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Canada and Spain played out a classic in Edmonton. In round one of the World Rugby Nations Cup, there was nothing separating the teams at the final whistle. The contest ended at a 42-42 draw, miraculously after the teams were locked into a 21-21 scoreline at half-time. The match was a preview of the Rugby World Cup 2027 Pool C fixture in Townsville, Australia.
Saturday’s fixture was the sixth ever test match between Canada and Spain. Unlike the previous five this one had no winner. The result was somewhat of a victory for the Canadians after they lost the previous meeting by an agonizing 23-22 scoreline in 2025.
The crowd was vocal throughout the contest. There were 3,476 watching on at Clarks Stadium and those who were there will certainly want to be back again next Saturday as Canada face fellow Iberians, Portugal.
The match had action from start to finish. It took just 3 minutes for the opening try. Los Leones fly half Gonzalo López executed an accurate cross-kick for Alberto Carmona to score in the left corner. López then slotted the highly challenging conversion.
The Canadian response came swiftly. Raids on the Spanish try zone see the ball held up on one occasion before a quick tap turned out to be a golden strike as Mason Flesch powered over for the North Americans. Peter Nelson added the conversion for a 7-7 scoreline after 10 minutes.
In what was a theme of the 80 minute contest in Edmonton, having conceded points, that team was then the next to score. Second-rower Antonio Ray Suárez made the most of a solid maul en route to the try zone. López converted to restore a 7 point lead.
Canada scored there second try just five minutes later. It came with good runs from the forwards. No. 8 Tyler Ardron completed a break and off-loaded to second-rower Jason Higgins. Peter Nelson slotted the conversion to level the scores.
The second quarter opened with Estanislao ‘Tani’ Bay on hand to finish off a team try for Los Leones. The scrum-half from Argentina would score again in the second half.
Bay was not alone in scoring twice in the match. Canadian flanker Mason Flesch also achieved the feat. Flesch scored his first after an attack involving a serious of phases with backs and forwards charging ahead. Spain conceded a penalty from which the Canadians found just enough space for Flesch to go over. Peter Nelson’s boto made it 21-21 at half-time.
The tit-for-tat from the first-half rolled-over into the second. Tani Bay completed his double just two minutes after the resumption. López converted to again restore a seven point lead for Los Leones.
More resolve from Canada followed with a strong carry from Piers von Dadelszen paving the way for Tyler Ardron to score on 46 minutes. Yet again the scores were level after Peter Nelson converted.
Then came a change as Andrew Quattrin scored his second try for the home side. The Captain’s score was converted by Cooper Coats after Peter Nelson had been replaced in between the tries scored by Ardron and Quattrin.
Los Leones scored next, doing so eleven minutes from full-time. Replacement prop Luca Tabarot went over from close range to level the scoring at 35-35.
Both teams added one further try each in the final ten minutes. First, Kerman Aurrekoetxea scored an interception try for Los Leones. The 42-35 lead proved insufficient as Kyle Tremblay scored near the posts for Canada enabling Takoda McMullin to slot the conversion to seal the draw with time up.
Spain face Tonga next. That battle will take place in Edmonton hours before Canada’s second match fo the World Rugby Nations Cup. The Canadians take-on Portugal. The matches will be on Saturday, July 11.
| MATCH NOTES |
- Andrew Quattrin captained Canada for the first time in what was his 30th cap.
- The returning Tyler Ardron reached 40 caps for Canada.
- Mason Flesch scored two tries for Canada.
- Estanislao ‘Tani’ Bay scored two tries for Spain.
- The attendance was 3,476 at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.
| SCORING |
CANADA (42)
TRY – M Flesch 2 (9′, 40′), J Higgins (17′), T Ardron (47′), A Quattrin (57′), K Tremblay (80′)
CON – P Nelson 4 (10′, 17′, 40′, 42′), C Coats (58′), T McMullin (80′)
SPAIN (42)
TRY – A Carmona (3′), AR Suárez (12′), E Bay 2 (22′, 42′), L Tabarot (69′), K Aurrekoetxea (78′)
CON – G López 6 (4′, 13′, 23′, 40′, 70′, 79′)
YC – E Imaz (67′)
| LINE-UPS |
CANADA
1 Cali Martinez, 2 Andrew Quattrin (capt.), 3 Cole Keith, 4 Piers von Dadelszen, 5 Izzak Kelly, 6 Mason Flesch, 7 Lucas Rumball, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Cooper Coats, 11 Noah Flesch, 12 Josh McIndoe, 13 Spencer Jones, 14 Kyle Tremblay, 15 Peter Nelson
Replacements: 16 Dewald Kotze, 17 Sam Miller, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Daragh Doyle, 20 Sion Parry, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Jacob Ince, 23 Takoda McMullin
SPAIN
1 Thierry Futeu, 2 Santiago Ovejero, 3 Jon Zabala (capt.), 4 Matt Foulds, 5 Antonio Ray Suárez, 6 Ignacio Piñeiro, 7 Vicente Boronat, 8 Ekain Imaz, 9 Estanislao Bay, 10 Gonzalo López, 11 Alberto Carmona, 12 Álvar Gimeno, 13 Martiniano Cian, 14 Gauthier Minguillón, 15 JW Bell
Replacements: 16 Álvaro García, 17 Luca Tabarot, 18 Hugo Pirlet, 19 Imanol Urraza, 20 Manex Ariceta, 21 Kerman Aurrekoetxea, 22 Iñaki Mateu, 23 Jaime Manteca
| VIDEO – FINAL MINUTE |
| MATCH OFFICIALS |
Referee: Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)
Assistants: Mike Lawrenson (USA) & Derek Summers (USA)
TMO: Dan Jones (England)
