Canada ready for one last stand
GAME DAY: URUGUAY AT CANADA, 5 P.M.
Piling on is not considered polite in sports.
There is an exception, however, to be made for opening matches of two-game, total-point playoffs.
It cannot be stressed enough just how important it is for the Langford-based Canadian men’s rugby team to run up the score as much as possible today (5 p.m., TSN) against Uruguay at B.C. Place in the opener of the two-game, total points Americas qualifier for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
The second game of the qualifier is the following Saturday in Montevideo, and Canadian players from rugby to soccer can tell you how arduous it is for them to win games in Central or South America.
This is the first time Canada has had to go through the backdoor Americas qualifier. Canada was put into this spot after losing for the first time in its history to the U.S. in the direct North American qualifier last summer.
The Americas qualifier is being described as the most important event in a generation for Canadian rugby.
“Obviously, this is not the spot we wanted to be in,” said veteran Canadian backfield star Phil Mack of Victoria.
“But we are excited to get on the field and let it fly.”
The Oak Bay High and UVic Vikes rugby graduate expects B.C. Place to be a howling cauldron today. There were nearly 30,000 people filling the lower bowl the last time Canada played there on Nov. 3 against the New Zealand Maori All Blacks.
“Anytime you play on home soil in a Canada jersey is special,” said Mack, after a Canadian practice at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
“I hope it’s loud because we are going to do our best to put down something special for our fans.” Both teams know the stakes. “Whether you start a two-game set at home or away, you are always looking to put yourself in the driver’s seat after the first game,” said veteran Canadian prop Ray Barkwill.
Barkwill knows well this is the first time Canada has had to go through the back-door to get to the World Cup.
“Hopefully, we get it done and nobody will talk about it for another four years,” said the Castaway Wanderers product.
Mack, formerly also a sevens standout, was part of Canada’s failed bid for Rio 2016 through the last-chance Olympic qualifier held two years ago in Monaco. He doesn’t want to see another qualifier, this time in XVs, slip through his hands.
“Uruguay is physical and confrontational but we are going to focus on the little things and take care of our own play,” said Mack, whose club is James Bay Athletic Association.
“We have to match Uruguay’s physicality and do our best to front up to them. I have full confidence in our forwards to do that.”
Uruguay has also improved greatly in the skill positions but Canada seems to have more topend talent in the backfield and on the wings with the likes of Newcastle pro DTH van der Merwe of Victoria and Castres pro Taylor Paris of Barrie, Ont.
“We are extremely dangerous playing out wide,” said Mack, who as fly-half, effectively quarterbacks and starts the attack points.
Helping Canada in that regard is that weather and field conditions will not be a factor inside B.C. Place today, nor should they be next week in what is midsummer in Montevideo.
“If we can catch the ball practising in the wet at Westhills, we should be good to go with a fast pace and good execution among the backs in the dome,” said Mack.
Front-row stalwart Barkwill, however, said rugby always comes down to the forwards.
“Every game is won up front,” he said.
“This Uruguay set is all about executing the little things and eliminating mistakes. If you do that well, you win games. This sport is very simple.”
Just a few months on the job and Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones has been thrown right into the fire.
“Ask any sportsman, and home has to count,” he said, of the importance of today’s game.
“It’s down to four quarters, two at B.C. Place and two in Montevideo. We hope the crowd is our 16th man [today]. We want to be in a dominant position after our home game and heading to South America next week.”
Even though Canada is ranked 21st and Uruguay 18th, Canada has historically been considered the stronger rugby nation. Jones wants his players to be wary and ready.
“Uruguay has had a solid platform and built their game up from it,” said the Canadian skipper.
“They have grown their game and we need to realize that.”
The keys for Canada, according to Jones, are: “Defence and controlling possession.”
The 25 non-pro Canadian players who are centralized in Langford went to England last week to train with the 10 Canadians who are playing in Europe and have been released by their pro clubs for the World Cup qualifier.
“Those are huge extra hours we [had] together as a full team and you can’t replace those,” said Mack. “It’s super important.” The expense of that camp shows the emphasis Rugby Canada has placed on beating Uruguay and advancing to the 2019 World Cup. Included were scrimmage sessions against the Oxford Blues and English pro club Harlequins.
“Just being together as a whole national team to prepare is key,” said Barkwill.
“It is critical to get our pros involved and integrated and playing as one,” said skipper Jones.
Many Island rugby fans are heading across the strait for today’s crucial game against Uruguay. They will also get to see the Canadian team on the Island for a Test match against Brazil on Feb. 17 at Westhills Stadium. It is not a qualifier but part of the separate Americas Rugby Championship. Tickets are on sale at the Rugby Canada website.