Canada expects physical challenge against Spain in Ottawa rugby test

After blanking Belgium 45-0 on the weekend in Halifax, the Canadian men's rugby team faces a step up in class Sunday when it faces Spain in Ottawa.

Just how big a step is to be determined.

Vaccination requirements have meant that the 15th-ranked Spaniards have not been able to bring their full squad. And with the Spanish side still smarting from being booted from the World Cup due to fielding an ineligible player in qualifying, the team's mindset is also in question.

Canada coach Kingsley Jones, a former Wales captain, is nevertheless expecting a physical contest at TD Place.

"They have got a very good (squad of) 30 players," said Jones. "They've come a long way … we've got to be top-dollar really to compete against this team, because it will be a big step up."

Tries by Jason Higgins, Lucas Rumball, Ben LeSage, Cooper Coats, Michael Smith and Kainoa Lloyd led the 21st-ranked Canadians past No. 26 Belgium on Saturday at Wanderers Ground in Halifax. Fly half Peter Nelson was accurate with the boot, kicking 11 points with Coats adding four more.

Matthew Oworu, Lindsey Stevens and Dawson Fatoric made their national team debuts off the bench in the second half.

Jones, who is missing 20 players who are injured or unavailable, said his team showed some rust after not being together since November. He estimated his team could have scored 25 more points on the afternoon.

But the Canadians dominated the Belgians at the scrum, and their driving maul in the first half served to soften the opposition up as the game progressed.

"The intention was to drain them," Jones said. "It was a good second-half performance. The substitutes did their part really well.

"It wasn't perfect but you've got to be pleased with a good win and nil (points conceded). So lots of positives. But we've got to step up a long way to beat Spain."

Canada will be without prop Tyler Rowland and lock Josh Larsen, who were injured in the Belgian game.

Jones has made five changes to the forward pack with prop Jake Ilnicki, lock Conor Keys and flanker Lucas Rumball retaining their place. There is one change in the backs with Ross Braude replacing Jason Higgins at scrum half.

Vancouver lock Piers von Dadelszen, a former Canadian under-18 international who plays for Oxford University, is among the replacements.

The Canadians were originally slated to play the French Barbarians but the touring regional all-star team withdrew and Spain stepped up.

Spain was sanctioned for using South Africa-born prop Gavin van den Berg, who appeared as a replacement in two blowout wins against the Netherlands in 2021 and 2022 in the Rugby European Championship, which doubled as World Cup qualifiers.

Romania complained to World Rugby that Van den Berg didn't fulfil residency rules to live exclusively in Spain for three years before his national team debut. It turned out van den Berg was out of Spain for 127 days and fulfilled only two years.

Spain was deducted the 10 points it earned from the two wins, which dropped it out of qualifying position. It lost its appeal last month to re-qualify for the World Cup.

No. 19 Romania will take the place of Spain at next year's World Cup in France.

The Spaniards were also thrown out of qualifying before the 2019 Rugby World Cup because of ineligible players, and the federation was formally warned by World Rugby in May 2020 about its vetting process.

Canada has won both its previous meetings with Spain — 37-27 in November 2017 and 60-22 in November 2010 - with both games in Madrid.

Sunday's game represents Spain’s first test since a 49-15 loss to Georgia in March 2022. The Spaniards did face the Barbarians, a storied invitational world all-star side, in Gijon on June 25, losing 26-7.

It also marks only Spain's second game in North America. It lost 58-13 to the U.S. in April 2003 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Canada is 2-1-0 since failing to secure World Cup qualification last year with aggregate series losses to No. 23 Chile (54-46) and the 17th-ranked U.S. (59-50). Chile and the U.S. face off Saturday in Santiago in the first leg of their Americas 2 World Cup qualifying playoff.

Last November, the Canadian men lost 20-17 at No. 20 Portugal and won 24-0 over Belgium.

Jones's team already has a fall fixture with an Oct. 29 date against touring New Zealand 'A,' dubbed the All Blacks XV.

The All Blacks XV will face the Barbarians on Nov. 13 at Twickenham in England. The location for the Canada game has yet to be announced.

---

Canada Roster

Cole Keith, Apohaqui, N.B., Toronto Arrows (MLR); Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR); Jake Ilnicki, Williams Lake, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Corey Thomas, Broome, Australia, L.A. Giltinis (MLR); Conor Keys, Stittsville, Ont., Rugby ATL (MLR); Matthew Oworu, Calgary, Pacific Pride; Lucas Rumball, Markham, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR); Luke Campbell, Victoria, Old Glory DC; Ross Braude, Pretoria, South Africa, Toronto Arrows (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Aurillac (France); Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga, Ont., San Diego Legion (MLR); Quinn Ngawati, Victoria, Rugby United New York (MLR); Ben LeSage, Calgary, L.A. Giltinis (MLR); Brock Webster, Uxbridge, Ont., Canada Sevens; Cooper Coats, Halifax, N.S., Canada sevens.

Replacements

Lindsey Stevens, Sydney, Australia, L.A. Giltinis (MLR); Liam Murray, Langley, B.C., Dallas Jackals (MLR); Djustice Sears-Duru, Oakville, Ont., L.A. Giltinis (MLR); Piers von Dadelszen, Vancouver, Oxford University; Michael Smith, White Rock, B.C., San Diego Legion (MLR); Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, San Diego Legion (MLR); Dawson Fatoric, Ottawa, Pacific Pride; Gradyn Bowd, Red Deer, Alta., Pacific Pride.

---

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2022.