Canada End U18 Tournament with Loss to Netherlands 23-15: Player of Tournament USA’s Corbin Smith Has Canadian Connection
Canada lost their last match of the tournament to host Netherlands 23-15. The Netherlands went ahead early with a try and a penalty for an 8-0 lead. Canada replied with two tries for a 12-8 lead at the half. The teams exchanged penalties early in the second half for a 15-11 scoreline in Canada’s favour. The Netherlands closed out the game with two tries to win 23-15.
The USA win the tournament with a 3-0 record, the Netherlands finish 2nd at 2-1, Canada 3rd at 1-2 and Belgium last at 0-3.
In 2020 Kingsley Jones was given the title of Director of Men’s Rugby Performance as well as being the men’s XVs head coach. Unless Rugby Canada have made any changes this would still be true and the youth high performance programs would fall under his guidance.
There’s one interesting side note from the tournament, the player of the tournament was Corbin Smith from the USA, an outside back. He’s from Trumbull, CT and going to Kutztown University next year. We came across this article from his home town newspaper and he talks about how his father started his brother and him in rugby at ages 6 and 8. He also mentions in the article that his Dad played in Canada, it doesn’t state whether his Dad is Canadian or not but it’s an interesting Canadian thread to follow. We did a quick follow on that thread and the father J.T. Smith did get his degree (BA, History) at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.
*Canada Lose to USA 38-10 in U18 Tournament*
Canada lost to USA 38-10 in Wednesday action, it was game day 2 of the tournament. Hosts Netherlands defeated Belgium 29-24. Canada face the Netherlands in their final match of the tournament. On Day 1 Canada defeated Belgium by +6, and USA defeated Netherlands +8. It bodes for a close Canada v Netherlands match.
It’s that time to ask, “should we be worried”? The latest competitions between USA and Canada at the U18 level have been close, and those games have been on USA soil, a home field advantage for them. This was on neutral territory. The last match we have on record was over two years ago, when Canada U18 did their annual trip over the xmas holidays to California. The results were close, they played four games and split them 2-2. The score differences were 8, 5, 7 and 2 in the four games. This USA +28 on neutral ground merits some concern moving forward.
The game can be viewed on the tournament streaming website.
A few notes on the game:
– a lot of the game seemed to be played inside the Canada 22
– the USA first receiver was skilled in game management and with kicking from hand, winning territory
– Canada made a lot of errors, not finding touch on penalties, errors feeding the scrum, handling errors
– the Canadian game wasn’t technically sophisticated, aka run from everywhere
– USA defensive pressure was constant, bordering on offside, and they picked up a few offside calls
The question now is who reviews the program and makes corrections moving forward? The senior men’s coach has a foot out the door, the Canada U20 program needs to assert itself as these are the players feeding their program.
Hopefully Canada will put in a strong performance on Saturday and make a statement against the Netherlands.
*Canada Win First Match at U18 Tournament 26-20 Over Belgium: MATCH VIDEO LINK*
Canada U18 won their first match of the Corendon Rugby Summer Tour tournament, 26-20. The match can be viewed online here.
Canada went up 5-0 off an intercept in the backline. Belgium replied with a try off an attacking lineout at the 5 metres. They added a penalty to go up 10-5. Canada got a try off turnover ball, initiated by a steal at the breakdown, 12-10 for Canada. That extended to 19-10 with a chip kick into goal that Canada got to first. The half ended 19-10 for Canada. The second half didn’t start well for Canada as they gifted Belgium a try when they attempted to keep a ball from going into touch and tapped it back into their goal and Belgium touched it down, 19-17. Belgium added a penalty to go up 20-19. Canada scored their fourth try with the back three teaming up to return a clearing kick. Belgium had one more foray into the Canada 22 but the ball was turned over and kicked into touch. There wasn’t much between the teams and at the U18 level all four teams look evenly matched, the USA defeated host Netherlands 31-23. Canada face USA next.
In the U20 division the gap between countries starts to widen. USA defeated Belgium 55-7 and the Netherlands defeated Czech Republic 57-0. In the U23 division USA narrowly defeated the Brussel Devils 22-20. Canada didn’t send teams in the U20 and U23 divisions. Canada U20 are hosting a tournament in August with Uruguay, Chile and Zimbabwe attending. Canada’s equivalent to the national U23 program would be the Rugby Canada Development Academy aka Pacific Pride but they haven’t taken on any international tournaments this summer.
*U18 Tournament Starts Saturday in the Netherlands: Canada in U18 Division with USA, Belgium and Netherlands: LIVE STREAM LINK*
[ed. live stream link is here.]
Canada have sent their U18 team to take part in an age-grade tournament in Amsterdam. The tournament is sponsored by the Corendon Group and called the Corendon Summer Tour.
