Canada vs USA Match #2 – RWCQ 2021

Canada Knocked Out of Americas 1 Contention with 38-16 Loss to USA: Face Chile on October 2nd & 9th

Last weekend Canada put in the near perfect performance to claim a win over their American rivals, this weekend they didn’t show up with the same mental focus and were smothered by a USA team that did the basics well.

USA scored first from a driving maul when they were down to 14 men from a yellow card, 8-6 at 17 minutes.

Canada had opportunity to set up an attacking platform after a penalty gave them a lineout inside the USA 22 but the ball was overthrown and USA recovered possession. The clearance kick was mishandled by Canada and suddenly USA were on attack inside the Canada half. It was the theme of Canada’s play in the match, errors at critical times that would gift USA possession and territory.

USA’s next score was off another Canadian error when Peter Nelson dropped a clearance kick, a few phases later, USA were over for another 5, 13-6 at 23 minutes. Nelson put the kickoff into touch to compound the error and USA won a scrum penalty on the next play. They kicked to touch and scored a few phases later, 18-6.

A dominant USA scrum feeding off Canadian errors and a malfunctioning Canadian lineout – it was not a recipe for a Canadian win on the night.

USA get another driving maul setup at Canada’s 5 metres, a few phases later they muscle over the line for a 25-9 HT lead, and they lead +3 on aggregate.

USA would add two more tries in the second half to lead 38-9 going into the waning minutes of the match. It was game over. Canada would add a penalty try at the final whistle for a 38-16 final score and a +9 for USA on aggregate.

Canada now face Chile in Langford on October 2nd, with the return in Chile on October 9th.

from World Rugby

Having lost the first leg of their RAN 1 play-off against Canada 34-21, the Eagles put in a much-improved display in the return match at Infinity Park in Colorado on Saturday, scoring six tries in a 38-16 victory.

Flanker Hanco Germishuys led the way with a hat-trick to add to the try he managed in St John’s as the Eagles put last weekend’s disappointing result behind them to set up a date with Uruguay.

USA will now play Los Teros in a home-and-away series, on 2 and 9 October, to determine which of the teams will take their place in Pool A at Rugby World Cup 2023 alongside New Zealand, France, Italy and the winner of the Rugby Africa Cup 2022.

For Canada, there are still opportunities to qualify and maintain their ever-present Rugby World Cup record. Kingsley Jones’ outfit will take on Chile, the SAR 3 Naciones runners-up, with the winner to play in the Americas 2 play-off against the loser of the Americas 1 encounter between USA and Los Teros

A place in the Final Qualification Tournament in November 2022 will offer the runner-up of the Americas 2 play-off one last shot at redemption. There, they will compete with the third-placed team from the Rugby Europe Championship, the loser of the Asia/Pacific play-off and the Rugby Africa Cup runners-up for the final ticket to France 2023.

Early penalties to Peter Nelson and Cooper Coats either side of one from AJ MacGinty put Canada into a 6-3 lead and extended their overall advantage in the RAN 1 play-off to 16 points.

The home side then lost Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz to a yellow card and seemed to be really up against it. But the Eagles did not panic and it wasn’t long before they seized control of the match, based on a dominant set-piece.

The first try of the match came while they were still down to 14 men, Germishuys touching down at the back of a maul.

Shortly after Fa’anana-Schultz returned to the field, USA added a second try when Christian Dyer dived over in the left corner following a powerful carry from Germishuys in the build-up.

The ever-influential Germishuys scored again just short of the half-hour mark but with MacGinty failing with the conversion, Canada still had the overall lead by a point, which they then extended to four thanks to Nelson’s second penalty.

That advantage was overturned, however, on the stroke of half-time when Germishuys struck again under the posts. MacGinty couldn’t miss on this occasion to make it 25-9 at half-time.

Scrum-half Ruben de Haas kicked USA’s first drop goal in six years four minutes into the second half to keep the momentum swinging the Eagles’ way before adding a try to his tally after he charged down his opposite number’s clearance kick and sped away to the line.

Front-rower Joe Taufete’e crashed over from close range for the Eagles’ sixth try but MacGinty’s poor night with the boot continued and another two points went begging.

At that stage though, it did not matter. USA were three scores up and a penalty try to Canada right at the end was scant consolation.

Fa’anana-Schultz was yellow-carded for the second time in the match for pulling down the maul which led to the award of the penalty try.

His dismissal and MacGinty’s inaccuracy off the tee were the only downsides, though, to a night when the Eagles kept their hopes of taking the fastest qualification route to RWC 2023 alive.


*Canada Make One Change to Roster in Match #2 vs USA*

There’s only one change on the bench as Kyle Baillie replaces Mason Flesch as the 2nd row/blindside replacement. Baillie was resting a hamstring injury last weekend.

Canada go into the second game with a +13 from match one. The game is on at 6pm PT streamed through premiersports.tv

USA make a few changes for the weekend and will start AJ MacGinty at #10 this week.

