Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team Head Coach Stephen Meehan has named a 32-player squad for the second block of the season as Canada prepares to face Japan in the JRFU’s 100th anniversary match as well as compete in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026.
The Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026 is the 17th edition of the tournament and will feature a revised format with Canada, defending champions Fiji and USA joining hosts Japan over two match days in Osaka and Tokyo.
This evolution reflects the broader transformation of the international calendar with competitions aligned with the inaugural Nations Championship and World Rugby Nations Cup, providing cross-over opportunities for participating unions.
Canada will assemble in Tokyo Bay for a week-long training camp before opening their September test window against Japan on September 5.
“We’ve had a good amount of players travelling to Japan join us in Langford as part of our soft centralisation program, and that extra time together has been hugely beneficial,” said Head Coach Stephen Meehan.
“It’s allowed us to work on key skills, set-piece detail and conditioning, while building stronger connections as a group. The response from the players has been fantastic, and being alongside the women’s camp has added great energy to the environment.”
Canada will open its September test window against Japan on September 5 in Niigata City, as the Japanese Rugby Football Union celebrates its 100th anniversary.
One week later, Canada will face Fiji in the opening round of the Pacific Nations Cup in Osaka. The sides last met in the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup Semi-Final, where Fiji defeated Canada 63-10.
The Pacific Nations Cup will conclude on September 19 in Tokyo, with Canada set to face either Japan or the USA in the Final or third place play-off.
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