Canada v Spain July 2025

Canada Drop Close Match 24-23 to Spain: Full Match Video Added

Canada were leading right up to the final whistle but made some poor decisions in the last 5 minutes and lost the match on a Spain penalty kick at the whistle. It’s a game Canada should have won, up a player in the final minutes and camped at the Spain 5 metres due to multiple penalties against Spain. Canada could have kicked for the 3, they could have spun it wide with the penalty advantage, but they decided to keep grinding in the forwards and eventually gave up a penalty. Spain won their lineout, won a couple of penalties in Canada’s half and eventually chose the posts at the whistle. It was a cruel loss for a team that hasn’t had many successes on the field.

Matt Oworu scored 2 tries and was chosen player of the match. The presence of veterans Evan Olmstead, Spencer Jones and Peter Nelson helped raise Canada’s game. The performance will give Canada some hope as they host the USA in an important match in August that will count towards World Cup qualification.

Scorers: Peter Nelson (3PK, 2C), Matthew Oworu (2T)

Halftime Update

Canada were ahead 6-3 before Spain scored the only try of the first half out wide to take a 11-6 halftime lead. There are a few improvements over last week, the speed of the ball on attack is faster, there were two turnovers at the breakdown by Oworu and Rumball, also Piers Von Dadelszen, last week’s player of the match, stole a crucial lineout ball. The one area that needs improvement is support on attack as a couple of times Canadian runners have been isolated and the ball turned over.

from Rugby Canada

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team pushed Spain to the limit in an intense test match on Friday night at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton, but a penalty goal on the final play gave the visitors a dramatic 24-23 win.

A spirited Canadian performance saw a second-half surge turn an 11-6 halftime deficit into a 20-11 lead, with Matt Oworu scoring two tries and earning City of Edmonton Player of the Match honours. The 24-year-old forward’s powerful running and clinical finishing ignited the home crowd and helped Canada seize control early in the second frame.

The Canadians crossed the line twice in that second-half flurry — both through Oworu — and held a narrow lead late in the match, with fly-half Peter Nelson contributing 13 points from the tee. But Spain capitalized on a last-minute penalty to snatch the win at the death.

“I think we showed we have the talent to hang with everyone,” said Oworu post-match. “When we were pushing to score at the end, we just slipped for half-a-second, and that’s just test rugby. It’s a game of inches, and we just missed on that last inch.”

“As long as we play in the right places and listen to our shot-callers, there’s no need to search for other answers — all the answers are in the room. We’re confident.”

It was a gritty performance from Canada, who rebounded well from last week’s narrow loss to Belgium. Lucas Rumball, captaining the side in his 60th test appearance, led from the front with physicality and key turnovers.

“It’s a mass change from [our match] six days ago,” said Rumball. “Our plan was to try to refocus, keep the wins in from last week and grow from our mistakes, and I think we did a great job fighting through 80. It was a real boxing match out there.”

Spain opened the scoring through the boot of Gonzalo López Bontempo, but Canada responded via two Nelson penalties to take a 6-3 lead. Spain struck just before the half through a corner try from Pau Aira and another penalty goal to enter the break ahead 11-6.

Canada came out firing in the second half. Oworu muscled across the line in the 45th minute after a strong build-up, and minutes later, Spencer Jones blocked a clearance kick and deftly set up Oworu for his second — putting the hosts ahead 20-11.

However, back-to-back yellow cards to Canada’s props — Calixto Martinez for a high tackle and debutant Emerson Prior for collapsing a maul — handed momentum back to Spain. A penalty try and another López Bontempo kick brought the score to 23-21.

With Spain knocking, Canada held firm late, with Evan Olmstead — making his first test appearance since the 2019 World Cup — winning a key turnover to relieve pressure. Canada marched deep into Spanish territory looking to add points to seal a home victory, but a breakdown penalty deep in stoppage time gave Spain one final chance, and López Bontempo’s 25-metre kick sealed the result for the visiting Europeans.

Despite the loss, there were positives for Head Coach Stephen Meehan’s side, including stout defence, opportunistic attack, and composure under pressure. Fullback Nelson crossed the 150-point milestone for Canada in the match, finishing with 13 points to bring his career total to 159 in 28 test appearances.

