Canada opens Rugby World Cup against Tonga
Posted September 13, 2011 11:59 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WHANGAREI, NZ. (NEWS1130) – Canada opens up the 2011 World Cup of Rugby against Tonga tonight. Tonga, ranked 12th by the International Rugby Board, lost its opener 41-10 to the host New Zealand All Blacks.
The 14th-ranked Canadian team has nine players from the BC Bears, the senior men’s reps rugby team. In what could be seen as a lack of respect, Tonga has chosen to rest 11 players from the roster that lost to the All Blacks.
Canada has beaten Tonga in both of their previous World Cup meetings including a victory at the inaugural tournament in New Zealand back in 1987. Canada is hoping to at least manage a third-place finish in the group stage which would qualify the Canadians for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The game is at 9:30 p.m.
