Spain Qualify for World Cup: A Reflection on Canada’s Failed Campaign
Spain last qualified for the World Cup in 1999, congratulations to them. It prompts some self reflection for Canada who won’t be at the World Cup in 2023 for the first time in history.
We ran some stats on the starting XV for Spain, average age, playing level, caps. Is there anything to learn?
Before getting into that, I’d like to point out that Spain has a domestic coach, Santiago Santos. One of the annoyances with Rugby Canada is they continually ignore domestic coaching talent in favour of off shore talent. The first thing Rugby Canada can do this next World Cup cycle is put a Canadian coach in charge. Someone who will bring some pride back to the national team, connect with the European pros, develop a talent identification system and work with all levels of club and university programs. That’s top of my list, I can even provide some names if they’re interested.
First thing to notice in the Spain stats is the age of the players. They went with an experienced side, especially in the forwards. The average age of the tight five is 32 years with only one player under 30. The loose forwards average 30 years. Where they did take a gamble on youth is in the backs where there are three players who are 24. The most significant is the flyhalf who is the only player who is in single digits for caps, with only 8.
This is the second item on the list, find a #10 for the national team. That was one of Kingsley Jones biggest failings this World Cup campaign, going with Peter Nelson, instead of investing time and effort in identifying the next #10. I still remember that young Chile flyhalf, Fernandez, the former 7s player, who sliced and diced Canada in the final match in Chile, the match that eliminated Canada.
Who are the current candidates? There’s no one playing at the top level in Europe at flyhalf. Will Percillier is in France Tier 1 but he plays scrum half although Stade did give him some time at #10 one match. Could he get full playing time in France Tier 2 at #10? Shane O’Leary, of course, playing England Tier 2, he has to be in the picture. There’s no one in MLR playing #10 full time. Will Kelly is the closest but Toronto start kiwi Sam Malcolm in front of him. I suppose if Malcolm stays in Canada long enough he’d be eligible. There’s no one at the Canada Development Academy (Pacific Pride) who looks ready to step up yet. In the BC Premier there’s Grady Bowd playing for CW, UBC’s Max Abercrombie and the Ravens Aaron McLelland who come to mind. Then there’s the 7s players, a few contenders there, but they’re not getting any XVs playing time. How about slotting Theo Sauder or Cooper Coats into the Pride #10 spot for a game or two in between 7s tournaments. And that’s the issue, there’s no one at Rugby Canada working on this. How about a Possibles v Probables match this spring?
Going back to the Spain team, the level they’re playing at is worth noting. Eight players are playing France Tier 2, Pro D2, the other seven players are in France/England Tier 3 and Spanish club rugby. None are playing at the top level, Canada have 4 to 5 players at top level in France, Ardron, Percillier, Duguid, Olmstead and Tierney. The problem is not all of them get consistent playing time and at the present time they are not in sync with the current coaching team at Rugby Canada. That’s another reason for a new coach and someone these players can believe in. The way Rugby Canada treated its former coaches John Tait and Jamie Cudmore won’t have won any plaudits from the European pros either.
Where would MLR fit in compared to French rugby, between Tier 2 and 3 perhaps. It would be good to see a Pro D2 club play an MLR club in preseason to answer that question.
Currently Rugby Canada are in a state of limbo. They have a XVs coach who doesn’t know whether he will have a job or not, they have an interim CEO who seems intent on doing nothing until the next CEO is announced and the board who generally seem clueless and out of touch on the day to day running of Rugby Canada.
Spain Starting XV vs Portugal
(name, age, league, caps)
1 Fernando López 36 France Tier 3 (59 caps)
2 Marco Pinto 34 France Tier 2 (32 caps)
3 Jon Zabala 25 France Tier 2 (22 caps)
4 Lucas Guillaume 30 France Tier 3 (27 caps)
5 Manuel Mora 37 France Tier 4 (34 caps)
6 Matthew Foulds 30 England Tier 3 (18 caps)
7 Frédéric Quercy 30 France Tier 2 (15 caps)
8 Afaese Tauli 31 Spain Club 1 (19 caps)
9 Guillaume Rouet 33 France Tier 2 (Bayonne) (29 caps)
10 Manuel Ordas 24 France Tier 2 (Bayonne) (8 caps)
11 Gauthier Minguillon 28 France Tier 2 (15 caps)
12 Álvar Gimeno 24 Spain Club 1 (30 caps)
13 Fabien Perrin 33 France Tier 2 (21 caps)
14 Jordi Jorba 24 Spain Club 1 (33 caps)
15 Charly Malié 30 France Tier 2 (19 caps)
from World Rugby
Spain booked their place at Rugby World Cup 2023 with a 33-28 win against Portugal in Madrid on Sunday.
