Bombers prepare to take on Ticats and ‘defensive mastermind’ Chris Jones

Canada’s rugby test against Tonga on Saturday in Tokyo comes with a modest prize — fifth place at the six-team Pacific Nations Cup.

But next year, such a game could mean World Cup qualification.

World Rugby says the top three teams from next year’s Pacific Nations Cup will book their ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Australia. But given No. 10 Fiji and No. 14 Japan have already qualified by virtue of their performance at last year’s World Cup, a top-five finish would do it for Canada if Fiji and Japan finish above it.

That is the future. The present sees coach Kingsley Jones looking to deepen his young talent pool as the 22nd-ranked Canadian men look to work their way back to the sport’s showcase after failing to qualify for last year’s World Cup for the first time.

It has been a bumpy path at times. Canada lost its opening two Pacific Nations Cup games, beaten by 55-28 by Japan on Aug. 25 in Vancouver and 28-15 by the 19th-ranked U.S. on Aug. 31 in Carson, Calif.

“We’ve got better,” Jones said from Tokyo. “I think we’re also a little bit frustrated and disappointed with the performance against the U.S.A. We see it as a lost opportunity that day … After a pretty strong finish against a good Japanese team.”

Canada trailed 38-7 at the half before outscoring Japan 21-17 in the second half at B.C. Place Stadium.

“We just want to keep building,” Jones added. “Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back. But we need to see some progress in this game.”

It won’t be easy. Jones is expecting a physical test Saturday in extreme heat and humidity.

“They have a big strong, heavy (forward) pack … We need to be prepared for that,” he said. “We need to make sure that we can stay in the game. We feel that we’ve got fitter and fitter, obviously being together for over four weeks (together) now. And we hope to be in the fight in the 50th, 60th minutes.”

The Canada-Tonga game kicks off a triple-header Saturday at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium with Fiji versus the U.S. in one semifinal and No. 13 Samoa versus Japan in the other.

The tournament final and third-place game are set for Sept. 21 in Higashiosaka City.

Canada last played Tonga in August 2023, losing a pair of World Cup warm-ups 28-7 and 36-12 in Nuku’alofa. The Pacific Islanders have won the last four meetings since an ill-tempered 36-27 loss to Canada in Kingston, Ont., in June 2013, also at the Pacific Nations Cup.

Tonga had one man red-carded in the first half and two more sent to the sin-bin in the second half of that game, which saw Canadian winger Matt Evans exit on a stretcher.

While Tonga leads the overall series 6-5-0, Canada has a 3-2-0 edge in games played in neutral venues. All three of those victories came at the World Cup with Canada winning 37-4 in 1987 in New Zealand, 24-7 in 2003 in Australia and 25-20 in 2011 in New Zealand.

Both teams could use a win. Tonga has lost four straight and seven of its last eight since the 36-12 win over Canada in August 2023. Canada is 2-4-0 since that meeting.

Jones has made several lineup changes with three sevens players — blindside flanker Matt Oworu, fullback Cooper Coats and wing Josiah Morra — slotting into the starting 15.

Tyler Matchem, a 20-year-old graduate of Rugby Canada’s Pacific Pride developmental program, could earn his first cap for Canada off the bench.

Veteran prop Djustice Sears-Duru is sidelined after an arm injury suffered in the dying seconds of the U.S. loss.

The Pacific Nations Cup is sponsored by Asahi.

Canada Roster

Calixto Martinez, White Rock, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Conor Young, Yamba, Australia, RFC LA (MLR); Kaden Duguid, Edmonton, Vancouver Highlanders; Mason Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Matthew Oworu, Calgary, Pacific Pride; Ethan Fryer, Issaquah, Wash., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lucas Rumball, Toronto, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dungannon RFC; Josiah Morra, Toronto, Toronto Saracens; Ben LeSage, Calgary, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Takoda McMullin, White Rock, B.C., Vancouver Highlanders; Andrew Coe, Markham, Ont., RFC LA (MLR); Cooper Coats, Halifax, Halifax Tars.

