Gareth Rees led Canada to their solitary win over France in 1994 © Getty Images

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News: Same again for confident Canucks

Matches: Canada 19 - 46 France

Players/Officials: Gareth Rees | Philippe Sella

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: Canada | France

Canada head into their clash with France in Napier on Sunday desperate to repeat their solitary success over Les Blues.

While France have recorded seven victories over the Canucks since the first meeting between the sides in Calgary in 1978, Canada overturned the rugby giants 18-16 at Twin Elms Park in 1994. The match was tainted by the dismissal of Canada hooker Mark Cardinal for violent conduct in the in 30th minute before Philippe Sella suffered the same fate for punching in the 69th minute. However victory tasted sweet for the Canucks as six penalties from fly-half Gareth Rees secured the win despite France scoring the only try of the match through Emile Ntamack.

France swiftly avenged that defeat with a 28-9 win in France in December that year. This time Sella was on scoresheet as one of three French try scorers, along with Philippe Benetton and Jean-Luc Sadourny. In the last four fixtures the margin of victory for France has steadily increased, culimnating in a 50-6 victory for Les Blues in the last meeting between the sides in November 2005.

Canada v France

All-time record: Played: 8, Canada won 1, France won 7.

Biggest winning margin: Can: 2 (18-16, Nepean 1994) Fra: 44 (50-6, Nantes 2005)

Highest score: Can: 20 (20-33, Beziers 1999); Fra: 50 (50-6, Nantes 2005)

Most tries: Can: 2 (33-20, Beziers 1999) Fra: 7 (50-6, Nantes 2005)

Most points (individual): Can: 38 Gareth Rees; Fra: 27 Thierry Lacroix

Most tries (individual): Can: 2 Morgan Williams; Fra: 2 Julien Bonnaire, Thomas Castaignede, Vincent Clerc, Emile Ntamack

Most points in a Test: Can: 18 Gareth Rees (18-16, Nepean 1994); Fra: 19 Alexandre Peclier (47-13, Toronto 2004)

Previous World Cup meetings: One

Statsguru archive:

Click here for Canada's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click here for France's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click here for a record of all Canada v France matches courtesy of Statsguru