The Canada national rugby league team represents Canada in international rugby league football tournaments.
Video Canada national rugby league team
History
1987-2000
Rugby league was re-introduced to Canada at an amateur level in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a short-lived 4-team domestic competition, known as the Tri-Counties Rugby League, was established. Four teams competed in its first year, three in Canada one in the U.S., the New York-based Adirondacks club.
The Canada rugby league team first participated in international competition in 1987. Canada participated in the World Sevens (1995, 1996) and Emerging Nations World Cup (2000) competitions, and competed in regular international matches until 2000, when the Canadian Rugby League Federation folded. As a result, the national team, which was nicknamed the "Cougars", was disbanded and the sport remained dormant for 10 years.
2010 onwards
In 2010, a new governing body, known as Canada Rugby League, was formed with the aim of redeveloping the sport amongst the resurgent international rugby league scene. The national team was re-established and briefly nicknamed the 'Mounties', Jamie Lester, the Acting President of Canada Rugby League said, "Like the Kiwis, Kangaroos and Kumuls being identifiable with the New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea rugby league teams, the Mounties nickname has been chosen to create the same effect for the Canadian team". Rugby League Review, one of the leading rugby league magazines in the world, became the main shirt sponsor of the team. The Mounties competed at the American National Rugby League's 2010 War at the Shore tournament. There, Canada played New England Immortals, a New England representative team, and the New York Knights AMNRL club team, losing both games. The team's nickname was changed to 'Wolverines' before the return of international rugby league to Canada in September 2010 with the inaugural Colonial Cup. Later that year the Wolverines competed in the Rugby League Atlantic Cup in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Canadian Wolverines played the Jamaican national team on Sunday 31 July 2011 defeating the Jamaicans to secure Canada's first international victory of the revival era. They collected their second win in September, upsetting the USA in the second game of the Colonial Cup. However, due to an earlier loss to the Tomahawks and the resulting aggregate scores, the Wolverines were unable to capture the cup. Canada's international season finished up with a defeat against South Africa, who were in the Northern Hemisphere for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifiers.
In 2014, the Wolverines named former Super League player, Stuart Donlan, as their new head coach. Stuart's first game was the 2014 Colonial Cup's only fixture. He coached Canada to a famous victory which made them the Colonial Cup champions for the very first time.
Despite Donlan's success, Aaron Zimmerle, the head coach of the Queensland Cup team Tweed Heads Seagulls, took over the main coaching role at the Wolverines helm in 2015 to coach Canada in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying campaign.
In 2017 the Canada Rugby League Board appointed Benjamin Fleming for 3 seasons.
Canada Rugby League Association Vice President David Graham said "the board's decision to appoint Fleming as Head Coach was based on the hard work and passion he has shown since returning to the association last year."
Maps Canada national rugby league team
Current squad
The following players were called up to play for the Canada national team for the 2015 Colonial Cup first test against the United States.
- Eric Moyer of the Brantford Broncos was named as the 18th man and will provide as backup for any injuries or suspensions that might occur before the first game begins.
Other Representative Match
Tri-County XIII defeated Maracaibo Oilers Sports Club (Venezuela) 24-16 at Montreal (1986) (Maracaibo Oilers Sports Club were Venezuelan Rugby Union side on tour to Canada in 1986, and included a Rugby League 13-a-side match on their tour itinerary. The Tri-County XIII was a representative team made up mainly of Canadians and some Americans from the 4-team Tri-County competition that was played at the time).
Emerging Nations tournament
In 2000 the Canada Cougars took part in the Emerging Nations Rugby League Championship which was held in the United Kingdom. The Canadians qualified for this tournament by finishing third in Group B of the Emerging Nations qualifying tournament which was held in the United States. The Canadians put up some credible performances against group rivals the United States and Japan, but lost to both nations which earned them a third-place finish. In the Emerging Nations tournament the Canadians again put up some credible performances, against the United States and another newcomer to the competition Italy, but again finished on the losing side, this earned them another third-place finish and a wooden spoon play-off against Japan. The Canadians tipped to finish last in the tournament proved everyone wrong by beating Japan in the match 28-12 at Wigan.
Qualifying tournament
- United States def. Canada 68-0 Orlando, Florida United States
- Japan def. Canada 14-0 Orlando, Florida United States
Finals tournament
- United States def. Canada 52-10 Oxford United Kingdom
- Tries: Whale, Van Der Hoek. Goal: De Snayer.
- Italy def. Canada 66-6 Cougar Park, Keighley United Kingdom
- Try: Coussons. Goal: Weiler.
- Canada def. Japan 28-12 Wigan United Kingdom, 5th and 6th place playoff
- Tries: Demetriou 3, Whale, McKenzie. Goals: Weiler 2, De Snayer 2.
Overall Tournament History
The following tournaments is a list of notable international competitions that Canada has been competing in since their existence in 1987.
A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within Canada
World Cup
Colonial Cup
Caribbean Carnival Cup
- The Caribbean Carnival Cup is annual series that has been played between Canada and Jamaica since 2011.
Atlantic Cup
All-time records
Results and fixtures
- Below are the previous 5 matches of the national team. For all past match results, see the team's results page.
See also
- Toronto Wolfpack
- Rugby league in Canada
References
External links
- Canada Rugby League Website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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