The debate over whether enough is being done to grow rugby union globally heated up on Thursday as Canada hooker Ray Barkwill claimed to have missed out on professional contracts due to his nationality.

The Canucks delighted a record crowd at Stadium MK on as they ran Pool D heavyweights France extremely close, pulling within six points at the beginning of the second half.

Just as in defeat to Italy last Saturday, though, Canada fell away in the final 20 minutes as Les Bleus notched up a bonus point victory. But Barkwill believes the only way they will challenge for 80 minutes instead of 60 is if they are given greater exposure to high-level rugby.

And having experienced professional rugby in Australia - spending the 2012 Super Rugby season with Western Force - the 35-year-old says says certain tier two nations are being held back.

"Part of our problem is trying to get Canadian players over to France, over to England, over to New Zealand playing professional rugby," he said. "I'm an amateur player who trains full time who can't get a job in a professional environment because I'm Canadian. That's a tier two problem."

Barkwill added: "We're the ones that are falling behind in Canada and we need people to say 'Look at those Canadian guys, they can play rugby - give them a chance'."

Indeed, Barkwill believes that the Canucks' performances at the Rugby World Cup have proven that they have the ability to play professionally, and against more tier one nations. Currently only six of their 31-man squad are contracted to top-tier professional sides, while as a team Canada had not played a top level nation in 2015 until their opening game against Ireland.

"It felt like a home game [in Milton Keynes] when we were playing," he added. "I think we get a lot of supporters who want to watch us play, I think it's growing in Canada and I think it's growing support around the world for Canada rugby.

"If we play rugby like that people are going to want to watch us play, they're not going to want to sit there and watch other countries slow the game down and play really, really boring 1980s rugby. We're playing the new age rugby that's just quick and expansive."

France back row Bernard Le Roux concurred with Barkwill that the Canucks deserve greater exposure. "Definitely, they've got top quality players I would like to see them compete," he said.

"I think they've got a lot of players who can even play at really high level rugby. [On Thursday] night they were strong, they have intelligent players."