After clinching the final spot in the Rugby World Cup last year, Canada is set to embark on the next chapter of Canadian rugby at the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

Canada will certainly have a challenge on its hands as they prepare to do battle in the so-called “group of death” alongside perennial powerhouses South Africa and New Zealand. But our boys are used to adversity. They’re also used to performing on the global stage.

As rugby aficionados will know all too well, this is not the first time that Canada has taken on the rugby world. In fact, Rugby Canada has a rich history at the sport’s showpiece tournament.

An emerging nation

Canada has qualified for every RWC since the tournament first began in 1987 despite the sport’s relative infancy on our shores, especially in comparison to the world’s leading nations. Indeed alongside Japan, we are the only Tier 2 country to make an appearance at every iteration of the tournament, even reaching the quarterfinals in 1991.

Despite going cleat-to-cleat with the world’s rugby elite, Canada is still an emerging nation when it comes to international rugby. While other countries can call on players who ply their trade in some of the world’s biggest domestic leagues; prestigious competitions with decades of history, Canada’s pool of professionals is still in its infancy.

That’s beginning to change however. The advent of Major League Rugby, the sport’s potential equivalent of North American staples such as the MLS and MLB with continued investment, has seen the formation of Canada’s first professional rugby team.

That team, the Toronto Arrows, made their much-anticipated debut in the league in 2019 and showed the world exactly why so many people are excited about the future of Canadian rugby. The Arrows went 11 and 5 on their way to finishing third in their inaugural outing before losing in the playoff semifinals against eventual winners, the Seattle Seawolves.

With a wealth of Canadian players on its roster, the Toronto Arrows and the MLR have given home-grown talent an opportunity to go pro and play year-round, just like their international contemporaries and teammates who ply their trade in international leagues.

There are currently 45 Canadians playing in the league, guys who simply didn’t have access to the professional environment before. While not competitive as other international pro leagues yet, it's a big step in the development of rugby on our shores, but it’s also just one piece of the puzzle that Rugby Canada is putting together to improve performances at a national level.

That jigsaw includes millions of dollars worth of investment in a roadmap to elevate Canada from an emerging nation into a powerhouse of international rugby. On top of the National training centre, Canada has recently brought back the Pacific Pride program--an academy aimed to develop emerging talent with the goal of readying players for top-tier international club and national team competition.

A bright future

Despite its long tradition in our country, we are currently experiencing an unprecedented surge of interest in the sport across Canada. From sellout sevens events to increased participation in schools and community clubs- especially in woman's rugby, more and more Canadians are falling in love with the sport.

That’s good news for the future of the sport and it’s something that we are already starting to see translate into the national team. There is a real mixture of youth and experience in the 31-player roster on Canada’s RWC roster, and while the World Cup team rewarded many of the mainstays that helped Canada qualify for the tournament, the next generation are already knocking on the door.

“Looking forward there’s been a huge improvement and emphasis on development in the under 20 group and we saw the emergence of some really impressive young talent who will stay on our radar,” said head coach Kingsley Jones. “We’re heading in the right direction not only for this World Cup but looking on to the next one, particularly with the pool of young guys we’ve got coming through the age grade systems and sevens program.”

Final thoughts

Currently ranked 22nd in the world and with perhaps the toughest draw in the tournament, Canada will face an uphill battle at this year’s World Cup in Japan. But this fall’s experience is a crucial step in our development and an opportunity for fans to witness the green shoots that we believe will see Canada bloom into a first class rugby nation in the very near future.

Canada's Rugby World Cup 2019 Schedule:

THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER

00:45 PT/ 03:45 ET/ 16:45 LOCAL TIME

CANADA v ITALY

Broadcast: TSN1, TSN3, and TSN4

Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka City



WEDNESDAY 02 OCTOBER

03:15 PT/ 06:15 ET/ 19:15 LOCAL TIME

CANADA v NEW ZEALAND

Broadcast: TSN1 and TSN4

Oita Stadium, Oita Prefecture



TUESDAY 08 OCTOBER

03:15 PT/ 06:15 ET /19:15 LOCAL TIME

CANADA v SOUTH AFRICA

Broadcast: TSN1, TSN3, and TSN4

Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe City

SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER

20:15 PT/ 23:15 ET/ 12:15 LOCAL TIME

CANADA v NAMIBIA

Broadcast: TSN

Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Iwate Prefecture, Kamaishi