Canada v Japan – September 5th 2026

Japan 31 – Canada 7 at the Half: Final 57-12 for Japan

Not much to say, the game was over by the half. Takoda McMullin had some good moments and scored the first try. Izzak Kelly had a few strong runs. Canada gifted a couple of tries to Japan from simple errors. Japan dominated the scrums and lineouts. Disappointing overall, the last two results against Japan were -42 and -27, this -45 speaks for itself. The match commentary is below from last night and the Rugby Canada summary article published this morning.

Rugby Canada Summary Day After

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team falls 57-12 to Japan in the union’s 100th anniversary match this Saturday. 18,000 fans came out to celebrate the historic moment between the two countries who share a long and well-respected rugby history.

FIRST HALF

Japan’s relentless pace and set-piece power proved troublesome for the Canadians in the opening 40 minutes, taking a 31-7 half-time lead over Canada.

Early Canadian errors put Japan on the attack immediately, with prop Takato Okabe driving over from a rolling maul in the 5th minute to open the scoring. Japan maintained pressure through precise lineouts, setting up hooker Mamoru Harada for their second try at the 15-minute mark, converted by Takuro Matsunaga for a 12-0 lead.

Canada answered back in the 19th minute quick passing amongst the backs which eventually set up Takoda McMullin to hit a gap and get across the line to get Canada on the board. McMullin would convert his own try, trimming the deficit to 7-12.

Japan responded instantly. Ben Gunter crossed over in the 22nd minute off a quick lineout attack, followed shortly by centre Yuya Hirose exploiting a scrambling Canadian defense in the 27th minute to make it 24-7. Just before the break, Japan relentless offence executed six phases to eventually find Kanji Shimokawa to get it over the line. This final play would send both squads into the locker rooms with a 31-7 lead for Japan following Matsunaga’s third successful conversion.

SECOND HALF

Japan picked up right where they left off to open the second half, capitalizing on an early Canadian knock-on to set up Harada for his second try of the match. Matsunaga added the conversion to stretch the lead to 38-7.

Despite Canada earning deep territory off a penalty, Japan’s defense held firm—highlighted by a lineout steal in their own 5-meter zone. Japan immediately turned the pressure back on Canada, and after a short-range push fell just inches short, Harry Hockings pounced on an overthrown Canadian lineout to slice through for a 58th-minute try.

Canada responded two minutes later when a quick penalty tap-and-go from captain Lucas Rumball, who found Mason Flesch in full steam who then found Ben LeSage on the wing with a diving try to make it 12-43 in the 60th minute.

Japan closed out the match with relentless attacking waves. Takumi Inaba finished off a blitzing phase-play drive in the 77th minute, followed by a final try from Tadhg Costley—confirmed via TMO review—as time expired. With two conversions from Sam Greene, Japan sealed a 57-12 victory over Canada.

MILESTONES

Bryce Worden and Jamie Armstrong earned their first caps for Canada against Japan with veteran Ben LeSage earning his 40th cap.

CANADA SCORING SUMMARY

Tries: Takoda McMullin (18′), Ben LeSage (60′)
Conversions: Takoda McMullin (1C)

QUOTES

“I think we wanted to have a good crack at it today and to try new things and to not be afraid to make mistakes. We have a lot to look at in terms of set piece and detail, but I’m proud of the boys for putting in this effort,” said captain Lucas Rumball.

In response to what he hopes the team can improve in for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup beginning next weekend, “I think we have a lot to do on the set pieces, on the forward side of the ball. Then we need to keep growing and keep being confident in the risks we take.
I think it pays off when we do that.”

In response to the “kind of team” Canada hopes to prepare going into the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup next year, Head Coach Stephen Meehan replied “We’ll keep working on our fundamentals as much as we can. With a few more weeks in Japan—which we’re looking forward to, the team will continue to work on all aspects of their play and through to the end of the year to get a better idea of where we’re at.

This is a long program, and we’ll continue to use our time together to identify where we need to be to ensure we’re in a good place for Australia next year.”

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will now turn its focus to the Pacific Nations Cup, facing Fiji in the semi-final match on Saturday September 12, 2026 in Osaka.

2026 PACIFIC NATIONS CUP SCHEDULE

Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team vs Fiji – Pacific Nations Cup
Saturday September 12, 2026
4:00pm Local / 12:00am PT (September 11) / 3:00am ET
Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka

Third Place Play-Off – Pacific Nations Cup
Saturday September 19, 2026
4:00pm Local / 12:00am PT (September 18) / 3:00am ET
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo

Final – Pacific Nations Cup
Saturday September 19, 2026
7:05pm Local / 3:05am PT / 6:05am ET
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo

Match Commentary During Game

2nd half summary

75′ Japan score one more try, 50-12, final score, no wait, they score another at the whistle, 57-12 final.

65′ Game has long been over as a contest, Japan scrum still dominating but no scoring, 43-12.

60′ Canada shoot themselves in the foot again, overthrow their lineout when on their own 5 metres. Japan second row says thanks mate and falls over the line, 43-7. Rumball has enough and finally gets angry, steals a ball, quick taps and it gets out to Ben LeSage for the try, 43-12.

55′ Play goes back and forth, Canada defence firming up a bit, no scoring, still 38-7.

50′ Canada get a spell of possession inside the Japan 22 but can’t convert into points. Still 38-7. Dewald Kotze, Emerson Prior and Jamie Armstrong sub on.

45′ Canada not playing smart rugby at all, they try running it out from the kickoff, drop the ball, Japan score. It’s just basic rugby IQ to clear the ball inside your 22, especially when you’re out gunned in the speed department, 38-7.

1st Half Summary

The Canadian forwards are getting out played, especially in the set pieces. A lot of players looking invisible and their names are rarely called. Takoda McMullin stood out and Izzak Kelly had a few strong runs. The attacking ball looks slow, we’ll see if there are any surprises in the reserves when they come on.

40′ Japan score at the half time whistle, lots of offloads, maybe a forward pass or two, but it doesn’t get called and it’s a score on the outside, converted, 31-7.

35′ No scoring but Takoda McMullin, the Canada player of the first half, full of confidence runs the ball out from inside the 22 and creates an attacking opportunity. It eventually gets knocked on but he’s one of the few Canadian players who is an attacking threat.

30′ Another try by Japan off a lineout but this time from the backline, a couple of Canadian defenders frozen and it’s a jaunt under the posts, 24-7.

25′ Japan score their 3rd lineout/maul try from 5 metres out. Canada dinged at the scrum again for the penalty, 17-7.

20′ Takoda McMullin scores a try out of nothing, absorbing the first hit then using footwork to beat defenders and score under the posts. Great individual effort by McMullin, converts his own try 12-7.

15′ Another maul try by Japan, a lazy defender gets called offside, Japan go for the 5 metre lineout and as before slice through a weak Canada maul defence. 12-0.

10′ Canada are staying in the game, a couple of line breaks by Izzak Kelly give go forward ball, a successful lineout after two fails, a scrum that didn’t earn a penalty. The backline are scrambling on defence but containing Japan, Ben LeSage wins a penalty on a poached ball, assisted by Isaac Olson.

5′ It took Japan five minutes to score their first try. Canada started very tentatively, a missed tackle by veteran Lucas Rumball to start the match, a botched clearance kick, a not straight call on their first lineout and a penalty on their first scrum. Japan took the penalty to a 5 metre lineout and sliced through the Canada maul defence.

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Meehan Names Match 23 for Japan Clash on Saturday (Friday Evening in BC)

UPDATE: Cooper Coats Out, Spencer Jones starts at #10, Jacob Ince in reserves at #22

Canada will kick off their three September matches on Saturday in Japan, Friday evening if you’re on the west coast. It’s a Canada team missing some key players like Tyler Ardron, Evan Olmstead, Andrew Quattrin, Cali Martinez, Cole Keith, Piers Von Dadelszen, Peter Nelson. It’s going to be a tough battle against a Japan team just coming off two matches against Australia, one of them a blowout loss but one a close 3 point loss. That close loss was at home.

