By Priscilla Jepchumba
The head coach of the Canada Men’s Rugby Team, Kingsley Jones, has officially announced the squad lineup for their upcoming Pacific Nations Cup showdown against the United States.
The highly anticipated match is set to kick off on Saturday, August 31 at 6:00 pm PT / 9:00 pm ET at the iconic Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California.
This clash carries immense importance as it will determine Canada’s opponents in the highly anticipated playoffs in Tokyo on September 14.
In their recent encounter with Japan, Canada faced a 55-28 defeat but secured a bonus point thanks to stellar performances from Andrew Coe, team captain Lucas Rumball, and the outstanding McMullin twins.
Notably, Takoda McMullin is poised to make his first starting appearance for the team, with Andrew Coe taking on the full-back role.
This match not only signifies Canada’s long-awaited return to California, marking the first visit since 2018, but also serves as a pivotal meeting with the United States following the split results of two crucial Rugby World Cup qualification matches in 2021.
Canada’s head coach, Kingsley Jones emphasized the importance of selecting the lineup ahead of the planned match and spoke of the need to start the game on a high note following their defeat against Japan.
“We’ve spoken a lot about how we need and want to start our matches better,” said Jones.
The match against the USA will be very crucial for Canada, determining their next position and arming them ahead of Japan’s play-offs and Rugby World Cup qualification.
“Saturday’s match against the United States is not just another opportunity for us to measure ourselves against a good team, but an important contest that will dictate our position heading into the play-offs in Japan,” he added.
Kingsley Jones said, “This type of high-stakes match will be good preparation for next year when we will face the United States in the Pacific Nations Cup in a match that will help determine direct Rugby World Cup qualification”.
Canada’s journey in international rugby began in 1932 with an exhilarating match against Japan. Since then, Canadian rugby has been making its mark on the world stage.
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Publish date : 2024-08-29 13:00:00
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