The Langford-based Canadian rugby team will try to shed its penchant for losing close games in the late going today in Ottawa.
The opponent, the U.S., also presents another troubling aspect facing sa国际传媒 as it plays its final pre-2015 World Cup Test match (1 p.m. Pacific on TSN5). The Americans are starting to rise in the region, having beaten sa国际传媒 in its last two Test matches and also in the North American and Caribbean sevens Olympic qualifier for Rio 2016.
sa国际传媒鈥檚 recent woes 鈥攁 loss on a last-play drop goal to the U.S. in their final 2015 Pacific Nations Cup game this month at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby鈥� exemplified in one tidy package all that has gone wrong for sa国际传媒 so far this year in going 0-4 in the Pacific Nations. The Canadian loss to the U.S. in the Pacific Nations Cup was preceded by another on the final play, 21-20, to Samoa. Last year, sa国际传媒 lost tight Tests to the U.S., Japan, Scotland and has lost twice the last two years to upcoming World Cup opponent Romania by one point each.
It鈥檚 a truism in every sport that the good teams have an uncanny and regular habit of winning the close games in the waning moments. sa国际传媒 is always in there and competitive in Tests against the second-tier nations but has yet to find that extra gear in the crunch when the games are on the line. Canadian head coach Kieran Crowley, the former New Zealand All Black World Cup champion based in Mill Bay, has harped on being 鈥渁ccurate in our skills for the full 80 minutes.鈥�
Crowley is now narrowing in on his 31-player World Cup roster. The next tune-up 鈥� before sa国际传媒鈥檚 Group D World Cup opener against No. 2 Ireland on Sept. 19 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff 鈥� is a non-Test match next Saturday in Halifax against club side Glasgow Warriors in what is being billed the Battle of New Scotland. That is followed by pre-World Cup Tests against Georgia on Sept. 2 in Esher, England, and against Fiji on Sept. 6 at The Stoop, England.
Of players from Island clubs, Hubert Buydens from the Castaway Wanderers gets the start today at prop, Nanyak Dala from CW and John Moonlight from James Bay as flankers, Nathan Hirayama from the UVic Vikes at fly-half with Phil Mack from James Bay, Ciaran Hearn of CW and Matt Evans from Duncan dressed as reserves. Cornish Pirates pro Aaron Carpenter will captain from the No. 8 spot with Tyler Ardron out with injury.
鈥淭here are a couple of guys who performed pretty well during the Pacific Nations Cup who deserve the opportunity again and a couple of guys who are carrying knocks who are better served to have a week off,鈥� said Crowley, in a statement. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a reward for performance. Some of the boys have played well who might not have considered themselves to be in this position at this time so they deserve another opportunity.鈥�
Following the Ireland opener, the remaining Canadian World Cup games are Sept. 26 against Italy in Leeds, Oct. 1 versus France in Milton Keynes and Oct. 6 against Romania in Leicester.
World No. 18 sa国际传媒 began its 2015 World Cup campaign with a training camp in July at Shawnigan Lake School.
SCRUM NOTES: The U.S.A. Rugby High School All-Americans defeated Team sa国际传媒 58-0 in a women鈥檚 Under-18 match on Friday at Brentwood College. The sides meet again Sunday at 9 a.m. at the Mill Bay institution.
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