LEICESTER, UK – The Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby team finished fourth at the 2019 King Power Quad Nations on Sunday afternoon, following a narrow 48-52 defeat at the hands of France.

The bronze medal match started out tight, with both Canada and France exchanging tries and small 1 and 2-point leads throughout the opening quarter. The French, however, managed to hold a narrow 12-11 over the Canadians after the first eight-minutes of play.

The second quarter would see France pull away slightly on the scoreboard. Their strong defensive pressure managed to create problems for Canada on the inbound, forcing Canada into situations where they’d either have to throw a risky pass or call a timeout, in order to avoid turning over the ball.

The first half would go on to end in thrilling fashion, as Canada’s Branden Troutman would squeak past the try line, with less than a second left on the game clock. The teams would go into to the break with France leading by four tries.

The start of the third quarter saw Canada go up a gear and cut their opponent’s lead in half. It looked like the comeback was on. Unfortunately, France would eventually tighten up on defense and in the final minute of play, force Canada into two successive turnovers.

The fourth quarter was a stalemate, as Canada and France would trade tries back-and-forth and no team would manage to dominate. The clock would eventually tick down to zero and the match would finish Canada 48 France 52.

The loss meant Canada finished the 2019 King Power Quad Nations in fourth place. In the gold medal final, world champions Japan narrowly defeated the tournament hosts Great Britain by a score of 53-51.

Trevor Hirschfield (1.0) and Shayne Smith (2.5) were respectively rewarded “Best in Class” during the tournament’s closing banquet.

What’s Next for Team Canada?

There will be little time to rest for Team Canada, with the 2019 Vancouver Invitational just around the corner, starting Friday, March 8^th and running until Sunday, March 10^th.

Immediately following the conclusion of tournament, a five-day National Team Selection Camp will be held at the Richmond Olympic Oval to determine the roster for the 2019-20 National Team Program. Athletes selected to the program will then have an opportunity, later in the year, to be selected to represent Canada at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.

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About Wheelchair Rugby Canada

Wheelchair Rugby Canada is the national governing body for the Canadian Heritage Sport of wheelchair rugby. Wheelchair Rugby Canada strives to be a world-leader in wheelchair rugby, a respected advocate for wheelchair athletes and a visionary organization committed to excellence in programs from recruitment to retirement.

For more information, please contact:
Ben Parker-Jones
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Wheelchair Rugby Canada
Tel: 613.523.0004 Email: ben@wheelchairrugby.ca