The headline news for us here in Canada is that for the first time since its inception in 1987, Canada has failed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. However, more to the point is the question concerning what has clearly gone so horribly wrong in the last six years. Remember that thrilling match against Italy in the 2015 tournament where we almost caused a major upset. The same tournament where winger DTH van der Merwe was one of the leading try scorers. Go back even further to 1991 where Canada actually competed in a quarter final. Always a feisty and nuggety opponent in the past, Canada are now on the verge or receding into rugby obscurity.

Meanwhile, it's not exactly a rosy picture south of the border either, as the USA failed to qualify in their first attempt, after losing the Americas 1 berth at the 2023 World Cup to Uruguay. They now face a tricky road ahead as they have to overcome an increasingly confident and fired up Chilean team, and if that fails then there is the humility of a last chance repechage tournament. Despite the advent of Major League Rugby here in North America it seems there is little if any benefit to the fortunes of the national sides. If anything both Canada and the USA look poorer after 3 years of the MLR. As rugby seems to be going backwards in North America, by contrast in South America it would appear to be going from strength to strength.