Meehan Names 36 Players for November Tour to Europe: Kevin Rouet Joins Coaching Staff
A lot of positives coming out of the latest men’s XVs announcement, the key European players have committed to the tour, players like Ardron, Olmstead, Quattrin. Matt Beukeboom is back in the mix, Matt Oworu is healthy, Cole Keith and Cali Martinez are back, Nic Benn wrapped up his NPC season and is available. To top it all off Kevin Rouet, the women’s head coach, has been added to the coaching staff.
There are three potential new caps, Mitch Voralek who we haven’t heard about since the 2022 MLR season when he was with the Arrows, he played with Waterloo County this season in the Ontario Marshall Premier. Demetri Patterson who was with UBC last season and now is with Capilano in the BC Premier. Jack Gore, who was outstanding in the U19 nationals this year, he led the Ontario team to Gold, defeating BC 44-12, Gore scored 29 of Ontario’s points as #10. I was wondering when he would show up again. He travelled with the Canada team to Japan this summer but didn’t play.
Who is missing, Cooper Coats, likely concentrating on studies at UVic. Callum Botchar, went on the Japan tour but with Ardron, Olmstead, Beukeboom available he was left off. Emerson Prior, again was in Japan, but with Cali Martinez and Cole Keith back, there wasn’t room. Cody Nhanala, having a great season but Tyler Ardron and Matt Oworu are back in the loose forward rotation this tour. Peter Nelson and Shane O’Leary overlooked for the tour, Cooper Coats likely the first choice #10 now but Spencer Jones would seem primary option on this tour with Gore and Voralek getting a look.
There are four hookers on tour Dewitt, Kotze, Quattrin, Creighton. Although some like Dewitt can play prop or flanker. Six props Keith, Martinez, Steeves, Miller, Matchem, Worden. Five second row Olmstead, Doyle, Beukeboom, Waddell, Kelly. Six loose forwards Ardron, Oworu, Fryer, Rumball, Parry, Flesch.
In the backs three scrum halves Kilgour, Higgins and Webb, Gallagher not in the mix this tour. Three flyhalf options Jones, Gore, Voralek. Four centres McIndoe, Ince, LeSage, Tremblay. Four wingers Benn, James, Olson, Patterson. Likely starting fullback Takoda McMullin. Of course players aren’t limited to one position and some are utility backs who can fit in several positions. 21 forwards and 15 backs on tour.
from Rugby Canada
Head Coach of Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team, Stephen Meehan, has selected 36 players for Canada’s final three fixtures of the 2026 Nations Cup this November in Europe, where Canada is set to face Georgia, Hong Kong China, and Romania.
“This international window is a great opportunity to bring everyone back together including our France-based professionals, said Head Coach Stephen Meehan. To have players like Matt Beukeboom return to the environment is invaluable to the team and our program as we continue building on the progress we made during the Pacific Nations Cup.
We’ll have plenty to work on as we bring everyone back up to speed, but this tour also provides valuable experience with a six-day turnaround between our final two matches, reflecting the demands we’ll face at Rugby World Cup 2027.
Availability will vary throughout due to professional, university and personal commitments, so our squad will evolve week to week. Ultimately, it’s a great opportunity to test ourselves against strong opposition and continue climbing the world rankings. I am really looking forward to seeing the team back together.”
Canada began its Nations Cup campaign in July, facing Spain, Portugal and Zimbabwe in Edmonton and Winnipeg. The team opened with a 42-42 draw against Spain, followed by a 38-14 loss to Portugal, before closing with a 23-19 victory over Zimbabwe.
Three uncapped players join the squad, Demetri Patterson who made his international sevens debut for Canada in February 2026 at HSBC SVNS 2 Nairobi, Mitch Voralek, who previously played for the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby during the 2021/22 season, and Jack Gore who toured with Canada during the Pacific Nations Cup.
Several France-based professionals return to the Canadian squad, including Tyler Ardron (Provence Rugby), Evan Olmstead (Nissa Rugby), Andrew Quattrin (US Carcassonne), Cole Keith (CAP Périgueux), and Matt Beukeboom (SAXV Charente Rugby).
Beukeboom returns to the national team for the first time since making his international debut against Chile in Langford during the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship. He earned three caps during the tournament before continuing his professional career in France.
Ardron, Olmstead, Quattrin, Beukeboom, and Keith were unavailable for Canada’s Pacific Nations Cup campaign, during which the team secured third place after defeating the United States 19-16 in Tokyo.
Matthew Oworu, who announced his signing with Pro D2 side Biarritz Olympique earlier this month, is also set to return after helping the Chicago Hounds to a 2026 Major League Rugby Championship. Oworu has been recovering from an injury sustained during the MLR season and will rejoin the national squad for the first time since November 2025.
In September, Rugby Canada announced a strategic partnership with Elior Champ Rugby, the reformatted English rugby second-tier league with the goal of providing high performance, professional environments for Canadian men’s players across the pond in the lead up to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.
Since the announcement, six Canadian players have signed contracts including – Dewald Kotze (Rotherham Titans), Kyle Steeves (Blackheath), Sam Miller (Blackheath), Isaac Olson (Ampthill), Spencer Jones (Nottingham), and Foster DeWitt (Nottingham).
Mason Flesch, who had a standout Pacific Nations Cup campaign, has announced his signing with Premiership Rugby side Newcastle Red Bulls through the end of the 2026-27 season. Flesch becomes the first Canadian in seven years to secure a contract in England’s top division, marking a significant milestone for Canadian rugby and the continued development of Canadian talent overseas.
Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team Kévin Rouet joins the coaching staff as assistant coach for this tour having just led his team to back-to-back victories against the Red Roses in Toronto and Ottawa.
Canada will travel to England for a week-long camp ahead of their first Nations Cup match against Georgia.
2026 NOVEMBER NATIONS CUP SCHEDULE
Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Georgia
Saturday November 7, 2026
16:00 Local / 5:00am PT / 8:00am ET
Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi
Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Hong Kong China
Saturday November 14, 2026
15:00 Local / 6:00am PT / 9:00am ET
Chambéry Savoie Stadium, Chambéry
Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Romania
Friday November 20, 2026
18:30 Local / 8:30am PT / 11:30am ET
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Further information on TSN broadcasting will be made available shortly.
CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM NATIONS CUP SQUAD
FORWARDS
Tyler Ardron (Lakefield, ON) – Peterborough Pagans / Provence Rugby (40 caps)
Matt Beukeboom (Lindsay, ON) – SAXV Charente Rugby (3 caps)
Austin Creighton (Edmonton, AB) – Nor’Westers Athletic Association / Cobras Brasil (4 caps)
Foster DeWitt (Courtenay, BC) – Westshore RFC / Nottingham Rugby (8 caps)
Daragh Doyle (Québec City, QC) – Clontarf FC (5 caps)
Mason Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Cobourg Saxons / Newcastle Red Bulls (26 caps)
Ethan Fryer (Issaquah, WA) – Eastside Lions RFC / Peñarol Rugby (7 caps)
Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / SL Benfica (19 caps)
Cole Keith (Sussex NB) – Belleisle Rovers RFC / CAP Périgueux (47 caps)
Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC / Rotherham Titans (18 caps)
Calixto Martinez (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / Old Glory DC (15 caps)
Tyler Matchem (Pictou County, NS) – Pictou County RFC / James Bay AA (2 caps)
Sam Miller (Mount Denson, NS) – Valley Rugby Union / Blackheath Rugby (10 caps)
Evan Olmstead (North Vancouver, BC) – Lindfield Rugby Club / Nissa Rugby (37 caps)
Matthew Oworu (Calgary, AB) – Biarritz Olympique (17 caps)
Siôn Parry (Cardiff, WAL) – Rhiwbina RFC / Ebbw Vale RFC (21 caps)
Andrew Quattrin (Holland Landing, ON) – Aurora Barbarians / US Carcassonne (32 caps)
Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach RC / Chicago Hounds (70)
Kyle Steeves (Winnipeg, MB) – Winnipeg Wombats / Blackheath Rugby (11 caps)
Barnaby Waddell (Exeter, ENG) – Okehampton RFC / Camborne RFC (5 caps)
Bryce Worden (Sussex, NB) – Burnaby Lake RFC / West Harbour Rugby Club (3 caps)
BACKS
Nic Benn (Caves Beach, AUS) – Hawkes Bay Magpies (13 caps)
*Jack Gore (Mississauga, ON) – Oakville Crusaders / Wilfrid Laurier University (0 caps)
Jason Higgins (Cork, IRE) – Cork Constitution (32 caps)
Jacob Ince (Oakville, ON) – Guelph Gryphons / Young Munster RFC (5 caps)
Liam James (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / UBCOB Ravens (4 caps)
Spencer Jones (Cambridge, NZ) – Hamilton Old Boys / Nottingham Rugby (19 caps)
Jesse Kilgour (Oro-Medonte, ON) – Barrie RC / Aurora Barbarians (3 caps)
Ben LeSage (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canucks / New England Free Jacks (41 caps)
Josh McIndoe (Victoria, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / UVIC Vikes (2 caps)
Takoda McMullin (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia / Bayside RFC (6 caps)
Isaac Olson (Vernon, BC) – Castaway Wanderers / Ampthill RUFC (8 caps)
*Demetri Patterson (West Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / Capilano RFC (0 caps)
Kyle Tremblay (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / Westshore RFC (8 caps)
*Mitch Voralek (Waterloo, ON) – Waterloo County (0 caps)
Stephen Webb (Toronto, ON) – Balmy Beach RFC / Toronto City RC / University of British Columbia (2 caps)
*Denotes potential debut
STAFF
Stephen Meehan – Head Coach
Kévin Rouet – Assistant Coach
Anthony Mathison – Forwards Coach
Callum Gibbins – Defence Coach
Richard Andrews – HP Program Analyst
John Cunningham – Men’s S&C Coach
Melissa Healy – Therapist
Scott Shannon – Therapist
Ben Motum – Therapist
Dana Flatt – Therapist
Dr. Longland – CMO / Team Doctor
Dr. Hendrik Boshoff – Team Doctor
Neil MacDougall – Manager
Maxine O’Leary – Media Manager