Two key players from Victoria, veteran Phil Mack and emerging Luke Campbell, draw in tonight when sa国际传媒 concludes the Americas Rugby Championship against the U.S. Eagles in Seattle.
Both are Oak Bay High graduates out of the James Bay Athletic Association. Mack, the cagey scrum-half, has had pro commitments in Major League Rugby with the defending champion Seattle Seawolves. Campbell, a No. 8 beginning to make an impact, is returning from injury.
They enter the fray in a grudge match for sa国际传媒, in the wake of the Eagles鈥� drubbing of the Canucks, in the direct North American qualifier for the 2019 World Cup in 2017 at San Diego.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a passionate rivalry between these two nations and the U.S.A. have had the upper hand lately, so we need to be prepared and maximize the opportunity,鈥� said Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones.
sa国际传媒 rallied to beat Kenya, Germany and Hong Kong to win the last-chance qualifier at Marseille, France, in November to earn the 20th and final berth into the 2019 World Cup this fall in Japan.
鈥淎 win [tonight] would be huge for momentum as we push to the World Cup,鈥� said Jones.
Meanwhile, Argentina XV (4-0) clinched the 2019 ARC title and were awarded the trophy after beating sa国际传媒 (1-3) by a 39-23 count at a packed Westhills Stadium last Friday. Argentina XV, six-time consecutive ARC champions from 2009 to 2016 (there was no competition in 2015), climbed back on top after the ascendant U.S. Eagles won the championship the last two years.
All teams play their final ARC matches this weekend. sa国际传媒, missing its overseas pro players, began the ARC with tight road losses to Uruguay at the final whistle in Montevideo and 18-10 upset to Brazil in Sao Paulo. sa国际传媒 rebounded with a 56-0 romp at Westhills Stadium over Chile before dropping an entertaining game against champions Argentina XV at Westhills.
鈥淚 was pleased with our performance, we were competitive in every department last weekend against a very strong Argentina XV, scoring some good tries with some excellent individual performances,鈥� said Canadian bench-boss Jones.
The U.S. is 2-2 in the ARC with wins over Chile and Brazil, while losing to Argentina XV, and in an upset loss to Uruguay last weekend in Seattle.
鈥淯SA will be disappointed with their home defeat last week,鈥� warned Jones, a former Welsh international, based in Sooke.
鈥淲e are expecting a tough game against a highly motivated U.S.A. team. They are an excellent side and they will also be looking to end their ARC with a positive result in front of their home fans.鈥�
The game can be viewed live tonight at 7 p.m. online at tsn.ca, or on a one-hour delay on TSN3 at 8 p.m.
It is one of sa国际传媒鈥檚 four remaining Test matches ahead of the World Cup in September. The others will be in the Pacific Nations Cup against the U.S. on July 27 in Denver and against Fiji and Tonga on Aug. 3 and Aug. 9, respectively, both in Suva, Fiji.
