Canada suffers 2011 Cup blow

From correspondents in Paris, France
September 20, 2007

CANADA, which has lost both of its Rugby World Cup games, has missed out on automatic qualification for the 2011 tournament.

It lost 29-16 to Fiji on Sunday to follow on from its opening 42-17 defeat to Wales, results which mean Ric Suggitt's team cannot finish third in Pool B and so will have to pre-qualify for the next World Cup in New Zealand.

"We did not put any emphasis on 2011 but what we emphasised is that we needed three wins and we did not get them,'' said coach Ric Suggitt.

"It is disappointing but it is not huge. I can think of a lot of more things that are more disappointing than that.''

Canada plays Japan in its next match on Tuesday and then takes on two-time world champion Australia the following Saturday.

Agence France-Presse