Test Match Preview – Belgium vs Canada

Canada’s Senior Men’s squad will bring a close to their 2021 season on Saturday when they face off against Belgium in Brussels. After suffering considerable disappointment over that time the visitors will be determined to come away with a convincing victory over a team that hasn’t played a test since May and sits five spots below at 28th in the World Rugby Rankings

It will be the second time these two sides have met in test rugby. The first was 11 years ago, also played in Brussels though at the much larger King Baudouin Stadium. On that day Canada were decidedly superior with the result 43-12 to their favor.

Both sides enter the match absent several of their top players. The Canadians will have none of their Top 14 forwards Matt Tierney, Tyler Duguid, Evan Olmstead, or Tyler Ardron. The Belgians are missing most of their first choice side with many opting to stay with their French clubs and a handful of others injured.

Kingsley Jones has made four personnel changes to the starting lineup, split evenly between backs and forwards. Tyler Rowland starts at tighthead prop in place of Jake Ilnicki, with Corey Thomas replacing Siaki Vikilani at the back of the scrum. Both Ilnicki and Vikilani miss out on the match day squad entirely.

At scrumhalf there is a first test start for Jason Higgins with Ross Braude dropping to the bench. 21-year-old Isaac Olson comes in for his senior international debut on the wing, with Brock Webster shifting to fullback. Robbie Povey and Lockie Kratz are the backline reserves.

Black Devils coach Frédéric Cocqu has selected six debutantes in his run-on side with all playing for the Brussels Devils in the Rugby Europe Super Cup. The select side contributes 15 of the match day 23 including seven of the eight reserves.

Tighthead prop Basile van Parys and loose forwards Hugues Bastin and Michael Abrahams earn their first caps. New names in the backs are flyhalf Henri Dequenne, inside center Viktor Pazgrat, and winger Hugo Ruelle. Reserve hooker Alexandre Raynier is the only France-based player on the bench and one of only three capped reserves.

Veteran midfielder Jens Torfs is the most experienced professional in the squad with outside backs Thomas Wallraf and Charles Reynaert also based in France. Up front it’s hooker Vincent Tauzia, second row Guillaume Mortier, and flanker Jean-Maurice Decubber who will set the standards.

Rain is on the forecast which should benefit the home side. In terms of experience, however, even a shorthanded Canadian side holds a significant advantage. Despite their poor run of form the visitors should be considered strong favorites against a makeshift Belgium team.

Kickoff is set for 3pm local time, 6am Pacific, 9am Eastern. World Rugby will broadcast the match live on their YouTube channel.

BELGIUM
1 Charlesty Berguet, 2 Vincent Tauzia, 3 Basile van Parys, 4 Guillaume Mortier, 5 Maximilien Hendrickx, 6 Jean-Maurice Decubber, 7 Hugues Bastin, 8 Michael Abrahams, 9 Ryan Godsmark, 10 Henri Dequenne, 11 Hugo Ruelle, 12 Viktor Pazgrat, 13 Jens Torfs (capt.), 14 Thomas Wallraf, 15 Charles Reynaert

Replacements: 16 Alexandre Raynier, 17 Ian Dumez, 18 Samuel Opsomer, 19 Frédéric De Smet, 20 Toon Deceuninck, 21 Tom Cocqu, 22 Basile Poupaert, 23 Matias Remue

CANADA
1 Cole Keith, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Conor Keys, 5 Kyle Baillie, 6 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 7 Michael Smith, 8 Corey Thomas, 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Spencer Jones, 11 Kainoa Lloyd, 12 Quinn Ngawati, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Isaac Olson, 15 Brock Webster

Replacements: 16 Eric Howard, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Foster DeWitt, 19 Josh Larsen, 20 Mason Flesch, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Robbie Povey, 23 Lockie Kratz

Date: Saturday, November 13
Venue: Nelson Mandela Stadium, Brussels
Kickoff: 15:00 local (06:00 Pacific, 09:00 Eastern)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistants: Federico Vedovelli (Italy) & Manuel Bottino (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Broadcasts: World Rugby YouTube

HISTORICAL RESULTS
2010-11-06 – Belgium 12, Canada 43 (King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels)