[2014 EOYT] Canada vs Samoa

[Big Ewis]

Location: Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
Ref: George Clancy (Ireland)
Date: November 14th 2014
​

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

come on ewis use the proper logo

 

[canadafan]

Can't see us getting past Samoa, a 10 point loss would be considered a moral victory by us.

Anyway, this is what I think our starting XV will look like:

1. Buydens
2. Carpenter
3. Marshall
4. Cudmore
5. Hotson
6. Sinclair
7. Dala
8. Thorpe (think Ardron is still out injured, if he plays Thorpe moves to 7)

9. McRorie
10. Braid
11. Paris
12. Hearn/Trainor
13. DTH
14. Hassler
15. Pritchard

 

[Big Ewis]

this is pretty cool, I reckon they're trying to promote the sport of Rugby in Britany, a place that plays ONLY FOOTBALL.




A neutral venue for both teams, but everybody wins. All three of the concerned parties.

 

[LittleGuy]

Think the crowd will be better than the one in Colwyn Bay. Have to agree with canadafan this doesn't look like a winnable game the way we've played lately. I'm just hoping for a much better outing than the one we had in 2012 where Canada had an utterly pathetic opening half hour.

Hope the starting lineup looks like what canadafan posted, we need the top flight professionals into the side, the domestic guys haven't been cutting it at ARC or international level lately. I wonder if Phil Mackenzie can be brought into the side he works really well with DTH but has seemingly dropped off the international radar lately. If we have that starting lineup I'd go with bench as....

16. Barkwill
17. Wooldridge/Ilnicki
18. Tieddemann
19. Buekeboom
20. Gilmour
21. White
22. Parfrey(unless they plan on McRorie covering at FH, than Trainor/Blevins can be here)
23. Trainor/Hearn/Wilson-Ross (situational choice, whoever misses the starting XV cut and is most in game shape)


Edit: Apparently some of the tour side has been switched up already, Moonlight has flown back to Victoria to get back in shape for the 7's series after an ankle injury. Duke has also flown home after a lot of XV's action in the last two weeks.

Cudmore is back in the side and expected to start on Friday. Think the rest of the 7's guys are still with the side though not 100% sure.

 

[Big Ewis]

I haven't seen Canada play as of 2014, but the last time I watched those two go head to head (2012 EOYT in Canada) the home side looked a level below. In fairness, that's the best Samoan side of all-time most probably. Canada will have a much better chance this time around, but they'll have to contain those guys. They may've only scored one try against Italy, and it was ironically a maul-forward try, but they've thrown some decent waves of athletic, quick attacking at the Azurri. Canada needs to make sure they shut them down or this can be a long afternoon and will amount to nothing.

How are Canada's backs right now, and attacking form ?

 

[psychic duck]

Think the crowd will be better than the one in Colwyn Bay. Have to agree with canadafan this doesn't look like a winnable game the way we've played lately. I'm just hoping for a much better outing than the one we had in 2012 where Canada had an utterly pathetic opening half hour.

Hope the starting lineup looks like what canadafan posted, we need the top flight professionals into the side, the domestic guys haven't been cutting it at ARC or international level lately. I wonder if Phil Mackenzie can be brought into the side he works really well with DTH but has seemingly dropped off the international radar lately. If we have that starting lineup I'd go with bench as....

16. Barkwill
17. Wooldridge/Ilnicki
18. Tieddemann
19. Buekeboom
20. Gilmour
21. White
22. Parfrey(unless they plan on McRorie covering at FH, than Trainor/Blevins can be here)
23. Trainor/Hearn/Wilson-Ross (situational choice, whoever misses the starting XV cut and is most in game shape)


Edit: Apparently some of the tour side has been switched up already, Moonlight has flown back to Victoria to get back in shape for the 7's series after an ankle injury. Duke has also flown home after a lot of XV's action in the last two weeks.

Cudmore is back in the side and expected to start on Friday. Think the rest of the 7's guys are still with the side though not 100% sure.

That's good news as the locks were poor last Friday. Hopefully Hassler is back as well.

 

[LittleGuy]

I haven't seen Canada play as of 2014, but the last time I watched those two go head to head (2012 EOYT in Canada) the home side looked a level below. In fairness, that's the best Samoan side of all-time most probably. Canada will have a much better chance this time around, but they'll have to contain those guys. They may've only scored one try against Italy, and it was ironically a maul-forward try, but they've thrown some decent waves of athletic, quick attacking at the Azurri. Canada needs to make sure they shut them down or this can be a long afternoon and will amount to nothing.

