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Debut on the cards for young prop as Canada name team for Tonga

Canada's Jason Higgins passes the ball. Photo by DON MACKINNON/AFP via Getty Images

Canada head coach Kingsley Jones has made a handful of changes to his side’s matchday 23 to face Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup’s fifth-place play-off.

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Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in central Tokyo will set the scene for the final tussle of the 2024 competition for these teams, with both nations eager to get a win in their column before heading home ahead of the final in Osaka next week.

With sights firmly set on an improved result, Jones has made three changes to the starting XV, with loose forward Matthew Oworu coming in at blindside flanker and outside backs Cooper Coats and Josiah Morra joining him in the XV at fullback and wing respectively.

For the impact unit, a potential debut awaits young prop Tyler Matchem, with fellow reserve forwards Siôn Parry and Callum Botchar in line for timely returns to the international arena.

“The team has had valuable time together here in Japan since our match against the United States. Players and coaches have been working hard on improving our performances with each game we play, and we all want to come away with a performance that we are proud of,” the coach said.

“We’re confident in the preparation we have been putting in, and the work rate from the players has been commendable. Tonga provides another really good challenge for our team that we are looking forward to.”

Head-to-Head

Last 3 Meetings

Wins
3
Draws
0
Wins
0
Average Points scored
31
11
First try wins
100%
Home team wins
100%

Canada team to face Tonga

1. Calixto Martinez
2. Andrew Quattrin
3. Conor Young
4. Kaden Duguid
5. Mason Flesch
6. Matthew Oworu
7. Ethan Fryer
8. Lucas Rumball
9. Jason Higgins
10. Peter Nelson
11. Josiah Morra
12. Ben LeSage
13. Takoda McMullin
14. Andrew Coe
15. Cooper Coats

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Reserves

16. Dewald Kotze
17. Cole Keith
18. Tyler Matchem
19. Callum Botchar
20. Siôn Parry
21. Brock Gallagher
22. Mark Balaski
23. Talon McMullin

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J
JW 37 minutes ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Well a) poor French results doesn’t seem to effect the situation much. In fact one of the reasons given for this selection policy is that the French don’t tune in for foreign rugby content on the other side of the world, at a time when theyre not having their vino. So who would know the results? And b) this is the crux of the matter, they are legally abided to play them as part of WRs tier 1 reciprocal tours programme. The only real choice for the SH team is to treat it the same, which is fine when teams are happy to do that, but the AB’s have a totally anthesis policy/mentality so would never use the games in the same way.


So alligned with b) the only real option is to complain to those in control. I suspect that’s why weve seen France reneging on the practice, and you can only be left to think that if they hadn’t reneged, WR would have done something more drastic about it. Which of course would mean not just telling them to bugger off when they want to tour, it’s no one playing them (from t1 at least) at all (assuming they have no interest in scheduling match’s outside the windows, like Ireland and NZ are doing).


Then of course that means no involvement of France in the Nations Championship. Which means they are automatically the last ranked team in 6N to qualify, so the actual worst team in 6N gets to compete in it, making a mockery of the promotion and relegation WR wanted to happen between T1 and T2 for qualifying purposes. Yup, b) is just something nobody wants to happen. Well done FFR and LNR for making the tour work instead (how well is yet to be seen).

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