Mark Anscombe has played and coached rugby just about everywhere, from Northern Hemisphere to Southern. But the Canadian national team coach said never in these conditions.
鈥淚鈥檝e played in very cold conditions, much colder than this, but never in snow,鈥� said the native of Taranaki, New Zealand, whose previous position was as coach of Irish pro club Ulster.
So it was a first last weekend for Anscombe when sa国际传媒 opened the Americas Championship tournament with a 20-6 loss to Argentina XV at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
The footing may not be much better on Saturday when world No. 18 sa国际传媒 continues the tournament at Westhills Stadium against No. 30 Chile in a Test match.
鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to play rugby in these conditions. But it鈥檚 in the lap of the gods.鈥�
Chile opened the tournament with a 17-3 loss to host Brazil in 30-degree temperatures at Sao Paulo. Are the Chileans ever in for a rude awakening this week. But not even the Canadian players are used to this.
鈥淚鈥檝e never played in snow,鈥� said sa国际传媒 captain Gordon McRorie.
Anscombe has seen tape of Chile鈥檚 loss to Brazil and said it was an even game and that Brazil scored its points in a narrow band of time to decide it.
鈥淐hile was very close and had opportunities but didn鈥檛 take advantage.鈥�
The U.S. defeated Uruguay 29-23 in the other Americas Championship opener last weekend. This Saturday鈥檚 other games have Brazil playing the U.S. in Austin, Texas, and Argentina XV hosting Uruguay in Bahia Blanca.
sa国际传媒鈥檚 next fixture after Saturday is at home against the United States on Feb. 18 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. That will be followed by away contests in Uruguay on Feb. 25 and Brazil on March 4.
All games in the Americas Championship are Test matches except those featuring Argentina XV.
The Canadian players spent Wednesday as a 鈥渟now day鈥� with local school kids at Macdonald Park in James Bay. It鈥檚 the kind of outreach that endears rugby within this community and why more than 2,000 people still came out last Saturday for the sa国际传媒-Argentina game despite the adverse weather conditions.
鈥淚t was nice to be with the kids . . . I hadn鈥檛 made a snowman in years,鈥� said McRorie, a naturalized Canadian who was born in Scotland.
鈥淚 think back to when I was a kid and all the people I looked up to as role models. It鈥檚 good to give back.鈥�
Also Wednesday, sa国际传媒 announced it will play Georgia on June 10 in Calgary and Romania on June 17 in Edmonton. It should be a lot warmer by then.
