IRELAND 50
CANADA 7
The 2015 rugby World was ignited Saturday by a massive upset.
Unfortunately for the Langford-based Canadians, it wasn鈥檛 them that set the World Cup on its ear.
Two-time defending Six Nations-champion Ireland, ranked No. 6, dispatched No. 18 sa国际传媒 50-7 to open the World Cup before 74,500 fans at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The shocker came later in the day at Brighton when No. 13 Japan toppled traditional power and No. 3 South Africa 34-32 in what is being hailed the greatest upset in rugby history. sa国际传媒 could not make the shock statement against the Irish such as the Japanese made against the Springboks.
鈥淲e鈥檙e obviously disappointed. We go into every match wanting to win. It鈥檚 crazy what Japan pulled off, but it鈥檚 evidence any team can beat any other team on the day,鈥� said John Moonlight of James Bay Athletic Association, by phone from Cardiff.
鈥淲e put together some good phases, including putting Ireland under pressure in the first 15 minutes, but the Irish eventually capitalized on the mistakes we made. We allowed three easy late tries, but otherwise were right in the game.鈥�
DTH van der Merwe of Victoria, also from JBAA, scored the lone Canadian try on a near field-length interception return of an attempted Irish chip kick. The try was converted by fly-half Nathan Hirayama from the University of Victoria Vikes. That combination had an earlier scoring play denied when it was ruled Hirayama feed van der Merwe with a forward pass leading to a disallowed try.
鈥淚reland is one of the best teams in the world and played a hell of a game,鈥� said Canadian captain Jamie Cudmore of Squamish.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 really proud of my guys. We tried to play rugby. We鈥檙e here to play and not make up the numbers.鈥�
The Canadians, several from Island clubs, had few answers for Ireland鈥檚 depth and balance, which allowed for seven different try scorers.
sa国际传媒 is now 0-6-1 all-time against Ireland, including a loss on an Irish try on the last play of the game in 1989 at UVic鈥檚 Centennial Stadium.
sa国际传媒 played well in spurts in Cardiff, leaving something to build on for its next Group D game against No. 14 Italy, which lost 32-10 Saturday to No. 7 and 2011 World Cup runner-up France.
鈥淚f we come out against Italy like we did today, we can get the upset,鈥� said Moonlight, of the World Cup fixture next Saturday against Italy at 6:15 a.m. Pacific from 40,000-capacity Elland Road in Leeds.
sa国际传媒 closes out Group D play on Oct. 1 against France in Milton Keynes and Oct. 6 against No. 17 Romania in Leicester as it attempts to advance from the group stage for the first time since the 1991 World Cup.
The Canadian team is based at the Rugby sa国际传媒 Centre of Excellence in Langford, which this summer announced a $7.8-million upcoming upgrade.
