Aaron Carpenter has carved out a professional career in English rugby’s second-tier as an honest, hard-working player who likes physical confrontation. In that sense, he is a typical Canadian back-row. But the unassuming 34-year-old now stands apart from the rest, as the most-capped player in his country’s history.

Running out for his 77th cap against Romania at Ellerslie Park in Edmonton last Saturday, Carpenter overtook Canucks' great Al Charron, who held the record following his retirement post-RWC 2003.

“He was a great player, a legend, so it’s a real honour to be mentioned in the same breath as him,” said Carpenter.

“When I was a young kid, he was the mainstay of the Canadian team and he is an imposing figure even now. You shake his hand and it disappears in his massive paw.

“He’s a been a big supporter of mine over the years. I’ve been up to his house in Ottawa a few times and hung out with him. He has got a massive shrine of rugby memorabilia in his basement, it would blow your mind with the things he’s got.”

TEAM PLAYER

Both players amassed their impressive tallies over similar timespans, Charron from 1990-2003 and Carpenter from 2005 to the present day, but test opportunities were less frequent for the former.

“Unlike him, I didn’t start 76 games but I worked my way in the team and moved around a little bit, even experimenting in the front row (at hooker). I am the guy who does whatever’s needed and I’ve been called upon to captain a few times as well," the ever-modest Carpenter said.

Despite his advancing years – he will be 36 by the time Japan 2019 comes around – Carpenter refuses to rule out the possibility of following Charron in appearing at four Rugby World Cups. He has also signed on for another year at English Championship side Doncaster Knights.

“I’m just going to take it day by day and see how the body holds up and how the rugby goes. To play to 36 would be a stretch but for the moment I am feeling fit and will continue to crack on.

“I’d really like four World Cups under my belt. That would be awesome."

EVER-PRESENTS

Canada’s involvement in Asia's first Rugby World Cup is not a given, however. Ever-presents since the inaugural tournament in 1987, the Canucks are in danger of missing out for the first time.  

Mark Anscombe’s side have only won two of their last 11 tests and have slipped down to 23 in the World Rugby Rankings going into their two-legged RWC 2019 Americas 1 play-off against USA over the next two weekends.

Should Canada lose out in the battle for the Americas 1 spot and a place alongside England, France, Argentina and the Oceania 2 qualifier in Pool C at RWC 2019, they will face a tricky play-off against Uruguay.

Los Teros beat them 17-13 in the Americas Rugby Championship earlier this year and are ranked five places higher. The winner of that game will go forward to Japan as Americas 2, while it’s the lottery of the global repechage for the loser.

“For the last two to three years we’ve been a ‘just about’ team, coming up just short of the line," he admitted.

“At present, the US have had the best of us, but we’ll have to see what we can come up with.

“I feel it would be unthinkable for us not to be at the World Cup, it would be a huge backward step for Canadian rugby.”