Canada competed at every World Cup from the inagurual tournament in 1987 until its elimination at the hands of Chile during the 2023 qualifying process,[1] breaking the 3 decades long record of uninterrupted attendance.

Before the professionalization of rugby, Canada were known to upset stronger teams, having defeated France, Scotland, Wales, and an uncapped England side prior to 2002.

[3][4] In late 1874, the Harvard team traveled to Montreal to play McGill in rugby, and won by three tries in front of 2,000 spectators.

[5][6][7] An annual competition began in 1974 to mark the centennial of the 1874 meeting and is now known as the Covo Cup, using the original rules of rugby football.

In 1919 a Canadian Services team played overseas against representatives from England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

[11] About half the team were Canadian born (mostly British Columbia players) and the rest were originally from Britain.

[18] Canada established themselves as the strongest team in North America, though they struggled to compete with the major test-playing nations in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere.

Despite failing to replicate their previous success, Canada would build upon their 1991 World Cup achievement and record wins over tier 1 nations.

[27] Unfortunately for the Canadians, on the eve of the match England's management chose not to award international caps, as some players were touring with the British and Irish Lions at the time.

Nevertheless, Canada has produced top class players such as Dan Baugh, Rod Snow, Mike James, Colin Yukes, Dave Lougheed and Jamie Cudmore who have played professionally in England, Wales and France.

From 2003–2011 Canada played host to the Churchill Cup and made one finals appearance in 2010, losing to the England Saxons 38–18.

Going into the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, Canada were ranked as severe outsiders, and given odds of 5000/1 to win the tournament.

[40] Canada finished bottom of Pool B, and returned home from a World Cup without winning a single game for the first time ever.

[41] In Autumn 2008 the Canadians toured Europe, beating Portugal in their opening match, but suffering heavy defeats in their subsequent games in Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

[46][47] Canada beat the United States in a two-legged playoff game in July 2009 to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and enter the tournament as Americas 1.

Canada finished fourth in their pool, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

At the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship, Canada scored a single win versus Chile, and lost the other four matches.

Later they faced United States for the 2019 World Cup North America play-off, being beaten on aggregate for the first time.

In 2018, Canada lost both matches versus Uruguay for the 2019 World Cup Americas play-off, therefore the team advanced to the intercontinental repechage which it won, securing the very last spot in the final tournament.

Canada secured the last spot in the 2019 Rugby World Cup on 23 November 2018, winning all of its three matches of the intercontinental repechage in Marseille, France.

[51] They joined 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool B with title holders New Zealand and third-placed team from 2015 South Africa, Italy and the African qualifier, Namibia.

[55] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Americas qualifying round was delayed indefinitely before it was abridged and the first fixtures were confirmed for July 2021.

[56] However, they scuttled in the return leg in Glendale, Colorado, losing by a score of 38–16, with the Americans dominating the game from start to finish.

BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario has been proposed as the national team's home stadium, despite not providing a suitable rugby climate year-round.

In August 2011 it was announced that the national team would have a permanent training centre located in Langford, British Columbia.

[76] Head coach: Kingsley Jones Canada has played in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural 1987 tournament, and up to 2015, have always qualified during the first round.