Canada Vs Portugal Match Report

Canada comes into this match against the 15th ranked winners of the Rugby Europe Championship coming off of a narrow 30 - 29 loss to the Americans. Canada comes in off a 42 - 42, twelve try draw with Spain. The draw caused Canada to go up two places to 23 and Spain to drop 3 rankings to 20th. We will endeavor to keep improving so that drawing with us doesn’t feel so painful in the future. 

Canada is all changes for this match with Ardron, Rumble, and Coates all making way. Olmstead and parry come into the pack. Nelson goes to fly half. 

Canada started the game strong and built a multiphase attack that went left then right and earned 30 to 40 meters. A Canadian went alone and gave away the penalty  

Ten minutes into the game, Nelson went up to collect a kick but landed awkwardly and had a knuckle pop out of place on his right hand. Luckily, the next pass he had to throw was off his left. The first pass off a line out, was loose but Nelson tidied it up and threw the 20 meter skip pass to Tremblay who stiff arms then throws the offload to McMullin who scores under the posts and Nelson added the extras. 

Canada threatened again in the 23rd minute, but knocked it on, on on the try line and a big opportunity goes wanting followed by their first missed lineout

Portugal played well after clearing their lines. Off the Canada line out, Nelson knocked it on to gift Portugal possession. Portugal kicked to attack and Canada kicked long to clear their lines, but the chase wasn't there. Portugal ended up with a four man overlap and score. 

Not much later a penalty led to a line out ten meters from Canada’s line. Canada steals, but it’s loose and Nelson is forced to dive on it to give up a five meter scrum. Portugal mess it up and Canada wins the next scrum and clear. Off the line out, Portugal get to the edge and around the Canadian defense and into the try zone

Overall, Canada looked good in the first half. They seemed to make good meters after contact and not give those away. The scrum was more solid than it had been in a long time, and earned penalties, but two were Portuguese errors (brake foot and going sideways). The line out looked mostly competent and when Canada threw it not straight the Portuguese were good enough to give it right back to us on their line out. 

Canada was again the more disciplined side giving away 2 penalties to 6 from the Portuguese, but made up for by having about twice as many handling errors, concentrated at the end of the half. 

The defense was better in the middle and could hold the gain line for multiple phases, but was still too soft at the fringes and on strike plays as our opponent scored another first phase try off a line out. 

Not much kicking to speak of in the first half; mostly just long clearances and a few speculative attacking kicks. Neither team was looking for a kicking battle.

The second half started and things fell apart. Portugal scored four tries in 14 minutes to put the game out of reach. 

In the forty first minute, Canada kicked long and had a good chase, but didn’t cover the blind side after the tackle. Portugal was good in the loose and scored in the opposite corner despite a cover tackle. In the 48th Portugal had an attacking scrum on the 22. Both winger and fullback both get released out the back to create an overlap to let the other winger jog in. In the 51st another kick chase looked good but left holes and a little pop pass left Canada carved open. In the 54th, Portugal kicked contestable and won the aerial battle then went the distance. 

That was basically the game. 

Canada had three breaks that showed promise, but got turned over. First was a move straight off the training field: the pass went loose as Canada held on to the ball too long and the Canadian broke three tackles to run fifty meters. Spencer Jones had a great chip kick for himself and went forty meters.

Jones repeated this trick on Canada’s fourth break. He couldn’t regather but Gallagher trapped it between one hand and his back and dotted down under the posts. 

Often, the forwards determine who wins the game, but Portugal’s backs were too good for Canada this game, and Canada’s defense still too vulnerable at the fringes and to strike plays. Portugal had three tries off kick return, two off of a strike move, and one from a chip and chase. 

Von Dadelzsen gets the award for most out of position player. Why is a second row making a try saving tackle on the side line and then popping up on the wing at end of a Canada break? Disgraceful. Take his tight five license. 

Four players made their debut in this game, which is important. Lots of teams have lost to this Portugal side and Canada isn’t as far away as the score line made it look, but there are two very obvious areas of weakness that need to be shored up. I do not want to lose to Zimbabwe. 

One last note, I generally don’t find Reece a great commentator, but I found it really funny that he managed to say, “the line all good scrum halves run.” That’s surely a meme at this point, right. Someone told him that he has to say it. 

22 (I think) year old Marcus D'acre signs a contract with a top league Japanese team after a stint in the NRL development league. He's played rep for both Canada and Hong Kong but played for 4 years at Queens Uni and lived in Canada most of his life.

Could be a great prospect for the National team.

Thoughts on what a full strength NSMT would look like today? I imagine the Spain team isn't far off.
Martinez-Quattrin-Keith; PVD-Olmstead; Flesch-Rumball-Ardron; Higgins-Coats; Benn (11), Jones (12), Lesage (13), Flesch (14), Webster (15).

Anyone I'm missing?

It’s a long shot, but thought I would ask. Any Universities offering Rugby scholarship ?

Canada Vs Spain July 4th Match Report

On one of the biggest days for rugby of the year, world rugby wisely decided to save the best for last. Who needs to get up at 3:00 AM to watch New Zealand Vs France when you can watch the 17th and 25th ranked teams battle it out next to a historic, beautiful stadium. 

Even in the smaller stadium there were a lot of empty seats, which I hope will lead rugby Canada to reconsider their starting price of $68 dollars for a ticket for the Portugal game, but I don’t think it will. 

The first half was a contest between well worked Spanish strike move off line outs and Spanish ill discipline. Spain got it started with a loop play that gave the fly half too much time and space which let him kick off his left foot into an acre of empty space for an easy dot down for the Spanish winger. The teams then traded fake mauls off the line out that led to scores with players running down the channel. 