Canada have entered the U18 Division and play Belgium this Saturday, USA on Wednesday and the Netherlands on the following Saturday, the 16th.
There is a U20 tournament that features USA, Belgium, Netherlands and Czech Republic. There is also a U23 tournament that includes USA and two pro teams that take part in the Rugby Europe Super Cup competition, the Brussel Devils and The Delta.
Canada Travelling Roster
Leo Chen – DW Poppy High School
Marco Mitchell – St. George’s School – UBCOB Ravens
Hudson Bell – St George’s School – UBCOB Ravens
Lenny Bonduau – Windsor High School – Capilano RFC
Presley Bosa – Collingwood High School – Capilano RFC
Alex Gamage – Henry Wise Wood High School – Calgary Saints
Paddy Kirwan – Prince of Wales Secondary School Meraloma RFC
James Skene – St George’s School – UBCOB Ravens
Sandon Gupta – Kitsilano Secondary School – UBCOB Ravens
Ollie Clarke – Brentwood College School – Cowichan RFC
Jeffrey Young – Shawnigan Lake School- Toronto Nomads
Owen Williams – Dunbarton High School – Ajax Wanderers
Charles Trollip – Bishop Macdonell Catholic High-School – Fergus Highland RFC
Sam LeVasseur – Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School – Peterborough Pagans
Grant Meadows – St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School – Aurora Barbarians
Stephen Webb – Crescent School – Toronto City Rugby Club
Sanad Ibrahim – Iroquois Ridge High School – Crusaders Rugby Club
Marcus D’Acre – Lorne Park High School – Crusaders Rugby Club
Mac Reimer – Uxbridge Secondary School – Oshawa Vikings
Graeme Tremain – Upper Canada College – Toronto Nomads
Brenden Black – Oakville Trafalgar High School – Crusaders Rugby Club
Ryan Dier – Donald A. Wilson Secondary School – Ajax Wanderers
Nehemiah ONeil – Citadel High School – Halifax Tars
Garin Schroeder – St. John Henry Newman Catholic Secondary School- Burlington Centaurs
Ollie Wigman – Eastbourne College – Heathfield and Waldron RFC
Will von Dadelszen – Whitgift School – Swilers RFC
Morgan Di Nardo – Crescent School and Macleans College – Toronto City Rugby Club
NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES
Ben Martin – Dover Bay High School – Nanaimo Hornets
Seamus Goodyear – Gonzaga High School – Swilers RFC
Calum Hayes – Oakville Trafalgar High School – Crusaders Rugby Club
from Rugby Netherlands
CORENDON SUMMER TOUR
On Saturday 9, Wednesday 13, and Saturday 16 July 2022, five countries will come to the Rugby stadium in Amsterdam for the Corendon Summer Tour. A real first for Rugby Netherlands, it is the first time that a tournament in this form will be organized in Europe. America, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands will travel to Amsterdam with various U18, U20 and U23/Supercup teams to play fifteen matches in total. Scroll down for the tickets.
A great event with 3 days, 15 matches and 12 different teams. On every competition day there will be no fewer than 350 athletes of different nationalities. America will participate in the Corendon Summer Tour with the under-18, under-20 and under-23 team. Belgium and the Netherlands will also join with all three age groups. However, the under-23 team for Belgium will consist of the Brussels Devils and for the Netherlands the team will be Delta (both playing in the Rugby Europe Super Cup). Canada will march to Amsterdam with their under-18 team and the Czech Republic with their under-20 team.
On match days there will be a program full of matches throughout the day. Beautiful rugby will be played from 11:30 am to 7:10 pm. On match days, the under-18 teams will play their matches first followed by the under-20 teams with the last and closing game for the under-23/Super Cup teams. For a detailed overview of the program see the images below.
Tickets
We have a full day program where you can watch rugby non stop if you wish. In addition to the games, there is also plenty of space to enjoy the July sun within one of the chill areas or in the stands. For only 7.50 you can enjoy five top matches in one day. And for only 15 you have a passe-partout and you don’t have to miss a single match, so guaranteed success. Click here for ticket sales and we’ll see you in Amsterdam. #CorendonSummerTour
VARIOUS SIDE EVENTS
Corendon and Rugby Netherlands give Ukrainian refugees a nice rugby day
In collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam and Rugby Netherlands, Corendon Hotel & Resorts is organizing a touch-rugby family festival on July 10 to celebrate the 350 Ukrainian refugees currently staying at Corendon Village in Badhoevedorp. to make. Hotel guests and people from the neighborhood are also invited to participate. On this day, all countries from the Corendon Summer Tour will be present on the sports fields of the Topsport Pancratius Foundation. Various touch rugby matches will be played to increase the solidarity between the Ukrainian refugees and the countries from the Corendon Summer Tour. And for July 16, Corendon has arranged bus transport so that all refugees can come and watch the Summer Tour.