Canada Lose to Portugal 20-17 – Last Minute Hail Mary Try Gives Portugal the Win: FULL MATCH VIDEO
Canada were leading in the match 17-15 with time showing elapsed on the on-screen clock. The forwards were trying to run the clock down with pick and goes but when Conor Keys had a go, he hit the ground in an awkward position, the support was a fraction late arriving and Portugal won the penalty.
There was time left on the ref’s watch so Portugal took the lineout from their side of centre. Canada didn’t contest, they took it to a maul and when it was stopped sent it wide in three passes. The winger #14 Raffaele Storti chipped ahead and out ran Brock Webster and Ben LeSage to get a foot on it, Kainoa Lloyd was cross covering from the opposite wing. Cardoso Pinto #23 the reserve winger overtook Lloyd in the goal area to get the touch on the ball. Rob Povey, the fullback, had tried to block the original chip kick and was out of the play.
It was a bizarre ending to an even match. Portugal led 10-5 at the half, a converted try and penalty, to an unconverted try by Canada.
We’ll have more to say on Canada’s performance in a later article.
PORTUGAL 20
Tries – T. Appleton (4′), R. Storti (52′), M. Cardoso Pinto (78′)
Cons – N. Guedes 1/2 (5′), J. Abecasis 0/1
Pens – N. Guedes 1/1 (39′)
CANADA 17
Tries – C. Keith (22′), C. Thomas 2 (65′, 70′)
Cons – R. Povey 1/3 (71′)
MATCH VIDEO (starts at 13 minutes into the game)
*Canada Announce Roster for Portugal Match: KO 7am PT on Saturday: ROSTER UPDATES*
[Note roster changes: Foster Dewitt is added as reserve tighthead prop, out is Tyler Rowland. Rob Povey replaces Peter Nelson at fullback, Lockie Kratz comes into the reserves.]
Canada coach Kingsley Jones has gone with basically the same players he used for the Chile matches. There are only two new players brought in, Josh Larsen and Isaac Olson. Missing are Pat Parfrey and Matt Heaton.
The major change is Spencer Jones being moved from centre to #10, and Peter Nelson being moved to fullback. None of the European pros are in the roster.
Michael Smith and Quinn Ngawati get starting roles, they were reserve players vs Chile. There’s still no sign of Lockie Kratz, Foster Dewitt, Mason Flesch, Will Kelly who were all named in the 30 player squad before the USA and Chile tests.
The match will be live streamed at www.rugbytv.pt at 10:00am ET/7:00am PT on Saturday.
Portugal have a vastly changed roster from their European Championship game where they almost beat Romania, losing 28-27 at the final whistle. The European Championship serves as a World Cup qualifier, Georgia are on track to qualify as Europe #1 and Romania and Portugal are battling it out for Europe #2. The starting forwards are almost all new for this match, Jose Madeira moves from openside to second row and Rafael Simoes moves from second row to blindside. The backs are more consistent, with #10 to #14 remaining the same with a new scrum half and fullback.
The Romania v Portugal match is online at www.rugbyeurope.eu
CANADA
PORTUGAL
PREVIOUS ROSTERS
Chile Test 2
1. Djustice Sears-Duru – Oakville, ON – Unattached
2. Eric Howard – Ottawa, ON – NOLA Gold
3. Tyler Rowland – Mississauga, ON Toronto Arrows
4. Corey Thomas – Perth, Western AUS – LA Giltinis
5. Kyle Baillie – Summerside, PEI – NOLA Gold
6. Tyler Ardron – Peterbourough, ON – Castres Olympique
7. Lucas Rumball – Markham, ON – Toronto Arrows (C)
8. Siaki Vikilani – Burnaby, BC – Toronto Arrows
9. Ross Braude – Pretoria, SA – Toronto Arrows
10. Peter Nelson – Dungannon, UK – Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne
11. Kainoa Lloyd – Mississauga, ONT – James Bay AA
12. Spencer Jones – Cambridge, NZ – Toronto Arrows
13. Ben LeSage – Calgary, AB – Toronto Arrows
14. Brock Webster – Uxbridge, ON – Canada Rugby 7’s
15. Patrick Parfrey – St. Johns, NL – Toronto Arrows/Swilers RFC
16. Andrew Quattrin – Holland Landing, ON – Toronto Arrows
17. Cole Keith – Sussex, NB – Toronto Arrows
18. Matt Tierney Oakville, ON Castres Olympique
19. Conor Keys – Stittsville, ON – Rugby ATL
20. Michael Smith – White Rock, BC – San Diego Legion
21. Rob Povey Long Buckby, UK – Houston SaberCats
22. Jason Higgins – Cork, IRE – Toronto Arrows
23. Quinn Ngawati – Victoria, BC – RUNY
Chile Test 1
1 Djustice Sears-Duru, Oakville, Ont., unattached
2 Eric Howard, Ottawa, NOLA Gold (MLR)
3 Tyler Rowland, Toronto Arrows
4 Corey Thomas, Perth, Australia, Los Angeles Giltinis (MLR)
5 Kyle Baillie, Summerside, P.E.I., NOLA Gold (MLR)
6 Lucas Rumball (capt.), Markham, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR)
7 Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., Rugby ATL (MLR)
8 Siaki Vikilani, Burnaby, B.C., Toronto Arrows (MLR)
9 Ross Braude, Pretoria, South Africa, Toronto Arrows (MLR)
10 Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Stade Aurillacois (France)
11 Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga, Ont., James Bay AA
12 Spencer Jones, Cambridge, New Zealand. Toronto Arrows (MLR)
13 Ben LeSage, Calgary, Toronto Arrows (MLR)
14 Brock Webster, Uxbridge, Ont., Canada Sevens
15 Cooper Coats, Halifax, Canada Sevens.
16 Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR)
17 Cole Keith, Apohaqui, N.B., Toronto Arrows (MLR)
18 Jake Ilnicki, Williams Lake, B.C., unattached
19 Conor Keys, Stittsvile, Ont., Rugby ATL (MLR)
20 Michael Smith, White Rock, B.C., San Diego Legion (MLR)
21 Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Toronto Arrows (MLR)
22 Rob Povey, Long Buckly, England, Houston Sabercats (MLR)
23 Patrick Parfrey, St. Johns, N.L., Toronto Arrows (MLR)
Portugal v Romania
1 Francisco FERNANDES MOREIRA
2 Mike TADJER
3 Anthony ALVES
4 Rafael SIMOES
5 Jose REBELO DE ANDADE
6 Joao GRANATE
7 Jose MADEIRA
8 Manuel PICAO EUSEBIO
9 Samuel MARQUES
10 Jeromino PORTELA
11 Rodrigo MARTA
12 Tomas APPLETON (C)
13 Jose LIMA
14 Rafaele STORTI
15 Dany ANTUNES
16 David COSTA
17 Duarte DINIZ
18 Geoffrey MOISE
19 Eric DOS SANTOS MADEIRA
20 Francisco SOUSA
21 Theo ENTRAIGUES
22 Jorge ABECASIS
23 Nuno SOUSA GUEDES