Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team opens the Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge with win over Samoa

Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team opened the 2025 Oceania Rugby U20s Challenge with a 44-20 win over Samoa at King Charles Park in Nadi.  

Liam Kinghorn put Canada on the board first with a successful penalty kick, but Samoa responded to take the lead 5-3. Samoa added another, this time with a good conversion, to go up 12-3, but tries from Kinghorn and Stephen Webb gave Canada a 13-12 edge. Despite Samoa once again taking back the lead, a late first half try from Cole Harris gave Canada an 18-17 lead at half-time.  

The first 15 minutes of the second half saw Josh McIndoe score for Canada, his try converted by Kohl Kletke, along with a penalty kick from Samoa to put the score at 25-20. Despite Canada being down a player due to a yellow card, Webb scored his second of the game in the 59th minute, with Kletke kicking another conversion, giving Canada a 32-20 lead. 

With Canada keeping play in Samoa’s end, Jimmy Leach dove over the line to add a try in the 74th minute, Kletke kicking the conversion. Morgan Di Nardo scored Canada’s seventh and final try of the game, intercepting the ball in Canada’s end and running the full length of the field to score. Samoa tried to have the last word by ending the game with a try, but Canada’s defence held up the ball to take the win 44-20. 

Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team will play hosts Fiji next, on June 2 at 2:00pm local time (June 1 at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET), closing out the tournament against Tonga on June 7 at 2:00pm local time (June 6 at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET). Both matches will be available on RugbyPass TV. 

A number of squad updates were made before the team departed for Fiji, with Joseph Kaufmann, Daniel Lucic, Max McGavern and Sebastian Poyser joining the squad in place of Brighton Feldman, Simroy John, Elijah McQueen and Matthew Bennett. Canada’s squad announcement can be found here.  

CANADA’S U20 MEN’S RUGBY TEAM ROSTER vs SAMOA 

1. Cole Harris (Uxbridge, ON) - Pacific Pride / Brock RFC 
2. Alistair Yeomans (Mississauga, ON) - University of Guelph / Mississauga Blues 
3. James Noftall (Conception Bay South, NL) - University of British Columbia / Swilers RFC 
4. Daragh Doyle (Quebec City, QC) - Clontarf FC 
5. Sebastian Poyser (Manuden, UK) - University of Nottingham / Bishop’s Stortford  
6. Coen Quinn (Ottawa, ON) - Queen’s University / Bytown Blues RFC 
7. Kaea Griffiths (Penzance, ENG) - Camborne RFC 
8. Liam Kinghorn (Calgary, AB) - University of British Columbia / Calgary Irish 
9. Stephen Webb (Toronto, ON) - University of British Columbia / Balmy Beach Rugby Club 
10. Joshua McIndoe (Victoria, BC) - University of Victoria / Greerton Marist Rugby Club 
11. Morgan Di Nardo (Toronto, ON) - University of Victoria 
12. Jimmy Leach (London, UK) - Brunel University 
13. Liam Turnbull (Vancouver, BC) - UBCOB Ravens 
14. Liam James (Vancouver, BC) - University of British Columbia / UBCOB Ravens 
15. Kohl Kletke (Oakville, ON) - Western University / Oakville Crusaders 

FINISHERS 

16. Austin Allen (Thornbury, ON) - Trent University / Georgian Bay Titans 
17. Daniel Lucic (Oakville, ON) - University of Guelph / Oakville Crusaders 
18. Kyle Finan (Barnsley, ENG) - Leeds Beckett University / Red Deer Titans 
19. Alexander Muir (Victoria, BC) - University College Dublin / UBCOB Ravens 
20. Adam Doane (Sutton, ON) - University of Victoria / Aurora Barbarians 
21. Daniel Muzaliwa (Cape Town, RSA) - University of Waterloo / Waterloo County 
22. Spencer Cotie (Victoria, BC) - University of Victoria / Castaway Wanderers 
23. Joe Kaufmann (Kingston, ON) - Kingston Panthers / La Salle School