Canada

Official Site
Nickname: Canucks
Colors: Red/Black/White
Honors: Pacific Rim title (1996,1997,1998)
Anthem: O Canada
Current Coach: Ric Suggit
World Rugby Shop

Canada compete in competitions such as the Churchill Cup and the Rugby World Cup. The sheer size of Canada means that talent is scattered across the country making the job of coaches and selectors very difficult. The climate is also unfavourable for playing rugby union for much of the year in most parts of the country.

Canada have been playing international rugby since the early 1930s, making their debut in 1932 against Japan. Canada have competed at every World Cup since the tournament was first staged in 1987. Canada achieved thus far their best result at the World Cup in 1991, where they reached the quarter-finals.

A Canadian Rugby Football Union was established in 1884, although this organisation went on to become the Canadian Football League, as rugby football in Canada evolved into Canadian football. In 1902–1903 the first Canadian team toured Britain. In 1909, Lord Earl Grey, then Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to the CRU to be awarded for the Rugby Football Championship of Canada. This trophy became known as the Grey Cup. However the rules used in Canada were vastly different to the rules used in countries that were part of the IRB. In the years that followed, the CRU would legalise forward passing and make other changes that would make Canadian football a totally different sport.