Canada aims to lay a thumping on Namibia

Pride on the line at Rugby World Cup

The last time Canada and Namibia squared off at the Rugby World Cup, there was a whole lot on the line for the Canadians: a potential spot in the playoff rounds.

On Oct. 14, 1999, Canada tackled Namibia in Toulouse, the final match for Pool C at that year’s Rugby World Cup.

This Sunday in Kamaishi, Canada will face Namibia again, for just the second time in RWC action (TSN, 8:15 p.m., Saturday). And yes, it’s just two days shy of the 20th anniversary of the last match.

The Canadians needed to win big that night in 1999 to have any hope of advancing to the qualifying round, where they would have fought Ireland for a chance to play in the quarter-finals.

On that night in Toulouse, the Canadians won 72-11, including four tries in the game’s final 10 minutes, but it was all a moot point after Samoa upset Wales earlier in the day, knocking the Canadians out of contention.

“We were really frustrated and wanted to make somebody pay,” former Canadian national team forward Mike James said this week, looking back at a match he played from start to finish as a second-rower.

This year’s match is all about pride, of finishing on a high note.

The 1999 edition was the first to feature 20 teams, but unlike every tournament that followed, organizers created five groups of four teams. Every tournament since has featured four five-team groups.

James and his mates found themselves that year matched up against a clear favourite (France), a clear rival (Fiji) and a clear minnow (Namibia) making its World Cup debut.

All of the group’s games were played in Southern France, far from the centre of that year’s tournament in Wales.

“We were kind of an afterthought,” James said, when asked if it felt like they were part of the Rugby World Cup. And on personal terms, the Burnaby born-andraised James was into his third year of playing pro rugby in France.

“We were playing 90 minutes from my home,” he joked.

The Canadians opened against France and performed well, losing 33-20 in Beziers. The Canadians battled hard, but the French where too powerful. The French would go on to lose to Australia in the final.

The second match was against Fiji in Bordeaux. In James’ mind the Canadians should have performed better, perhaps even won that match. But the Fijians capitalized on Canadian mistakes in the second half, winning 38-22. The score at halftime was 22-16 for the Pacific Islanders.

Which led to the final match against Namibia. The country had been independent of South African rule for only nine years and there were plenty of connections with South African rugby.

The team’s preparation was disrupted by government intervention amid allegations of racism by non-white rugby clubs in the country. The Namibians were a low-powered outfit and looked second-best for much of the night.