Victory at Estadio Nacional Universidad ensures Spain will finish second in the combined Rugby Europe Championship 2021 and 2022 standings no matter the result of their final match against Georgia next Sunday.
It caps a stunning turnaround for Los Leones, who began their RWC 2023 qualification campaign with three successive defeats at the start of last seasons Rugby Europe Championship.
Santiago Santos side have since won six Championship matches in a row to set up both a title decider against Georgia in Tbilisi next weekend and take their place as the Europe 2 qualifier at RWC 2023.
Los Leones will end a 24-year wait for a second Rugby World Cup appearance when they make the short trip to France next year, where they will line up in Pool B alongside Webb Ellis Cup holders South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the Asia / Pacific 1 qualifier.
Spain and Portugal served up a match fitting of the occasion on Sunday, the Iberian rivals giving everything they had got in front of a big and vocal crowd who were bathed in bright sunshine throughout.
Portugal’s ever-reliable kicker Samuel Marques opened the scoring with a penalty but big tight-head Jon Zabala had the crowd on their feet when he raced home from 25 metres out.
However, Los Leones failed to deal with the restart and from possession inside the home side’s 22, Portugal worked a try for full-back Simão Bento in the left-hand corner, Marques converting for a 10-5 lead.
Having been shown the way by Zabala, Spain’s forwards took it upon themselves to wrestle back control of the scoreboard and flanker Fred Quercy and Marco Pinto rumbled over from close range.
Unperturbed by the double blow, Portugal worked some good field position and managed to convert possession and territory into points when Pedro Bettencourt hit the line at pace and crashed over.
But the final word of an exhilarating half went to Spain as Pinto continued his fine try-scoring streak with his second and sixth in as many games just before half-time. With Manuel Ordas’ second conversion, Spain led 24-17.
The second half did not quite live up to the first in terms of the fluency of the play but the tension of the occasion still made it a gripping watch as Manuel Ordas and Samuel Marques traded penalties in the third quarter.
Leading 33-23, Spain came under intense pressure in the final 10 minutes and after giving away a succession of penalties and losing Charlie Melie to a yellow card, they conceded a try in the corner to second-row José Madeira.
With only 19 seconds left on the clock, Portugal declined the conversion in an attempt to give this brilliant advert for the Rugby Europe Championship a grandstand finish.
Portugal claimed the restart but after a few desperate phases in their own 22, they were penalised by French referee Tual Trainini for holding on and the joyous scenes of celebration started for everyone in red
While Portugal need the Netherlands to do them a favour at home to Romania on 19 March to claim third place and make it to the Final Qualification Tournament, Spain’s place at France 2023 is now confirmed.
“It’s been a long journey and a very tough qualification process,” said Spain head coach Santiago Santos.
“We lost our first three games and after that, we have won six in a row.
“The performance of the team was amazing and we are very excited to be going to the Rugby World Cup.”
Los Leones RWC 2023 will get underway on Saturday, 9 September 2023 when they take on Ireland at Stade de Bordeaux.
Eight days later, Santiago Santoss side will face the Springboks at the same venue, before heading to Lille where they play Scotland on 30 September and the Asia / Pacific 1 qualifier on 8 October.
Spains last tournament appearance came at RWC 1999, where they were also drawn alongside South Africa and Scotland, as well as Uruguay, in Pool A.
Los Leones lost each of their three matches, all of which were played in Scotland, as they exited the tournament at the pool stage.
15 Charly Malié 30 France Tier 2 (19 caps)