahon, a No. 8 backline player from Toronto Scottish. It's a mark of confidence that the Toronto physiotherapist measures the distance to the top three teams in the 16-country tournament as a gap, not a gulf.
MacMahon is in her second World Cup. Canada finished fourth in 1998 in the Netherlands, behind New Zealand, the United States and England. As a measure of the gap Canada is trying to close, consider that the Canadians faced the third-seeded English twice in 1998 and lost both matches by the cumulative total of 157-21.
But the rugby world has changed since then. Canada's women have developed their game under head coach Ric Suggit of Edmonton, who also is on the coaching staff of the Canadian men's sevens. The women have defeated the second-seeded United States twice and went undefeated in a tight three-game series against Wales last October, a country with strong rugby traditions and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the once infallible New Zealanders ended a 12-year undefeated streak with a loss to England last year. Then Scotland was the surprise European champion over Spain.
"We haven't had a lot of chances to play internationally and re-establish where we rank, whereas the Europeans have a Six Nations tournament," MacMahon said as the team was ready to board a plane for Spain on Thursday. "But we've worked hard when we do get together about every six months. In some ways, it works out well. We're not together enough to get on each other's nerves."
Canada will open the tournament on Monday at Girona, Spain, in a D-pool match against 13th seed Ireland. If they win that, they would play the winner of a Scotland-Samoa game -- likely fifth-seeded Eurochamp Scotland in the second round. The structure of the tournament is such that the first win would dictate a top-eight finish and a second-round win would mean a return to the top four.
Canada's co-captains are 35-year-old hook Moira Shiels from Toronto Scottish, who has 12 international appearances, and 32-year-old fullback Sherri Sparling of Ottawa, who has 13 caps and captained the undefeated Wales tour. Two Quebec players are most senior in Canadian team service. Props Josee Lacasse and Gillian Florence are each entering their third World Cup.
Sparling said on Rugby Canada's World Wide Web site that the team has learned "never to underestimate a country with a culture of rugby. If we meet Scotland in the second round, well, since 1998 they've believed they deserve our [No. 4]spot."
The Irish, whitewashed in the Six Nations European tournament, may be overmatched by Canada in the opener, but have a "mesmerizing" captain in Suzanne Fleming.
"We come to Barcelona with a good heart after a good outing against the British police," Ireland coach Donal O'Leary said. Presumably, he meant a rugby side and not the constabulary.
"It comes down to team dynamics on the day, whatever team comes out stronger," MacMahon said. "We just came off a week of training in Kingston after we hadn't been together for six months, when we played against Wales in October. We've been doing skills and testing.
"We may only train as a national team for three weeks of the year, but it's been great to have that focus. When you're not together much, each time is more meaningful."
Team members come together from all across Canada, the United States and Britain.
"It's exactly the same rules and contact game as men play," MacMahon said. "It's just a bit slower-paced, but just as technical and skilled. The impact of the hits are a bit less than men's rugby, but our games are highly skilled and based on speed. There's more to the game than the big hits."
The New Zealanders, though heavily favoured, won't have a cakewalk through their pool. They're up against Australia, Wales and Germany. The second-seeded United States has drawn France, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands. Third-seeded England is up against European finalist and host Spain, Japan and Italy. The top two countries in each pool will advance to the winners' bracket.
The final is scheduled for May 25 in Barcelona, Spain.