ANALYSIS – The Canada Wolverines played exceptionally well as they dominated the game from beginning to end. They won 42-6 and maintained their International Rugby League (IRL) ranking as the best team in the Americas.
Canada Wolverines Win Big Against Jamaica in Brampton
AJ Kosempel Had A Fantastic Debut for the Canada Wolverines
AJ Kosempel’s first-ever game in a Canada Wolverines jersey was an unforgettable one. His two tries were:
- In his first try, he used his excellent speed to score the team’s first try.
- From a kick by Blake Mahovic, Kosempel took advantage of a Jamaica mistake, grabbed the ball, and scored the try.
- Early in the second half, he caught the ball cleanly, made a strong run, and passed to Henry Po.
Kosempel has earned his reps as a Canada Wolverines player, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he appears in future Canada Wolverines games. Kosempel, though, was not the only player who performed well against Jamaica.
Canada’s Speed Was Too Much For Jamaica
Throughout the game, Canada’s speed and agility were too much for Jamaica. Many times during the game, Jamaica had trouble keeping up with the Canadians. Yes, passing was also a factor. However, that ability to get past a defender is how the trouble for Jamaica’s defence started.
Some examples include:
- Mahovic gave Jamaica a lot of trouble. His tremendous speed led to the first try of the game. His speed and agility led to two tries for the team and a try scored by Chuck Corran.
- Oliver Lenahan scored a fantastic individual try as he got past many players before scoring a try.
Canada Wolverines Defence Was Excellent
A big reason why the Canada Wolverines won this game was because of their stellar defence. Some examples include:
- There were a few times that Jamaica was about to score, but Canada’s defence kept them off the try line.
- Canada forced Jamaica to make mistakes near the try line, as Canada was able to weather the storm.
Yes, Jamaica made some uncharacteristic mistakes. An example would be Shaqueil Pollack’s pass being off target late in the game. However, even with those mistakes, Jamaica’s offence could have earned more than one try in the second half, and Canada did not allow them to score those tries.
READ MORE: Canada v Jamaica: A Homecoming for the Wolverines in Brampton
Other Factors: Jamaica Had Some Chances to Score
Jamaica did score one try thanks to a set-piece. Javian Bryan made a great run before passing the ball to Mohenjo Thompson for their lone try. However, they had chances to score throughout the game but dropped the ball a few times. Some of that is because of Canada’s defence, but the other part is Jamaica’s inability to keep the ball, with unforced errors.
Mahovic was probably the player of the game in Saturday’s contest. He scored two tries and played a part in three other tries as well. There is a reason why he is the captain of the Canada Wolverines. Many other players played well, like Chuck Curran, Lenahan, and Kosempel (both Lenahan and Kosempel scored two tries each as well). It was a complete team performance.
READ MORE: The Canada Wolverines Defence Was Elite at Lamport Stadium
Canada now has two wins and one loss against Jamaica since 2024, with their last win happening at Lamport Stadium in 2024. They are also likely to maintain their ranking as the number one team in the Americas. 2026 would be the first year ever that the men’s team is ranked first in the region in national team history. Also, it will be the very first time that both the men’s and women’s teams are ranked first in the Americas.
Note: Other results that day between Jamaica and Canada took place at Terry Fox Stadium. For example, the U-19 Jamaica Reggae Warriors beat the U-19 Canada Wolverines 30-14. The Canada Selects won 30-4 against the Jamaica Exodus, and finally, the Canada Rugby League Masters and the Rugby League Jamaica Masters drew 4-4 at Terry Fox Stadium, as mentioned by the Rugby League Jamaica Facebook Page.
Photo Credit: Rugby League Jamaica X Account on November 22, 2025 (Uploaded on December 28, 2025).
