'We're going to fight for every win and every inch out there': Jason Higgins

Sunday afternoon at BC Place will temporarily become the epicentre of Canadian Rugby as Les Rouges tackle former Rugby World Cup quarterfinalists Japan in the opening round of the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.

Canada arrive in Vancouver buoyed by an impressive victory over 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers Romania in July, a match in which scrumhalf Jason Higgins felt his team offered a glimpse of what they are capable of.

“Romania was a great win for us; it was huge. Again, there is so much to build on from that, and we’re just trying to figure out what our style is and how we can dominate teams. We have that physicality, and we’re just trying to add layers to it.

“We created so much, and I know we won the game, but we left a lot of chances out there. It’s just about being hard on ourselves to be more clinical; we’re good enough to create these opportunities, so now it’s time to take them; that’s the next evolution of us as a team.

Born in Cork, Ireland, Higgins came through the highly competitive Munster schools system with Christian Brothers College (CBC) before progressing to the AIL with Cork Constitution.

It was during this period with Cork Con that the 29-year-old decided to pursue a Canadian passport through his Montreal-born father. This process would prove to be the first step in what has to date a been a highly productive five-year North American adventure.

“My dad was born in Montreal, and I played in the AIL (All Ireland League) back in Ireland with Cork Constitution while pursuing my Canadian passport.

“Then, the Toronto Arrows, the Canadian professional team at the time, got in touch with me, and I was excited about the opportunity.

“So I came over to Toronto and started playing there, from there, I got spotted by the Canadian selectors.

“One thing led to another, and I started playing with Canada; the rest is history.”

To get to the point where he would become a Canadian International was not simply a case of going from A to B as Higgins, like many around the world, saw his plans curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, Toronto was not his first option as a club, having signed for the now-defunct Rugby New York.

“It was funny because I originally signed with New York, who were talking to scouts with the likes of Munster and Leinster.

“They had just seen me playing in the AIL, and they threw my name forward, but due to COVID, that season was called off early.”

Now seemingly out of luck, Higgins tapped into his newly acquired Canadian passport, which would prove to be his ticket back into the MLR.

“I was speaking to them and mentioned that I have a Canadian passport, too, and they put me in touch with Toronto, so it was a long journey.

“So in the end I never actually played with New York but they’re the reason I got to Toronto, and then Toronto are the reason I started playing with Canada, soo it’s all connected.”

Now in his fifth season of MLR action and with his fourth team, Higgins is well-placed to comment on the competition’s growth and its impact on North American Rugby.

Mimicking other major US sports leagues, the MLR employs a draft system to distribute the top College talent throughout the league with a view to creating parity. Clearly, this process has paid dividends, with the most recent season going right down to the wire.

“I’ve seen it grow massively, and for me, in comparison with the AIL, it’s a more physical league; it’s hugely physical.

“I remember talking to Chris Robshaw (former England captain) in San Diego, and I asked him how it compared with the Premiership. And he said, ‘To be honest, I feel like it’s almost as physical as the Premiership’ You know, these are big guys going hard.

“The skill level has gone up a lot. There are a lot of really good players in the league now, and a lot of good internationals are coming in, and it’s just driving the standards. You can see how much more competitive the league was this year; every team had a shot at winning.

“Previously, you could pick your top two in each division, and they were going to go, but I felt this year was just far more competitive.”

Whilst the MLR as a whole continues to go from strength-to-strength, the disappointing folding of Canada’s lone club remains a sore point for fans north of the border. Given the depth of talent coming through the ranks in Canadian Rugby, Higgins believes the return of a Canadian MLR team would be a major boost to the sport as whole.

“There’s such talent in Canada, and when the Toronto Arrows were there, it was such a good resource for us, and everyone there really enjoyed their time there.

“It would be great (to have a Canadian team) as there are so many Canadians propping up the league throughout America, and if we could all get together and have a kind of more cohesive unit, it’s only going to benefit Canadian rugby.”

Shifting his focus back to the upcoming PNC, the scrumhalf feels the tournament presents a major opportunity for both the short and long term.

“It’s huge because it’s more games.

“You need to play more and more rugby; you need to do the time to get better, so having this competition allows us to play top opposition. All of these teams are really good rugby teams, and that’s the only way for us to get better is to play teams ranked higher than us so that we can rise to their level and continue that rise.

“I’ve been with Canada for four years now, and for my first two or three years, I think we’d get four, maybe five tests a year, and that’s doubled this year.

“So it’s massive for us; we have already had our July tests, so when we got back together, it was easier to build on the progress we had made in July. The short breaks there between games and stuff really allow us to develop properly. So the PNC is massive, and it’s an exciting tournament, which I’m really looking forward to.

“Every game is going to be massive, and we obviously want to win.

“Winning is everything, and we have some top opposition there, so it’s the performance that matters because it’s all working towards the Rugby World Cup in 2027.

“We’re going to fight for every win and every inch out there, but the progression is key, and we want to see development every time we go out on that pitch.”

Now in its seventeenth season, the PNC has found what feels to be the perfect composition that includes historical rivalries, consistent fixtures and public appeal to loyal fanbases.

Given the variety of the teams involved picking a key fixture is a tough challenge, but as one would expect, the Canucks are looking no further than their first two opponents.

“To be honest, every game is huge for us because every game is a chance for us to show what we can do and develop. So, every game is absolutely massive.

“Of course, the USA game is going to be the one that people talk about because 70% of our squad plays down in the MLR. We all know the US players pretty well, so that’s going to be a cagey battle, but definitely one to look forward to. But Japan this weekend in BC Place is going to be huge, so I am really excited about that, too.”

Canada get their campaign underway on Sunday afternoon at 14.00 local time (22.00 BST), all of the Pacific Nations Cup action is available live and free on RugbyPass TV.