Canada national rugby union team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canada
Union	Rugby Canada
Nickname(s)	Canucks
Coach	Ric Suggitt
Team colours		Change colours
First international
Japan 9 - 8 Canada (31 January 1932)
Largest win
Barbados 3 - 71 Canada (24 June 2006)
Worst defeat
England 70 - 0 Canada (13 November 2004)
World Cup
Appearances	5 (First in 1987)
Best result	Quarter Finals, 1991

The Canadian national rugby union team represent Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada compete in competitions such as the Churchill Cup and the Rugby World Cup. The sheer size of Canada means that talent is scattered across the country making the job of coaches and selectors very difficult. The climate is also unfavourable for playing rugby union for much of the year in most parts of the country.

Canada have been playing international rugby since the early 1930s, making their debut in 1932 against Japan. Canada have competed at every World Cup since the tournament was first staged in 1987. Canada achieved thus far their best result at the World Cup in 1991, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Contents 1 Stadium 2 History 2.1 Early years 2.2 Post-World War I 2.3 Modern era 3 World Cup 4 International record 5 Current squad 6 Famous players 7 Upcoming fixtures 7.1 2006 European tour 7.2 2007 June Tests 7.3 2007 World Cup 8 Recent results 8.1 2006 Churchill Cup 8.2 World Cup qualifying 8.3 2006 European tour 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Stadium

The national team currently does not have a permanent home stadium and as such play their matches at various locations across the country. BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario has been proposed as the national team's home stadium, even though it cannot provide a suitable rugby climate year-round. However, rumours have the national team playing out of the proposed Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia when (and if) it is completed. Vancouver has a considerably milder winter climate than the bulk of the country.

[edit] History

[edit] Early years

In 1874 when the first North American international game took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts between McGill and Harvard universities. Later that same year a second game was played, but this time Harvard were the hosts, and the game was played with early "American Football" rules. Today, in carrying on the oldest annual sporting competition in North America, McGill University and Harvard University continue the tradition of competing for the Covo Cup, at alternating venues each November, using the original rules of rugby football. McGill University can therefore lay claim to being the oldest rugby club in Canada, but due to rugby's popularity among students and the McGill University Rugby Football Club's affiliation with the university, the claim as the oldest independent rugby club goes to the, still active, Westmount Rugby Football Club.

A Canadian Rugby Football Union was established in 1884, although this organisation went on to become the Canadian Football League, as rugby football in Canada evolved into Canadian football. In 1902–1903 the first Canadian team toured Britain. In 1909, Lord Earl Grey, then Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to the CRU to be awarded for the Rugby Football Championship of Canada. This trophy became known as the Grey Cup. However the rules used in Canada were vastly different to the rules used in countries that were part of the IRB. In the years that followed, the CRU would legalise forward passing and make other changes that would make Canadian football a totally different sport.

[edit] Post-World War I

During World War I and II rugby union was suspended but in the inter-war period there was something of a renaissance. In 1919 a Canadian Services team played overseas against representatives from England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. The formation of the Rugby Union of Canada took place in 1929 and this was followed by a tour of Japan by a Canadian representative side in 1932 to help foster trade between the two countries. About half the team were Canadian born (mostly British Columbia players) and the rest were originally from Britain. They lost 9-8 and 38-5 in the two test matches.

The original Canadian Rugby Union disbanded just before World War I. Canada's team to the United Kingdom in 1962 was dominated by British Columbia players. The Rugby Union of Canada was re-formed in 1965 as the Canadian Rugby Union. The 1966 British Lions played a non-cap match in Toronto on their way back from Australia and New Zealand, a match they won 19-8.

[edit] Modern era

At the inaugural World Cup in 1987 they managed only one win against Tonga. The Canadian national team put in some strong performances over the past decade or so as high-tide marks for performance. In the 1991 Rugby World Cup they beat Fiji and Romania before narrowly losing 19-13 to France in the pool stage, they went out in the quarter-final of the 1991 World Cup 29-13 to New Zealand in Lille.

They famously beat Wales at Cardiff Arms Park, France in Canada 18-16; achieved a 27-27 draw against Ireland in 2000, and a 26-23 win against Scotland in Vancouver in 2002. The win over Scotland was the start of a series of seven victories before losing to Wales in Cardiff and France in Paris.

Canada managed only one win in both the 1995 Rugby World Cup (against Romania) and the 1999 Rugby World Cup (against Namibia). They also won the now defunct Pacific Rim tournament three years in succession in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Since 2003 Canada has played host to the Churchill Cup, but has yet to make the final. In 2004 and 2005 they replaced China in the Super Powers Cup.

Like all second and third tier nations the Canadians have had problems having these players available for important games. As a consequence Canada has slipped out of the top 10 rugby union nations, but has never-the-less provided top class players such as Dan Baugh, Rod Snow, Mike James, Colin Yukes, Dave Lougheed and Jamie Cudmore to teams in England, Wales and France. The Canadians qualified for their fifth world cup in a row, the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Their sole win was a 24-7 result against Tonga.

Canada has completed the qualification process for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. They were in a 3-team group (Canada, USA, Barbados). Each played the other once. On June 24, 2006, Canada defeated Barbados 71-3, in Barbados. Canada achieved a record win over the USA in the match at Newfoundland on August 12, 2006, defeating the USA 56-7 in front of a capacity crowd, player James Pritchard scored a national record 36 points with three tries, six conversions and three penalties in the match. The win assured Canada of a place in the 2007 World Cup^[1] as Americas 2 in Pool B. This came after a Canadian team won the NA4 and the national team beat the US earlier in the year in the Churchill Cup.

