June North American Caribbean Rugby Association and Pan Ams

Canada: I think the mindset of the guys is 100 per cent where it needs to be." A gold medal showdown with the U.S. would seem in the cards Sunday, according to Hamilton Spectator. The Canadian men have played the U.S. six times this season with the Americans winning five, most recently at the June 14 North American Caribbean Rugby Association Olympic qualifier in Cary, N.C. Canada lone win over the U.S. was a 40-0 decision in May in Glasgow. The Pan Ams serve as a chance for Canada to reset in the wake of the disappointing 21-5 loss to the U.S. that consigned the Canadians to a last-chance world repechage in their bid to get to Rio de Janeiro next year. "It obviously a difficult one because it on your mind throughout of the season and it a big event," Canadian coach Liam Middleton said of the Olympic setback. "So yes, there was probably a short grieving period as you'd expect in any high stakes game," the Zimbabwe native added. "But we quickly picked ourselves up and we trained particularly well following that. Captain John Moonlight, a native of nearby Pickering, says Canada needs to take the emotion out of the fierce rivalry with the U.S. to succeed. "We accomplished that in Glasgow," he said. It was a transitional year for Canada, which was sixth overall the previous season, with Middleton a late arrival due to immigration red tape and the team hampered by a slew of injuries. The Americans finished sixth in the HSBC World Series standings this season, ahead of No. 8 Argentina, No. 9 Canada and No. 16 Brazil. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.