As we predicted in a previous article, some of the selections were a given, Miller and Steeves at props, Kelly in the second row, Rumball and Flesch in the loose forwards, Coats at flyhalf, Lesage in the centres, Tremblay on the wing and McMullin at fullback. Some of the selections surprised us Dewitt instead of Kotze at starting hooker, Doyle instead of Botchar in the second row, Parry instead of Fryer at openside flanker, Kilgour instead of Higgins at scrum half, James instead of Olson on the wing, and Olson instead of Jones in the centres. Two players are set to get their first cap Bryce Worden at prop and Jamie Armstrong in the backs.

Japan are going to play an expansive, high tempo game and we’ll see if Canada can keep up for the 80 minutes. Japan are resting a couple of their 1st string players Warner Dearns and Michael Leitch but there are 14 players returning from their last match against Australia, plus one from their first match. There are eight new players most in the reserves but two starting in the backline, #12 and #14.

The coverage on TSN hasn’t been announced yet but outside Canada rugbypass.tv has it schedule for 10:45 pm PT on Friday. Based on Japan’s latest form, their home game, and the missing Canada players, if Canada can keep it within 20 points it would be somewhat of a victory. The last two results were 57-15 (-42) and 55-28 (-27). What’s your prediction for Saturday?

Canada

1. Sam Miller (Mount Denson, NS) – Valley Rugby Union / Benfica SL (7 caps)
2. Foster DeWitt (Courtenay, BC) – Westshore RFC / Peñarol Rugby (7 caps)
3. Kyle Steeves (Winnipeg, MB) – Winnipeg Wombats / Hunter Wildfires (8 caps)
4. Daragh Doyle (Québec City, QC) – Clontarf FC (2 caps)
5. Izzak Kelly (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC / SL Benfica (16 caps)
6. Mason Flesch (Cobourg, ON) – Cobourg Saxons / Chicago Hounds (23 caps)
7. Siôn Parry (Cardiff, WAL) – Rhiwbina RFC / Ebbw Vale RFC (19 caps)
8. Lucas Rumball (Scarborough, ON) – Balmy Beach Rugby Club / Chicago Hounds (67 caps)
9. Jesse Kilgour (Oro-Medonte, ON) – Barrie RC / Aurora Barbarians (1 cap)
10. Cooper Coats (Halifax, NS) – Halifax Tars RFC / UVIC Vikes (23 caps)
11. Liam James (Vancouver, BC) – University of British Columbia / UBCOB Ravens (2 caps)
12. Ben LeSage (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canucks / New England Free Jacks (39 caps)
13. Isaac Olson (Vernon, BC) – Castaway Wanderers (7 caps)
14. Kyle Tremblay (White Rock, BC) – Bayside RFC (7 caps)
15. Takoda McMullin (White Rock, BC) – University of British Columbia / Bayside RFC (7 caps)

Reserves

16. Dewald Kotze (Edmonton, AB) – Strathcona Druids RFC / Rotherham Titans (15 caps)
17. Emerson Prior (Brockville, ON) – Brockville Privateers / Westshore RFC (8 caps)
18. *Bryce Worden (Sussex, NB) – Burnaby Lake RFC / West Harbour Rugby Club (0 caps)
19. Barnaby Waddell (Exeter, ENG) – Okehampton RFC / Camborne RFC (2 caps)
20. Cody Nhanala (Ottawa, Ontario) – University of British Columbia (2 caps)
21. Jason Higgins (Cork, IRE) – Cork Constitution (30 caps)
22. Spencer Jones (Cambridge, NZ) – Hamilton Old Boys (17 caps)
23. *Jamie Armstrong (Ottawa, ON) – Ottawa Irish (0 caps)

Japan

1 Takato OKABE
2 Mamoru HARADA
3 Shuhei TAKEUCHI
4 Jack CORNELSEN
5 Harry HOCKINGS
6 Ben GUNTER
7 Kanji SHIMOKAWA
8 Faulua MAKISI
9 Naoto SAITO (C)
10 Ryunosuke ITO
11 Haruto KIDA
12 Yuya HIROSE
13 Dylan RILEY
14 Inoke BURUA
15 Takuro MATSUNAGA

