Canada come from behind to beat Hong Kong China in Chambéry (38-17)

Takoda McMullin scored a try and kicked three conversions.

Hong Kong China, who have qualified for the 2027 World Cup, led for a long time. Paul Altier, a French-born wing who played for SO Chambéry from 2022 to 2025, opened the scoring with a penalty and converted Jack Bartlett’s try (10-0, 23rd minute). Nic Benn replied for Canada (10-7) before Altier scored and converted his own try straight after the break (17-7, 42nd).

The game turned with a penalty try for Canada and a yellow card for Josh Hrstich (51st). Spencer Jones (59th), Andrew Quattrin (64th), Sam Miller (74th) and Takoda McMullin (78th) then scored. Canada, who had already been down to 14 in the first half after Isaac Olson’s yellow card, scored six tries.

Several of Canada’s players are based in France, including Tyler Ardron (Provence Rugby), Evan Olmstead (Nice), Matt Beukeboom (Soyaux-Angoulême) and Josh Thiel (Agde). A week after a heavy defeat to Georgia, the side captained for the first time by Ben LeSage have two wins, a draw and two defeats in the Nations Cup. They face Romania in the final round on Saturday.