They know the stakes. And they know they need to perform to avoid an epic disaster for the Canadian rugby program.

Canada’s hopes of qualification for the 2019 rugby World Cup have been put into the hands of the 34 players head coach Kingsley Jones named Friday to the national team.

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The North American-based players among them have gathered at Westhills Stadium in Langford for final workouts before flying out Sunday to Europe for the last-chance qualifying tournament next month in Marseilles, France, featuring Canada, Hong Kong, Kenya and Germany that will decide the 20th and final berth into the 2019 World Cup in Japan. Canada has never failed to qualify for the World Cup. Nobody wants to be part of the first Canuck team that does that.

“It will be the biggest recent chapter in Rugby Canada history, for better or worse, and we aim to make it for the better,” said Luke Campbell of Victoria, among the players selected to the long list.

“It’s very exciting because with qualification, I believe, will be a bright future for Canadian rugby. At the same time, it’s a huge challenge ahead of us in the tournament, with a lot riding on it. I feel we have jelled as a team over the past six-to-eight months. There’s a real team atmosphere. Now this group that has been training here will add into the mix our [12] overseas pros when we get to Europe. All of them have had much experience playing for Canada, so we will be a true team.”

Veteran Phil Mack of Victoria was named Canadian captain for the last-gasp qualifier.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Mack.

“Any time you are named captain of your national team, it is not something you take lightly, and it is something I will do to the best of my ability. I try to lead by example. We have so much veteran knowledge and skill on this team that it’s a shared effort.”

Mack is a popular choice.

“Phil leads by just showing up,” said Campbell.

“He doesn’t talk much. But when he does, people do what he says.”

Neither Hong Kong, Kenya nor Germany are considered rugby powerhouses. But that’s what Canada thought about victorious Uruguay, in the Americas’ repechage World Cup qualifier last year, which sent loser Canada spiralling to this last-chance, at-large qualifier.

“We can’t take anybody lightly. We learned that lesson against Uruguay, and it stung us,” said Mack.

“We will be confident going into this final qualifier but without taking anybody lightly.”

Canada plays Kenya on Nov. 11, Germany on Nov. 17 and Hong Kong on Nov. 23, all at Stade Delort in Marseille.

Canada will prepare by playing Oxford on Wednesday and Coventry on Nov. 5, both in England.

The winner of the last-chance qualifier in Marseille will join New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Namibia in Pool B of the World Cup next year in venues all over Japan.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com