Reserves

16 Kenji SATO
17 Sojiro OTSUKA
18 Takumi INABA
19 Michael STOLBERG
20 Esei Ha’angana
21 Tiennan COSTLEY
22 Kenta FUKUDA
23 Sam GREENE

Japan just came off two matches against Australia, first a close 35-32 loss at home, and then a blowout loss 56-17 in Australia. Comparing the Japan squad against Canada to the one that lost to Australia in Australia, there are 14 players returning, and 9 new players although some played in the first Australia match like Kanji SHIMOKAWA at openside flanker. They are resting a couple of their big names Warner Dearns and Michael Leitch.

Players Retained from the Australia Game for the Canada Lineup (14 Players)

Takato OKABE (Started at #1)
Shuhei TAKEUCHI (Started at #3)
Ben GUNTER (Started at #6)
Naoto SAITO (Started at #9, captain against Canada)
Ryunosuke ITO (Started at #10)
Haruto KIDA (Started at #11)
Dylan RILEY (Started at #13)
Takuro MATSUNAGA (Started at #15)
Harry HOCKINGS (#4 vs Australia – Moved to #5)
Faulua MAKISI (#8 vs Australia – #8 vs Canada)
Jack CORNELSEN (Bench #19 vs Australia – Promoted to Start #4)
Mamoru HARADA (Bench #16 vs Australia – Promoted to Start #2)
Tiennan COSTLEY (Started #7 vs Australia – Moved to Bench #21)
Sojiro OTSUKA (Bench #17 both games)

New Additions to the Squad for the Canada Game (9 Players)

Kanji SHIMOKAWA (Inserted into the Starting lineup at #7, was in Game 1 vs Australia)
Yuya HIROSE (Inserted into the Starting lineup at #12)
Inoke BURUA (Inserted into the Starting lineup at #14)
Kenji SATO (Added to Bench #16)
Takumi INABA (Added to Bench #18)
Michael STOLBERG (Added to Bench #19)
Esei Ha’angana (Added to Bench #20)
Kenta FUKUDA (Added to Bench #22)
Sam GREENE (Added to Bench #23)

from Rugby Canada

Canada Men’s Rugby Team Head Coach Stephen Meehan has named his match day roster for Canada’s upcoming test against Japan, as the two nations meet in Niigata City as part of celebrations marking the Japan Rugby Football Union’s (JRFU) 100th anniversary.

Canada and Japan will kick off on Saturday September 5 at 2:50 p.m. JST / 10:50 p.m. PT (Sept. 4) / 1:50 a.m. ET in Niigata City at Denka Big Swan Stadium.

Lucas Rumball returns to the captaincy and will lead Canada for the 37th time, earning his 68th cap for the Men’s Rugby Team.

Veteran back Ben LeSage returns to the squad, making his first appearance for Canada since the team’s Pacific Nations Cup match against Japan on August 30, 2025, when Canada fell to the Brave Blossoms 57-15 and is set to earn his 40^th cap. Isaac Olson will also make his return last appearing for Canada against the United States in August 2025.

Jesse Kilgour earns his first start after battling back from multiple injuries following his international debut in November 2024 against Romania. Daragh Doyle, Foster DeWitt, Kyle Steeves, and Liam James will also make their first starts for Canada.

Bryce Worden and Jamie Armstrong could come off the bench and make their international debuts on Saturday.

Worden, from Sussex, New Brunswick, represents Burnaby Lake RFC and West Harbour RC. Armstrong, from Ottawa, Ontario, attended the University of Ottawa and represents the Ottawa Irish, having made his Canada Sevens debut in 2025.

Canada and Japan first met in test rugby in 1932. The two nations have since faced one another 27 times, with Canada earning seven victories. The sides have also famously played to two draws, both at the Rugby World Cup, in 2007 and 2011.

Tickets for Canada’s Match vs Japan are available here.

Further information on TSN broadcasting will be made available shortly.