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The battle lines have been drawn for the North American RWC 2023 qualifiers. The dates and venues for the two-match series between Canada and the USA are now official. Canada will host the first match on September 04 and the USA will host game two on September 11.
The series will have the two, and only, North American fixtures of the RWC 2023 qualifiers. It follows the South American series which started this past Saturday. Brazil secured a home win over Paraguay in São José dos Campos. The result eliminated Paraguay and saw Brazil advancing to the South American finals.
Chile and Colombia will play in game two. The winner of their match on Saturday will join Brazil and Uruguay in the South American finals. The top two from the triangular tournament in Montevideo will progress to face North American opposition.
Game one of the South America vs North America series will be between the champion from the two respective hemispheres. The winner of this match will qualify for RWC 2023 as Americas 1. The losing team will face the winner of South America 2 vs North America 2. The winner of that contest will qualify for RWC 2023 as Americas 2.
There will be one final opportunity for the loser of South America 2 vs North America 2. That team will enter RWC 2023 repechage. The tournament will involve four teams with the Americas participant joining three others from different regions. Canada qualified for RWC 2019 as the repechage winner.
Swiler’s Rugby Park in St. John’s, Canada will host Canada’s home match against the USA. The two teams will then travel to the USA for the second RWC 2023 qualifier. That match will be played on September 11 at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.
Rugby Canada has also announced a further home fixture. On October 02 Canada is scheduled to play against a South American country in the following round of the RWC 2023 qualifiers. The match is booked at Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia. The booking carries with it the assumption that the USA defeats Canada in the North American RWC qualifiers.
The October 02 fixture will be the first of two matches between North America and South America 2. The second will be on October 09. The winner of the series will advance to Round 5, the final round of the Americas RWC 2023 qualifiers. The loser will be eliminated.
Click here to access the full format being used for the Americas’ RWC 2023 qualifiers.
Both Canada and the USA are to play this coming weekend. Canada’s match against Wales and the USA’s fixture against England will be the first test matches for both North American Men’s teams since RWC 2019. Their respective tours across the North Atlantic serve as preparation ahead of the all-important RWC 2019 qualifiers.
