CANADA 16
GEORGIA 15
It was a tidal wave called Tiedemann, a hurricane named Hirayama and a Mackenzie monsoon that poured out of Gordon Head and into Esher, England.
Doing what they once did routinely on the Wallace Field rugby pitch, University of Victoria Vikes products Andrew Tiedemann, Nathan Hirayama and Phil Mackenzie led world No. 18 sa国际传媒 to a 16-15 Test victory at Esher over No. 13 Georgia on Wednesday in the penultimate Canadian tuneup before the 2015 World Cup.
It took a while in coming but Tiedemann, in his 33rd appearance for sa国际传媒, scored his first career Test try. Hirayama鈥檚 kicking accounted for 11 of sa国际传媒鈥檚 points on three penalty goals and a convert. Mackenzie also started and was influential in the victory.
The result halted a seven-game Test losing streak for the Langford-based Canadian team and comes after a 19-12 victory over the Glasgow Warriors in a non-Test on Saturday in Halifax.
鈥淭hey played a lot of rugby out there tonight and there were a lot of massive performances,鈥� said Canadian head coach Kieran Crowley of Mill Bay.
None bigger than those provided by the former Vikes trio.
Crowley described Tiedemann鈥檚 performance especially as 鈥渙utstanding.鈥�
鈥淭he defence was really good,鈥� the head coach added.
鈥淎nd we created a few opportunities where we should have scored a few more tries.鈥�
The win was especially appreciated after a frustrating series of Test losses.
鈥淭his feels incredible, [especially since] we had a tough summer in terms of getting W鈥檚,鈥� said Mackenzie, who played pro at Esher and had a sweet return in Canadian colours.
鈥淪o this was huge 鈥� and important today to get the win. It will make us even more confident in what we can do and achieve at the World Cup.鈥�
Other Canadian starters Wednesday included Ray Barkwill and Ciaran Hearn of the Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay, John Moonlight of James Bay and Matt Evans from Duncan.
sa国际传媒 closes out the its World Cup preparations with a game Sunday against Fiji at the Stoop in London.
sa国际传媒 opens the World Cup against No. 2 Ireland on Sept. 19 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. sa国际传媒鈥檚 other Group D matches are on Sept. 26 against Italy in Leeds, Oct. 1 against 2011 World Cup runner-up France in Milton Keynes and Oct. 6 against Romania in Leicester.
