Big weekend for Canada’s rugby teams

Canadian XVs take on Scotland on Saturday

From Langford to Edmonton and Paris.

Canadian national rugby teams, centralized at Westhills Stadium, will be afield this weekend with the men’s XV meeting Scotland in a Test match at Commonwealth Stadium and the men’s and women’s sevens teams at the Paris Sevens.

The men’s XV Test features No. 21 Canada against a suddenly awoken and rankings-climbing No. 6 Scotland at 6 p.m PT on Saturday from Edmonton on TSN.

“We’re excited. This is what we are all here for … an opportunity to play one of the best teams in the world,” said Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones.

“This is why I coach at this level and this is why the players play at this level. Scotland is a top side and we expect a fast game and a free-flowing game. This is a great challenge for us. We have to be realistic about that challenge. But it’s sport and anything can happen.”

In a career achievement, Phil Mack of Victoria will start at scrum-half and reach the 50-cap plateau against Scotland, as will Nick Blevins of Calgary in starting among the centres.

“These are two guys who deserve that, and I have so much respect for both of them,” said Jones.

“It is a massive achievement to reach 50 caps and it should not be underestimated. And they still have something left in the tank.”

Already been there and done that, say former Castaway Wanderers stalwart Ray Barkwill, who starts at hooker, and captain DTH van der Merwe out of the James Bay Athletic Association, who will start on wing. It will be cap number 52 for van der Merwe and 51 for Barkwill.

At the other end of the career spectrum, earning just their fourth and second caps, respectively, will be Luke Campbell of Victoria and Noah Barker of Courtenay. Barker will start on the front line and Campbell at No. 8.

“Luke and Noah have both worked really hard and been rewarded by playing in this big game,” said Jones.

It will also be a notable moment for Doug Fraser, the University of Victoria Vikes alumnus now with the Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay, who gets the nod to start in the centres.

Scotland, a fully professional side, will be led by 65-time capped Richie Gray and 60-time capped Stuart Hogg.

Canada will look to its fitness as an equalizer against the heavily favoured Scots.

“We need to be on the same level playing field. We need to be fit and strong. We work hard on conditioning, and our fitness is showing,” said Jones.

Canada is 1-3 all-time in Tests against Scotland.

It kicks off what will be a crucial summer Test series to prepare Canada for the last-chance qualifier in November for the 20th and final berth into the 2019 World Cup in Japan. The other Tests in the series are June 16 against Russia at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Ottawa and June 23 against the U.S. Eagles at the Wanderers Ground in Halifax.

The 30-man Canadian long roster for the series is made up of 12 pros, both from overseas clubs and in the newly established North American Major League Rugby, and 18 players who are centralized at the Rugby Canada training centre in Langford.

The eyes have to be on the big prize, said Jones: “This will create real depth for November, while also rewarding the players that have put in a lot of work in Langford.”

Meanwhile, world No. 4 Canada is heading to the women’s Paris Sevens after a fifth-place finish last month as host in the Canada Sevens at Westhills Stadium. The 2016 Rio Olympic bronze-medallist Canadian side has had an uneven season that it will be trying to stabilize.

“We want to refine a couple of things that we’re doing on attack and build off of the defence we finished with in Langford,” said Canadian coach John Tait.

“The girls know that we traditionally hit a little bit of form late in the season so that’s why we’ve generally had good finishes in France over the last couple of years.”

Canada opens today in pool play against Russia, Fiji and Australia.

The Canadian men’s sevens squad, also based in Langford, opens pool play Saturday at Paris.