The men’s U20 team are holding a training camp this week Thursday to Sunday at St. George’s school. There is no JWRT this year so the Canadian and USA teams are touring, the USA announced a tour to South Africa and Canada announced they’re touring to Fiji in today’s media release.
We compared our Pacific Pride list from the start of the fall season 2024, 6 have moved on (3 to MLR). There are 9 new players but include 3 returning players, 2 started late in the fall and 1 is returning from previous seasons. There are 3 players from the U18 camps held in 2024, 2 from Ontario universities and 1 from the Welsh Premier.
I have to admit, most of the Canadian rugby community feels sucker punched by Stephen Aboud right now. Instead of hiring Jamie Cudmore, who was the Canadian choice, he went for Australian Steve Meehan. I’ve had a few messages from Canadian rugby fans but as I’ve explained when you hire an American CEO and an Irish High Performance Director, you can’t expect a Canadian solution. Thank the current and previous Rugby Canada Board for that.
It’s the day Canadian rugby supporters have been waiting for. When Canada didn’t make the 2023 Rugby World Cup for the first time in its history, the rugby community expected the coaching situation would be resolved quickly, instead Rugby Canada extended Kingsley Jones’ contract. The USA in contrast immediately removed their coach when they failed to make the World Cup and results have improved dramatically under domestic coach and former Eagle, Scott Lawrence, who understood the infrastructure, the culture and the steps needed to rebuild the USA men’s XVs program.
Canada put in a better effort this week against Romania, but still fell 35-27. It’s the 5th straight loss for Canada in 2024 and renews calls for a coaching change. Canada are projected to fall to 23rd in the world rankings when the ranking are released on Monday.
Chile scored in the first 30 seconds of the match, that pretty well summed up the match. Chile came out with intensity, they kicked long, chased well, swarmed the receiver whose support was slow arriving, the ball popped out of the ruck, several offloads later and they were over, 5-0. The difference in the level of intensity between the two teams was noticeable in that first minute. It looked like Ethan Fryer may have been the one injured in that ruck as he staggered off under assistance. #20 Sion Parry came into the match.
Last year the Canadian Classics team came 4th at the World Rugby Classic in Bermuda. They lost to Ireland in their first match, thumped USA in their second match and lost to South Africa in the Plate final. Argentina would claim 1st and France 2nd. The 2023 match reports are here.
Gone are the days of Canada getting November tour matches against Tier 1 countries, this November Canada #22 get matches with Chile #21 and Romania #20, the two teams ahead of them in the rankings. USA #19 get matches with Portugal #15, Tonga #16, Spain #18. There’s no explanation from Rugby Canada or World Rugby on why Canada only get two tour matches. Chile #21 play Canada #22, Netherlands #27 and a Scotland A side. Uruguay #17 play Spain #18, Japan #14, Romania #20.
The Canada men’s XVs team get two more test matches this year with Romania hosting. First up on November 9th Canada will play Chile, then on November 16th they’ll face the hosts, Romania. The three teams are consecutively ranked from 20th to 22nd in the world.
This was definitely a winnable game for Canada, one feels that with some tweaks and a new head coach, Canada could win the 2025 rematch when it matters. The thought of brothers Kaden and Tyler Duguid in the second row and brothers Takoda and Talon in the centres, mixed with some Canadian pride and motivation in the form of a Canadian head coach, would be the formula for a nudge forward.