Event Announcement: Canada to take on rivals USA for last match before 2019 Rugby World Cup
May 16th, 2019
Rugby Canada is delighted to announce that international rugby will return to British Columbia this Summer as Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will host a second pre-Rugby World Cup match, presented by DHL, versus historical rivals the United States on September 7 at BC Place in Vancouver – kickoff will be 7:00pm PT. The team will play Irish Provincial Club Leinster on August 24 in Hamilton, as previously announced.
BC Place Stadium is the home of the HSBC Canada Sevens, and also played host to a sold-out crowd of over 29,000 when Canada played the Maori All-Blacks in November, 2017. The venue will be set to a lower-bowl configuration for the match, and fans are encouraged to buy their tickets early to avoid missing out.
“This fixture is the final important step in our preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Canada have a long history playing against the USA. The Americans have had some good results of late, and they will provide a stern test prior to our departure for Japan three days later. The Canadian rugby community has continued to support our journey to the World Cup, and we are hoping to see another big rugby crowd in BC Place," said Kingsley Jones, Head Coach of Canada.
The USA are ranked 15th in the current World Rankings, sitting directly behind Italy, Canada’s first opponents at the Rugby World Cup in Japan on September 26.
“The last match prior to going to Rugby World Cup 2019 will be important for us to test all of our systems and preparations from the summer,” said Dave Hodges, USA Rugby’s General Manager of Men’s 15s Programs. “Canada’s improvement over the last year and that fact that it will be our 3rd time playing against our northern rivals should make for a fiercely contested game as both teams will want to finish on a positive note before getting on the plane to Japan.”
USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young added, "Very pleased to add a pre-tournament fixture ahead of the team’s departure for Japan. These two teams prove to bring out the best in each other’s competition over the years, so it sets up perfectly for a Rugby World Cup send-off challenge on the road.”
Members of the British Columbia and Canadian Rugby community will also have the opportunity to mix-and-mingle with the team, and support Canada’s journey to Japan, at a fundraising “Suits and Scrums” event on September 5th at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver.
“Rugby Canada is excited to bring international XV’s rugby back to Vancouver and BC Place on the Road to the Rugby World Cup, and we thank our presenting sponsor DHL for their support,” said Allen Vansen, Rugby Canada Chief Executive Officer.
“The Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle of our sport and it’s vitally important for us to properly send off our men’s team so that they know the entire Canadian Rugby and sporting community has their backs,” he added.
Tickets will go on-sale at 10:00am ET on May 29th via www.rugby.ca.
At the Rugby World Cup, Canada has been drawn into Pool B and will face Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Namibia between September 26 to October 13 in various locations around Japan.