Replacements

Dewald Kotze, Edmonton, Dallas Jackals (MLR); Cole Keith, Apohaqui, N.B., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Tyler Matchem, Pictou County, N.S., Pacific Pride; Callum Botchar, Vancouver, NOLA Gold (MLR); Siôn Parry, Cardiff, Wales, Ebbw Vale RFC (Wales); Brock Gallagher, Edmonton, Dallas Jackals (MLR); Mark Balaski, Castlebar, Ireland, Pacific Pride; Talon McMullin, White Rock, B.C., Vancouver Highlanders.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024

The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.

The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.

PSG officials and Mbappé’s representatives met in Paris on Wednesday after Mbappé asked the commission to get involved. Mbappé joined Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer.

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AP soccer:

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Michael Woods thought Father Time had finally come calling.

Instead, he’s winning Grand Tour stages — and hungry for a big result at home.

The 37-year-old from Ottawa rides into this weekend’s Montreal cycling Grand Prix as a recent Spanish Vuelta stage winner despite dealing with an early-season illness that had him struggling at the Giro d’Italia and considering calling it quits.

“I thought I was just getting old, and that’s why I wasn’t going as well at the races,” Woods said. “It really held me back and made me contemplate retiring, until I found out actually what was going on.”

Woods withdrew from the Giro in May after a crash left him with mild concussion symptoms. Further testing revealed he had been battling Helicobacter pylori — a bacterial stomach infection his team believes he contracted during training camp in South Africa.

After months of re-finding his stamina, Woods, who became the third Canadian to win a Tour de France stage last year, triumphed on the mountainous 13th stage of La Vuelta on Aug. 30. It was his third career win in Spain.

The world-class climber ranked this Vuelta win among his biggest career achievements, given the circumstances.

“To be in a position where I was really considering quitting, and then to finally get back into form and work my way all the way back up to the top of the sport was really a great feeling,” said Woods, who finished 41st in the road race at last month’s Paris Olympics. “Something that I’m really proud of.”

With a stage win in hand, Woods pulled out of the Vuelta before the 17th stage and shifted his focus to preparing for Montreal as a late addition to the start list.

The race is set for Sunday, while Quebec City’s event takes place Friday. The two races are the only North American events on the UCI World Tour.

Quebec’s course features 16 laps totalling 201.6 kilometres and 2,976 metres in altitude, and is well-suited to puncheurs.

Meanwhile, Montreal’s race covers 209.1 kilometres over 17 laps. The challenging course in and around Mount Royal includes 4,573 metres in total altitude, making it ideal for climbers like Woods.

“Once I was able to get the stage win, the team knew I was moving well, I was moving well, and Montreal has definitely been a huge goal of mine in my career, having a good result there,” said Woods, whose best finish in Montreal is eighth.

“I just thought I’d like to take a stab at it, and the team was keen on it.”

Woods, who will only race in Montreal, joins fellow Canadians Derek Gee of Ottawa, Hugo Houle of Sainte-Perpétue, Que., and Guillaume Boivin of Montreal in the peloton. All four cyclists ride for Israel-Premier Tech.

But they’ll face stiff competition from three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, racing for the first time since claiming this year’s Grand Tour title.

“Best rider in the world, it’s gonna be a very hard race from very far out,” Gee said. “He’s going to be the overwhelming favourite.”

Gee placed 105th in Quebec and 47th in Montreal last year, but he expects more from himself this year after surprising the cycling world this season. He finished third at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June and ninth at the Tour de France in July.

“I don’t know how my form will be in the second half of the year, but I’m really looking forward to finding out,” said Gee, who was 44th in the Paris Olympic road race. “The home crowds always give a big boost in performance.”

Houle, who prefers the Quebec City race, is also hoping for better than in recent years. The 2022 Tour de France stage winner has three DNFs and one 50th finish in Quebec the last two years.

“I remain focused after the Tour de France to try to keep a good form, and to give a good race at home,” he said. “The last few years, I was not so good. So I wish … that I can be better.”

The events bring Canadian cycling fans one year closer to the Montreal UCI Road World Championships in 2026, a target for the 33-year-old Houle after signing a contract extension through that year.

As for Woods, he said he’s likely to retire when his contract runs out at the end of 2025. But if he can keep defying his age and winning stages, an additional year isn’t off the table.

“If I’m racing as well as I’m racing now, I could consider doing 2026, because it would be so special to race in Montreal,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.