The long-standing rivalry between USA Rugby and Canada reignites after a three-year break. The last encounter in 2021 saw the USA deliver a decisive victory in the World Cup Qualifier series. Although the USA has dominated the past decade with a 12-1-1 record against their northern neighbors, both teams enter this match on shaky ground, opening the door for a potential Canadian resurgence in Los Angeles.
Dating back to 1977, this rivalry began with Canadian dominance, highlighted by their peak performance reaching the World Cup quarterfinals in 1991. However, the rise of professional rugby, particularly with the Major League Rugby (MLR) in the USA, has seen the Americans ascend while Canada has struggled. The recent folding of Canada's only MLR team, the Toronto Arrows, has further compounded their challenges. Despite these setbacks, the USA remains the favorite in this historic matchup.
Past records will fade once the teams cross the whitewash, and the battle for North American rugby supremacy will take center stage. The Canadians, viewing themselves as rugged and physical, are ready to teach their southern neighbors a lesson, while the Americans, confident in their athletic superiority, are poised to assert dominance.
Canada
Canada fields a nearly unchanged lineup from their first-round loss to Japan, with Andrew Coe moving to fullback and Takoda McMullin stepping in for Cooper Coats. Despite a 55-28 defeat, coach Kingsley Jones retains faith in his squad, drawing optimism from a second-half resurgence that saw them outscore Japan 21-17.
Canada's strength lies in their forwards, particularly in the maul and pick-and-go scenarios inside the 22m. Led by Lucas Rumball, their back row is formidable in defense, having won three jackal penalties against Japan. However, their backs struggled against Japan, often playing on the back foot, an issue they must resolve against the USA.
USA
USA coach Scott Lawrence has crafted a team designed for speed, taking cues from Japan's successful strategy against Canada. Jason Damm, a top try-scorer in the MLR, moves to the second row, while Cory Daniel and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz bolster the back row with defensive grit and powerful ball-carrying. In the backs, JP Smith and Luke Carty aim to unleash the center pairing of Tommaso Boni and Tavite Lopeti, who are expected to challenge the Canadian midfield.
Conner Mooneyham, starting on the wing, seeks to demonstrate his finishing prowess. Despite some disjointed performances over the summer, including a loss to Romania, the USA team enters this match more unified and confident after a ten-day training camp. Key areas for improvement include lineout and maul defense and consistency in open-play attack.
Head to Head: A Historic Rivalry Renewed
Canada holds the overall lead in head-to-head encounters, with 39 victories, though most of those wins came in earlier years. The USA, with 24 wins, has seen the majority of their successes in the professional era, losing only once in their last 14 clashes.
On home soil, the USA has dominated Canada since August 2013, stringing together eight consecutive victories.
The upcoming match marks the first meeting between the two teams since the home-and-away Rugby World Cup 2023 North American qualifiers in September 2021. Unfortunately, neither team managed to secure a spot in France.