[edit] World Cup

Canada were one of the 16 nations that were invited by the International Rugby Board (IRB) to compete at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand. Canada were grouped with Wales, Ireland and Tonga in Pool 2. In their first ever World Cup match they defeated Tonga 37 points to 4. However they lost their subsequent matches 46-19 to Ireland and 40-9 to Wales, and finished third in the pool (not advancing to the finals). Canada had to qualify for the 1991 World Cup, and took part in the Americas tournaments to do so. Canada finished first in the final standings, qualifying into Pool D, alongside France, Romania and Fiji. Canada only lost their fixture against France (by only 5 points), and finished second in the pool, advancing to the quarter-finals. They were however then knocked out by the All Blacks, 29 points to 13.

As they were quarter finalists in 1991, they automatically qualified for the 1995 World Cup. They were in Pool A with the hosts South Africa, defending champions Australia, and Romania. Canada finished third in the pool, winning their match against Romania but losing 27-11 to Australia and 20-nil to the Springboks.

Canada finished second in Round 4 of the Americas 1999 Rugby World Cup qualifying, losing only to Argentina, and qualify for the World Cup. Canada finished third in their pool (with France, Fiji and Namibia), winning their match against Namibia but losing their other two fixtures. Canada qualified as Americas 1, finishing at the top of Round 4 Americas tournaments, winning five of their six fixtures to enter the 2003 World Cup in Australia. Canada won one match during their pool fixtures, but lost their games against Italy, Wales and the All Blacks.

[edit] International record

Overall v other nations
Nation	Games	Won	Lost	Drawn
Argentina	8	2	6	0
Australia	5	0	5	0
Barbados	1	1	0	0
British and Irish Lions	1	0	1	0
Chile	2	2	0	0
England	6	0	6	0
Fiji	7	2	5	0
France	7	1	6	0
Hong Kong	6	5	1	0
Ireland	3	0	2	1
Italy	5	2	3	0
Japan	17	8	9	0
Namibia	1	1	0	0
New Zealand	3	0	3	0
New Zealand Maori	2	0	2	0
Romania	3	2	1	0
Samoa	2	0	2	0
Scotland	3	1	2	0
South Africa	2	0	2	0
Tonga	5	3	2	0
United States	41	29	11	1
Uruguay	7	6	1	0
Wales	8	1	7	0

[edit] Current squad

Squad for Wales/Italy tour:

Aaron Carpenter - Brantford Harlequins Adam Kleeberger - University of Victoria Ander Monro - Edinburgh Rugby Brodie Henderson - Pertemps Bees Dan Pletch - Oakville Crusaders David Spicer - University of Victoria Dean Van Camp - Velox Valhallians Derek Daypuck - Castaway-Wanderers DTH Van Der Merwe - James Bay AA Ed Fairhurst - Cardiff Blues Forrest Gainer - SC Albi Aaron Abrams - Castaway-Wanderers James Prichard - Bedford Blues Josh Jackson - Stade Bordelais Justin Mensah-Coker - SC Albi

Kevin Tkachuk - Glasgow Warriors Luke Tait - Rugby Parma F.C. Mark Lawson - Velox-Valhallians Mike Burak - Pau Mike Pletch - Oakville Crusaders Mike Pyke - Edinburgh Rugby Mike Webb - Swilers Morgan Williams - SC Albi Oliver Atkinson - Stade Bordelais Pat Riordan - Burnaby Lake Ryan Smith - US Montauban Sean-Michael Stephen - AS Béziers Stan McKeen - Cornish Pirates Stu Ault - Barrhaven Scottish

[edit] Famous players

Dan Baugh Mark Cardinal Al Charron Jamie Cudmore Glen Ennis Norm Hadley Mike James Dave Lougheed Gareth Rees

Bobby Ross Rod Snow Winston Stanley Christian Stewart John Tait Kevin Tkachuk Morgan Williams Nik Witkowski Colin Yukes

[edit] Upcoming fixtures

[edit] 2006 European tour

• 25 November, Italy at Fontanafredda Municipal Stadium, Pordenone

[edit] 2007 June Tests

• 16 June, All Blacks at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

[edit] 2007 World Cup

• 9 September, Wales at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes
• 16 September, Fiji at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff
• 25 September, (Asia 1) at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux
• 29 September, Australia at Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux

[edit] Recent results

[edit] 2006 Churchill Cup

• 7 June, 10-15 loss to Scotland A at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Ottawa
• 15 July, 41-11 loss to England Saxons at York University, in Toronto
• 29 July, 33-18 win over United States at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton

[edit] World Cup qualifying

• 24 June 3-69 win over Barbados in Bridgetown, Barbados
• 12 August 12 56-7 win over United States in St. John's

[edit] 2006 European tour

• 17 November, 61-26 loss to Wales at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

[edit] See also

• Rugby union in Canada
• Rugby Canada
• Super Powers Cup
• Churchill Cup
• Rugby Canada Super League
• Canada national rugby union team (sevens)
• Canadian football

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rugby Canada's Home Page
• Canadian rugby union news from Planet Rugby
• Canadian rugby world cup news from theRugbyWorldCup.co.uk