Canada played very well last weekend while USA had an off week in front of a very vocal St. John’s crowd.

We’ll see how the teams perform in match #2, winner to take on Uruguay, loser to tackle Chile.

from Rugby Canada

September 9, 2021 (Glendale, CO) – Head coach Kingsley Jones has named the match day roster for Canada’s Senior Men’s 15s team that will face the USA this Saturday, Sept. 11 in the second of two crucial Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualification Pathway matches.

Kick off for the second leg of the two-match series is set for 9pm ET/6pm PT. The match will be broadcast live on www.premiersports.tv in Canada.

Jones has made only one adjustment to Saturday’s lineup from last weekend’s roster, with PEI’s Kyle Baillie coming in for teammate Mason Flesch. Canada were impressive in the opening leg match-up, capturing a 34-21 win over the United States in front of an electric home crowd in St. John’s, NL.

The winner of the two-match North American series is determined by an aggregate score across both games. The winner will move on to face Uruguay on October 2 and 9, with the victor of this series qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2023 as Americas #1. The loser of the two-match North American series will move on to face Chile on October 2 and 9.

The second leg in the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying series between Canada and the United States is available to view exclusively in Canada through Premier Sports. This weekend’s upcoming match, as well as last weekend’s thrilling win, are available to view for only $USD 9.95.

“We’ve got a 13 point lead [in the series] at the moment and we’ve got 80 minutes to play,” said Jones following Canada’s win over the United States last weekend. “We know it’s going to be a different challenge this week, a big challenge. We are fortunate to be able to choose the same starting fifteen that have again earned this selection, while we’re happy to have Kyle fit to add to our reserve strength.”

Canada head coach Kingsley Jones will be available for comment, September 9, beginning at 12:00 p.m. PT. Jones will also be available for post-match comments, approximately one hour following full time between Canada and the United States. Please direct interview requests to Tania Richards, Acting Director, Marketing & Communications at trichards@rugby.ca.

CANADA’S MEN’S RUGBY TEAM’S MATCH DAY ROSTER

Forwards:

1. Djustice Sears-Duru – Oakville, ON – Unattached
2. Andrew Quattrin – Holland Landing, ON – Toronto Arrows
3. Matt Tierney – Oakville, ON – Castres Olympique
4. Corey Thomas – Perth, Western AUS – LA Giltinis
5. Conor Keys – Stittsvile, ON – Rugby ATL
6. Lucas Rumball – Markham, ON – Toronto Arrows (C)
7. Matt Heaton – Godmanchester, QC – Rugby ATL
8. Siaki Vikilani – Burnaby, BC – Toronto Arrows

Backs:

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. Cooper Coats – Halifax, NS – Canada Rugby 7’s

Reserves:

16. Eric Howard – Ottawa, ON – Nola Gold
17. Cole Keith – Apohaqui, NB – Toronto Arrows
18. Tyler Rowland – Mississauga, ON – Toronto Arrows
19. Kyle Baillie – Summerside, PEI – Nola Gold
20. Michael Smith – White Rock, BC – San Diego Legion
21. Rob Povey – Long Buckly, UK – Houston Sabercats
22. Jason Higgins – Cork, Ire – Toronto Arrows
23. Patrick Parfrey – St. John’s, NL – Toronto Arrows/Swilers RFC

USA Rugby

Player Name Position Club Caps
1. David Ainu’u Prop Toulouse (FRA) 12
2. Kapeli Pifeleti Hooker Saracens (ENG) 5
3. Joe Taufete’e Prop Lyon (FRA) 30
4. Nate Brakeley Lock Rugby United New York 26
5. Nick Civetta Lock Rugby United New York 29
6. Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz Flanker Old Glory DC 4
7. Hanco Germishuys Flanker Rugby United New York 24
8. Cam Dolan No. 8 NOLA Gold 54
9. Ruben De Haas Scrumhalf Saracents (ENG) 20
10. AJ MacGinty (C) Flyhalf Sale Sharks (ENG) 29
11. Ryan Matyas Wing San Diego Legion 12
12. Bryce Campbell Center Austin Gilgronis 35
13. Tavite Lopeti Center Seattle Seawolves 1
14. Christian Dyer Wing USA Sevens 3
15. Marcel Brache Fullback Austin Gilgronis 25

Reserves
16. Dylan Fawsitt Hooker Rugby United New York 16
17. Chance Wenglewski Prop Rugby ATL 7
18. Paul Mullen Prop Utah Warriors 21
19. Siaosi Mahoni Lock San Diego Legion 3
20. Andrew Guerra Flanker NOLA Gold 2
21. Nate Augspurger Scrumhalf/Wing San Diego Legion 27
22. Will Magie Flyhalf/Fullback Austin Gilgronis 28
23. Mike Dabulas Flyhalf/Fullback Old Glory DC uncapped

Posted in National Men's XVs.