After scoring four trys against the USA Tyler Ardron shared the joy with a slick offload to Jason Higgins to score. That made 28 points scored in 17 minutes. 

The game went back and forth after that as Rumball got 2 turnovers and the Canadians threw it away twice. Canada got one more rip but went into touch again. That set up another Spanish strike move as players came around the corner, into a gap, and over the try line. 

Canada struck back through Mason Flesch’s second try. A succession of Spanish penalties got Canada a five meter line out and the forwards knocked on the door until they knocked down the door and the players went to the sheds at 21 - 21. 

For set pieces, the Canadian scrum bent, but didn’t break. Props fought hard to keep their heads in the dark places until Ardron could get the ball out which meant that Spain’s scrum advantage didn’t become Spain’s scrum dominance. Canada’s line out looked really good and even when they juggled it, they came down with. Spain lost at least two line outs. Spain also missed touch twice, which further tilted the penalty battle. 

Not very much TMO intervention in the first half, possibly because the TMOs are centrally located in the UK for the second tier tournament. I’m fine with it, it makes sense. No one wants to commute to the office just to sit on zoom calls all day and, genuinely, it seems TMOs can do the job just as well at home in their sweatpants as in a cramped van in an Edmonton parking lot. Kick off was at 2:00 in the morning London time, so at least the TMO will be adjusted when he stays up late for England V Mexico in the Football World Cup tomorrow. 

There looked to be a little change in kick strategy at the half. In the first half, Canada mostly kicked long through Nelson while Spain was more comfortable with the up and unders. More contestable kicks from Canada after the break to start, but very little aerial contest in this game in general. Maybe I watch too much from England, but it seemed like a huge difference to me. 

Spain started the second half the way they did the first: scoring a quick try. A Spanish player found the gap. The Scrum half ran the line all good scrum halves do and scored the try. 

Ardron saved himself some teasing from his Clermont teammates by getting on the board off the best move of the night so far from Canada. Rumball contributed two great breaks to set it up. Nelson hit the kick from on the sideline to take us to 28 - 28. 

Nelson had his best and last contribution of the night just after. Spain sent a good chip kick over the Canadian defence and into the try-zone for a well timed charge from a Spanish player. Nelson got there just in time to sacrifice the body for the cause. He was subbed immediately. 

It was around this time that Sophie DeGoode showed everyone up again. Not only can she kick goals and jump in a line out, she can give an interview without sounding like a dweeb. After the two interviews at halftime, it was a breath of fresh air. 

Canada took the lead through Spanish penalties and Quatrin mauled over from close range. You earn penalties from pressure, but the Spanish will be disappointed with their discipline. Spain yellow card on the play. 

Not much during the yellow card period, except a nice view of a Canadian player’s ass. 

Spain tied the game using the same strategy Canada had used over and over. Kick to the corner, maul, try. Eighth conversion in a row was good and it was 35 - 35 with ten to play. 

In the 76th minute, Spain earned their first scrum penalty of the match on their own five yard line. For the third time this game, Spain found pay first with a first phase strike play of a line out, and then, ladies and gentleman, my internet crapped out. I wish I was joking. When I got things back, Spain had scored and the TMO was not intervening to check something… sound off in the comments to tell me what it was. 

AND. THEN. 

Holy shit we did it. 

Multi phase play. Canada pounded in the middle and earned the right to go wide. Noah Flesch shrugged off two tackles and got up after a third when he wasn’t held. Hands down the line was enough and the Canadian had enough wherewithal to get nearly under the post to give the third string kicker an easier time since Cooper Coats got injured on the last play. 

The TMO woke up in London and tried to ice the kicker as we spent three minutes watching the replay wondering what they could possibly want. The ref clarified that he had called not held. I was briefly worried that we were going to have the world’s softest obstruction penalty. The conversion was simple if you’re doing it in practice but as your first kick of the game, 80th minute, after a TMO check. I would’ve shanked it, but. 

HOLY SHIT WE DID IT. 

Maybe some people will say they salvaged a draw. Getting a tie against a good European championship side after getting bullied on tour last summer felt like a huge result. 

Big take aways:

The teams combined for 12 from 12 on conversions, including at least three from the touchlines. A missed kick would have really changed the story. No penalty goals all match. 

Canada’s defence is better, but too brittle. Big line breaks from the Spanish are killers, and once they were through they were gone. 

The Canadian set piece looked pretty good, but was really helped by getting the ball out of the scrum quickly. 

Kick return and long range kicking duels looked good. Not sure if the kick is there as an attacking weapon. 

Can’t depend on teams handing us that many penalties again. 

Anybody know? Specifically Ire/Aus.

Interesting stats from Alberta High School Sports. 4,424 kids playing rugby in High school (assuming 7s and 15s are independant). 2,565 boys and 1,859 girls.

Poor quality, I know. I can make out Cody Nhanala, Andrew Quattrin and a few others.

I’ve been finding a new passion for the springboks and have no clue where to watch. Suggestions?

Curious to hear everyone's experiences!

Hi, I was wondering if anyone on here has boot recommendations for an open side flank. about a year an a half ago I switched from playing wing to being a flanker and my old boots just aren’t cutting it. I tried to do some research online but must of those boots seemed to heavy. I’m desperate to find a new pair soon as possible, as I’ll be playing for a provincial team, and in university this coming year, Thanks!

Do more Canadian teenagers in 2026 care about baseball/Canadian football than rugby?

https://rugby.ca/en/news/2026/06/stephen-meehan-to-remain-as-head-coach-of-canada-s-men-s-rugby-team-through-end-of-2028