It is the eternal question about back-to-back, total-point 颅sporting ties. Is it better to play the first or second game at home?
World Rugby makes the 颅decisions in that sport so it鈥檚 out of the teams鈥� hands as 颅sa国际传媒 hosts Chile today at 5 p.m. at 颅Starlight Stadium in the opener of a must-win, two-game 颅qualifying set for the 2023 World Cup in France.
The second game is next 颅Saturday in Valparaiso, Chile. The loser on aggregate score will be eliminated. The winner of sa国际传媒-Chile will advance to play the loser of a set between the U.S. and Uruguay. The 颅winner of U.S.-Uruguay will clinch a World Cup berth.
鈥淲e want to save our lives and advance to play again next July,鈥� said Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones, of the high stakes in the qualifier.
About the schedule, Jones said: 鈥淪ometimes, the second 颅fixture is the better one to have at home. But we weren鈥檛 in 颅control of that. There鈥檚 positives being at home first, as well.鈥�
A big part of that is 颅building a wave of momentum that will carry into the second game on the road. It didn鈥檛 work out quite as hoped last month as sa国际传媒 opened 2023 World Cup 颅qualifying with a 34-21 victory over the U.S. in St. John鈥檚, N.L., only to lose the second game 38-16 in Glendale, Colorado, and the tie 59-50 on aggregate score.
鈥淲e were in good position after the home game but slipped up on the road,鈥� said Jones.
World No. 21 sa国际传媒 is 颅banking on another home-crowd lift in the first game today against No. 28 Chile, whose national side is known as Los Condores.
鈥淭he fans are everything. The experience in St. John鈥檚 was great. They played their part. We鈥檙e hoping for the same here,鈥� said Jones.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had a game here in a long time so there is excitement about the prospect from our fans and we want to put on a good show for them and make sure we get the right result. Chile plays on emotion and we can鈥檛 allow them to capture the momentum. When any opponent gets momentum, it can cause you trouble.鈥�
sa国际传媒 is attempting to keep alive its streak of having qualified for all nine World Cups since the event鈥檚 inception in 1987. Elimination two years out from the next World Cup is not a palatable prospect. Chile, meanwhile, has never played in the World Cup
鈥淐hile is a much improved side. They are really well coached and have changed the culture,鈥� warned Jones, the transplanted Welshman, who resides in Sooke.
鈥淭hey have had some good wins recently and are in good form and are coming here confident. But we鈥檝e grown and had time together, too, and the boys are really excited by the chance [today]. There is a big challenge after that with the travel. But first and foremost is this first game. We鈥檝e prepared well. We know there鈥檚 a lot riding on it. Our players have worked really hard and we have pushed them hard The culture here has been great, led by senior 颅players such as Ben LeSage, Jake Ilnicki, Kyle Baillie and Lucas 颅Rumball.鈥�
As to keys, Jones said: 鈥淐hile will look to get into us at the breakdown, no doubt about it, so we have to be accurate, clean and well-disciplined at home. If we look after ourselves and play our own game, we鈥檒l be fine.鈥�
