A new atmosphere permeates Canada含羞草研究社檚 men含羞草研究社檚 rugby team these days 含羞草研究社� one of confidence.

Belief bubbled up when the squad downed world No. 20 Romania in Ottawa last month and it lingers as the 21st-ranked Canadians begin their Pacific Nations Cup quest in Vancouver on Sunday.

含羞草研究社淚 think (confidence) is probably something we含羞草研究社檝e lacked in years past due to a number of different factors,含羞草研究社� captain Lucas Rumball said Thursday. 含羞草研究社淏ut I think we need to start believing we含羞草研究社檙e a good team, start believing in ourselves, and see what can come with that.含羞草研究社�

Canada含羞草研究社檚 conviction could be put to the test Sunday when the squad takes on No. 14 Japan at B.C. Place to open its Pacific Nations Cup run.

The two sides have not met since 2016 when the Canadians dropped a 26-22 decision in Vancouver.

That game has stuck with Rumball over the years.

含羞草研究社淚 was young in my career at that time. I think it was my third or fourth cap,含羞草研究社� said the 29-year-old forward, who hails from Toronto. 含羞草研究社淪o I was still kind of living in the moment and a little overwhelmed by things. But I remember a tight game.含羞草研究社�

Eight years later, Japan remains a tough opponent, he added.

含羞草研究社淭hey stick to their game plan really well, they work very hard,含羞草研究社� Rumball said. 含羞草研究社淪o you can never take a moment off.含羞草研究社�

Japan含羞草研究社檚 an organized team, and Canada will need to impose its own style of play to control the game, said vice-captain Ben LeSage.

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e probably one of the fittest teams in the world. They just try and challenge other teams in terms of ball and play time, all those sorts of things,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 think when you make mistakes against them, they含羞草研究社檙e going to capitalize and they probably don含羞草研究社檛 make as many mistakes as other teams do.含羞草研究社�

Sunday含羞草研究社檚 game will kick off a busy stretch for the Canadians.

Afterwards, the team will head to Carson, Cali., where they含羞草研究社檒l continue the Pacific Nations Cup in a battle with the 19th-ranked United States on Aug. 31.

Canada and the U.S. will then join Japan, No. 10 Fiji, No. 13 Samoa and No. 16 Tonga in Tokyo for the tournament含羞草研究社檚 semifinals and fifth-place playoff on Sept. 14 and 15. The final and third-place playoff are set for Sept. 21 in Osaka.

Having a packed international schedule is a nice change of pace for the Canadians, said LeSage, who won a Major League Rugby championship title with the New England Free Jacks earlier this month.

含羞草研究社淚 think first and foremost, it含羞草研究社檚 just exciting for us to have rugby and be in a tournament,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淪ince the (2019) World Cup, there含羞草研究社檚 been sort of test matches few and far between. So just to have this recurring tournament where we含羞草研究社檙e playing some of the best rugby countries in the world, it含羞草研究社檚 exciting to be involved with that and have Canada in the mix.含羞草研究社�

The Pacific Nations Cup allows the squad to 含羞草研究社済et into a bit of a rhythm,含羞草研究社� he added, and that含羞草研究社檚 big for a team that mixes veterans like LeSage and Rumball with up-and-coming athletes 含羞草研究社� especially as Canada strives to earn a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

含羞草研究社淥bviously we want to win the Pacific Nations Cup and win every test match we play. But with World Cup qualification being next year, there含羞草研究社檚 not a lot of pressure this year,含羞草研究社� LeSage said.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e got a young team. A lot of guys, (Sunday) will be the first time they play in front of a crowd this big. We含羞草研究社檙e staying at world-class hotels, using world-class facilities. It含羞草研究社檚 a pretty amazing opportunity just to be involved. So I think you can take lessons this year and build confidence going into next year.含羞草研究社