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CTV News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
New Canada rugby coach Stephen Meehan looks to play a more expansive game
Canada's Lucas Rumball (7) scores a try during the second half of men's 15s international rugby action against Spain in Ottawa, on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Flanker Rumball will lead a Canada team drawn almost entirely from Major League Rugby sides on Saturday against sixth-ranked Scotland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Stephen Meehan names first roster as Canada coach for Belgian test in Edmonton
Rugby Canada will kick off the season with 2 games against Belgium and Spain. Captain Lucas Rumball and Edmonton's own Brock Gallagher speak with Kent Morrison. Rugby Canada will kick off the season with 2 games against Belgium and Spain. Captain Lucas Rumball and Edmonton's own Brock Gallagher speak with Kent Morrison. Cooper Coats will make his first start at fly half while fullback Brenden Black earns his first 15s cap when Canada hosts Belgium on Saturday in Stephen Meehan's first game as Canadian rugby coach. Appointed in December, Meehan officially started in April. The 59-year-old Australian succeeds Kingsley Jones, who stepped down in December after seven years at the helm. After No. 23 Belgium, the 24th-ranked Canadians face No. 16 Spain on July 18, also at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton. The Belgians are coming off a 36-17 loss Saturday to the 15th-ranked United States in Charlotte, N.C. The Americans host Spain on Saturday, also in Charlotte. Coats, who has earned the majority of his 17 caps at fullback, will partner scrum half Brock Gallagher. Black, who played for the Canadian sevens side earlier this year, could be joined by debutant Kyle Tremblay who starts on the bench. Twelve of the starters are with Major League Rugby clubs including five from the three-time champion New England Free Jacks and three from the Chicago Hounds. Flanker Lucas Rumball, one of the Hounds, continues as captain under Meehan with New England hooker Andrew Quattrin appointed vice-captain. Veteran centre Ben Lesage, vice-captain under Jones, has been ruled out of the Belgium match as he recovers from an injury sustained in the June 28 MLR championship game. Talon McMullin, who made his debut in July 2024 in a 73-12 loss to No. 7 Scotland in Ottawa and scored his first international try in a 55-28 loss to No. 12 Japan in Vancouver last August, starts at inside centre. McMullin's twin brother Takoda also made his debut in the Scotland loss, becoming the 500th men's player to earn a cap for Canada. 'We've been really pleased with our week of preparation,' Meehan said in a statement. 'The players have trained very hard and that has created a lot of energy and healthy competition as they've all tried to earn a spot in the matchday 23. Belgium will challenge us right across the pitch, but we are well prepared.' The Canadian men have not played since a pair of November losses in Bucharest to No. 21 Romania (35-27) and No. 20 Chile (44-14). The other Free Jacks in the starting 15 are Cole Keith, Piers Von Dadelszen, Isaac Olsen and Josiah Morra. Foster Dewitt and Kyle Steeves are among the replacements. Rumball is joined by Chicago teammates Matt Oworu and Noah Flesch with Jason Higgins on the bench to start. The Edmonton tests are a warmup for the Pacific Nations Cup, which doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 World Cup. Canada opens Pacific Nations Cup play Aug. 25 against Japan on Aug. 25 in Vancouver before facing the U.S. on Aug 31 in Carson, Calif. The six-country tournament also features No. 9 Fiji, No. 13 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, who will play in a separate pool. Each team will play two pool games before taking part in a final placement match. The top three teams will book their ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Australia. But given Fiji and Japan have already qualified through their performance at the last World Cup, a top-five finish would do it for Canada if Fiji and Japan finish above it. Should Canada fail to qualify via the Pacific Nations Cup, it will still have two more chances to make the World Cup field, via a playoff with the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby Championship runner-up and, finally, a four-team repechage tournament. Canada failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, the first time it has missed the sport's showcase, after losing two-legged qualifying series to the U.S. (59-50 on aggregate) and Chile (54-46). Canada Roster Calixto Martinez, White Rock, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Cole Keith, Sussex, N.B., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Piers Von Dadelszen, Vancouver, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Izzak Kelly, White Rock, B.C., Capilano RFC; Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., RFC LA (MLR); Lucas Rumball (capt.), Toronto, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Matt Oworu, Calgary, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Brock Gallagher, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Cooper Coats, Halifax, NOLA Gold (MLR); Josiah Morra, Toronto, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Talon McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC; Noah Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Isaac Olson, Vernon, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Brenden Black, Oakville, Ont., University of Guelph. Replacements Dewald Kotze, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Foster Dewitt, Courtenay, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Kyle Steeves, Winnipeg, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Callum Botchar, Vancouver, NOLA Gold (MLR); Siôn Parry, Cardiff, Wales, Ebbw Vale RFC (Wales); Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dungannon RFC (Northern Ireland); Kyle Tremblay, White Rock, B.C., Pacific Pride. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada men to open Rugby World Cup qualifying against U.S. in Calgary in August
Canada will take the first step towards the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup with a game against the U.S. on Aug. 22 in Calgary to open the Pacific Nations Cup. The Canadian men are currently ranked 24th in the world, compared to No. 15 for the U.S. Eagles. The six-team Pacific Nations Cup, which also features No. 9 Fiji, No. 13 Japan, No. 14 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, will send three sides to the 2027 World Cup in Australia. But given Fiji and Japan have already qualified by virtue of their performance at the 2023 tournament, a top-five finish would do it for Canada if Fiji and Japan finish above it. Lucas Rumball of Canada, center, runs to score a try against Tonga during a the Pacific Nations Cup match at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Canada will play Japan in Sendai on Aug. 30. The Pacific Nations Cup semifinals and fifth-versus-sixth game are scheduled for Sept. 14 in Denver with the championship and third-place game set for Sept. 20 in Salt Lake City. The 2027 World Cup features an expanded 24-team field, up from 20 last year in France. The game at McMahon Stadium will be the Canadian men's third match in Alberta this summer following two in Edmonton in July against No. 22 Belgium and No. 16 Spain. Those games will mark the debut of Australian coach Steve Meehan. Canada lost 28-15 to the U.S. the last time they met, at the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup in Los Angeles last August. Should Canada fail to qualify via the Pacific Nations Cup, it will still have two more chances to make the World Cup field, via a playoff with the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby Championship runner-up and, finally, a four-team repechage tournament. Canada failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, the first time it has missed the sport's showcase, after losing two-legged qualifying series to the U.S. (59-50 on aggregate) and Chile (54-46). Defending champion South Africa, France, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, Australia, England, Argentina and Japan have already qualified for the '27 World Cup by virtue of finishing top three in their pool last year in France. In addition to the three teams from the Pacific Nations Cup, other qualifiers will come from the top four teams from the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship, the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup champion, the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship winner and the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby Championship winner. Another qualifier will come from a playoff between the 2025 South American runner-up and the bottom team from the Pacific Nations Cup (not including Fiji and Japan). Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up The final entry will be determined via a four-team round-robin final qualification tournament featuring the third-place team from the 2025 Sudamerica Rugby Championship, the South America/Pacific playoff loser, the fifth-place team from the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship and the winner of a playoff between the runners-up from the 2025 Rugby Africa and Asia Rugby championships. The 2023 World Cup was the first to feature three South American teams in No. 5 Argentina, No. 17 Uruguay and No. 23 Chile. The region now has its own direct qualifier spot rather than competing with Canada and the U.S. for the Americas 1 and 2 spots. The new World Cup format feature six pools of four teams, with a round of 16 added before the quarterfinals. World Rugby says that means the tournament will be shortened from seven to six weeks. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025
