Canada has had great success in women’s rugby in recent years, and are now in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Rugby Women’s World Cup in England. On Saturday, Canada qualified for the 2027 Rugby Men’s World Cup in Australia after Japan defeated the United States 47-21 in Sacramento, California.
The World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup is currently taking place. The top three teams from the global tournament (except for Japan and Fiji which already qualified for the 2027 Rugby Men’s World Cup because they made the pool stage of the 2023 Rugby Men’s World Cup in France) qualify for the 2027 Rugby Men’s World Cup.
The World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup is a six-team tournament containing Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, the United States and Canada. The Canadians qualified by reaching the semifinals of the tournament with a record of one win and one loss. Canada beat the United States 34-20 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on August 22. Canada then lost 57-15 to Japan in Sendai, Japan on August 30. Canada’s semifinal opponent will be Fiji, with the match taking place in Denver, Colorado on September 14.
In Canada’s win over the United States, Tyler Ardron of Peterborough, Ontario led Canada with four tries. The other Canadian player with a try was Peter Nelson.
Tonga also qualified for the 2027 Rugby Men’s World Cup by finishing in second place in Group A. They are facing Japan in the semifinals. The United States will face Samoa for another World Cup berth on September 14 in Denver.
There are 24 nations in the Rugby Men’s World Cup. The nations that have already qualified are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, Georgia, Spain, Romania, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Uruguay. Canada failed to qualify for a Rugby Men’s World Cup for the first time ever in 2023 in France.
