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Canada’s end-of-year tour to Europe in November will include test matches against Georgia, Tonga, and Russia, according to Rugby Canada CEO Allen Vansen. Dates and locations are to be confirmed next week. The November test window runs for three weekends beginning Saturday, November 11. While Georgia and Russia look likely to be played on their home turf, the Tongan match is set to be at a neutral venue similar to last year’s game against Samoa in Grenoble.
All three nations are currently above Canada, 22nd, on the official World Rugby Rankings chart. Russia are two spots above at 20, Tonga at 13, and Georgia the highest at 12. Canada defeated Russia by a score of 46-21 in Calgary last June. Their last meeting with Tonga was during the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup in Vancouver, with the Ikale Tahi coming away 28-18 winners. A 16-15 win over the Georgians in Esher was part of the World Cup warm-ups in September 2015. The trip to Georgia will be a return match with the Lelos set to play Canada in Calgary on June 10 of this year.
In other news Canada are set to play a fourth November test, presumably November 4, on home soil against an international country yet to be revealed. If confirmed it will be the first end-of-year home test for Canada since the match against Russia on November 28, 2009.