Friday’s match wraps Canada’s July test window ahead of next month’s Pacific Nations Cup opener against USA in Calgary, which doubles as the start of Canada’s 2027 Rugby World Cup qualification campaign.

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Stephen Meehan Names Canada Roster to Face Spain on Friday

Canada make one addition to the tight five from the Belgium game, that’s Evan Olmstead the lone European professional from France. He takes the place of Izzak Kelly who goes to the reserves. In the loose forwards Sion Parry replaces Matt Heaton who goes to the reserves.

At scrum half Jason Higgins gets the start with U20 scrum half Stephen Webb getting the reserve spot in a 5/3 bench. Cooper Coats retains the flyhalf spot with Spencer Jones coming into the roster at #12. It’s the second week in a row that a player not on the 42 player list in June has been added to the starting roster, Jones, originally on the 59 player long list was dropped off the 42 player list. The wings remain the same but veteran Peter Nelson gets the start at fullback.

In the reserves Emerson Prior comes in at prop, and besides Stephen Webb, the remaining reserves played in the Belgium match.

From the 33 players listed for the two game series, 7 won’t get on the pitch, perhaps the most surprising were Mason Flesch, Ben Lesage and Tyler Matchem, possibly due to injury. The other 4 are Austin Creighton, Donald Carson, Jamie Armstrong and Maddox MacLean.

The game kicks off 7pm local time, 6pm PT.

Canada Roster

1. Calixto Martinez (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / Old Glory DC
2. Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / New England Free Jacks
3. Cole Keith (Sussex NB) – Belleisle Rovers RFC / New England Free Jacks
4. Piers Von Dadelszen (Vancouver, BC) – New England Free Jacks
5. Evan Olmstead (Vancouver, BC) – Lindfield Rugby Club / SU Agen
6. Siôn Parry (Cardiff, WAL) – Rhiwbina RFC / Ebbw Vale RFC
7. Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach Rugby Club / Chicago Hounds
8. Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) – Pacific Pride / Chicago Hounds
9. Jason Higgins (Cork, IRE) – Cork Constitution / Chicago Hounds
10. Cooper Coats (Halifax, NS) – Halifax Tars RFC / NOLA Gold
11. Josiah Morra (Toronto, ON) – New England Free Jacks / Toronto Saracens
12. Spencer Jones (Cambridge, NZ) – Hamilton Old Boys / Utah Warriors
13. Noah Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Cobourg Saxons / Chicago Hounds
14. Isaac Olson (Vernon, BC) – New England Free Jacks
15. Peter Nelson (Dungannon, NI) – Dungannon RFC
16. Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC / Seattle Seawolves
17. Emerson Prior (Brockville, ON) – Brockville Privateers / Westshore RFC / Utah Warriors
18. Kyle Steeves (Winnipeg, MB) – Manitoba Wombats / New England Free Jacks
19. Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / Capilano RFC
20. Matt Heaton (Godmanchester, QC) – Ormstown Saracens / RFC LA
21. Stephen Webb (Toronto, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC / University of British Columbia
22. Kyle Tremblay (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / Pacific Pride
23. Brenden Black (Oakville, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / University of Guelph

from Rugby Canada

Wednesday July 16, 2025 (Edmonton, AB) – Head Coach Stephen Meehan has named his match day roster for Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team’s final game in Edmonton on Friday against Spain.

Canada and Spain will kick-off on Friday July 18 at 7:00pm MT / 9:00pm ET.  The match will be available to watch live on TSN2 and TSN+.

“The team’s focus this week has been about how we balance our style of play,” said Meehan. “We had moments last Saturday that were effective and exciting to watch and play and other moments that learning from will improve our performance. Spain is another tough opponent, but we are all excited to get back on the field with another home crowd to support us.”

Evan Olmstead returns to Canada’s lineup for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup, while Emerson Prior and Stephen Webb, who start the match on the bench for Canada, could earn their first cap against Spain.

Canada’s three try scorers from last week’s match against Belgium, Andrew Quattrin, Josiah Morra and Siôn Parry all retained their place in the match day twenty-three. Cooper Coats gets the start at flyhalf for a second-straight game.

Tickets for the game between Canada and Spain on Friday July 18 are available for purchase here.