How are Canada's backs right now, and attacking form ?

That was another one of the Colwyn Bay specials, though it at least had a modicum of a crowd about 3,000 there. Attendance has dropped at all the tests there since.

Canada's backs have played poorly but it's mainly been the 2nd and 3rd string guys. Getting Hassler(hopefully), Paris, Pritchard and others back into the side would be a huge boost. I also expect the loose forwards to have a boost this week with Sinclair moving back there and perhaps Thorpe making the side.

 

[canadafan]

I think we will see Canada strongest possible line up for this week's test. If not, our coaches need their head examined. These next two weeks will determine how successful this tour will be.

 

[LittleGuy]

I think we will see Canada strongest possible line up for this week's test. If not, our coaches need their head examined. These next two weeks will determine how successful this tour will be.

In full agreement, the experimental lineup time is done and it's time to see the team close to full strength, this tour can still be salvaged despite a shaky start. If Crowley tries anything else bizarre in the lineup department I'll lose my head.

 

[Beerfalo]

http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3817&leagueID=0&page=83945

CANADA’S STARTING ROSTER TO FACE SAMOA:
1- Hubert Buydens – Captain (Unattached/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
2- Aaron Carpenter – (Cornish Pirates RFC) Brantford, ON
3- Jason Marshall – (Hawkes Bay Magpies/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
4- Jamie Cudmore – (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Squamish, BC
5- Brett Buekeboom – (Plymouth Albion) Lindsay, ON
6- Kyle Gilmour – (St. Albert RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB
7- Nanyak Dala – (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
8- Jebb Sinclair – (London Irish/Atlantic Rock) Fredericton, NB
9- Gordon McRorie – (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
10- Connor Braid – (Glasgow Warriors/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
11- DTH van der Merwe – (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK
12- Ciaran Hearn – (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay South, NL
13- Conor Trainor – (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC
14- Jeff Hassler – (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB
15- James Pritchard – (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia
Reserves:
16- Ray Barkwill – (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
17- Jake Ilnicki – (NSW Country Eagles/BC Bears) Williams Lake, BC
18- Andrew Tiedemann – (Plymouth Albion) St. Albert, AB
19- Jon Phelan – (Doncaster Knights/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
20- Richard Thorpe – (London Welsh) Beckenham, Kent, England
21- Sean White – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
22- Patrick Parfrey – (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. Johns, NL
23- Jordan Wilson-Ross – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Alliston, ON

So at this point I'm guessing Taylor Paris is injured. Why else would we not have him? DTH to 11 is a great "2nd option" though maybe putting Hearn out there and letting DTH and Trainor work the centers would be smarter? Glad to see Wilson-Ross get another spot on the bench. I think he'll probably go on for Trainor late. Pritchard is back which means we have a comfortable Fullback AND Braid won't kick the ball and that makes me happy. I didn't think Hotson was bad the last two games but it would make sense to give him a break and give Buekeboom and Phelan some playing time. Especially Buekeboom who is only 25 and can still get better. Cudmore back should help a lot. He's our best Lock and it ain't even close. He also might be the only Canadian tougher than an Islander right now. Glad to see Sinclair at 8 since Ardron still isn't healthy it seems. Should be a better presence in the Back Row than Moonlight was at 8 and gives us some real grit. Barkwill to the bench where he belongs and Carpenter starting, gotta love that. Also we will finally get to see the mysterious Richard Thorpe, who I'd like to see come on for Dala. Reason being is I think Gilmour matches up better physically with the Samoans and we still need Dala healthy for next months 7s. I don't really have much else to say about the rest of the roster. It's pretty much what I expected. I don't know if they can beat the Samoans but I think they'll be competitive. I sure hope I'm wrong about the first part and they pull off the upset.

 

[LittleGuy]

Much better lineup this week with a couple of major additions, not a ton to add to your post Beerfalo, I am slightly suprised Dala gets the start over Thorpe(Sinclair could have moved to the flanks with Thorpe at #8) but this might be a continuity issue with Thorpe so recently being added to the side.

Everything else pretty much makes sense considering the injuries and absenses and this is looking a lot closer to the RWC match day XXIII. I'd say we are about 4-5 guys off of our best possible lineup here, with #'s 6,21,22,23 being the guys I think will be on the fringe of the 30 man squad come this time next year(maybe some wil make it, others won't).

Still question marks for me at the glaringly obvious problem positions, Hooker and Fly Half. Prop and Lock aren't exceptionally loaded with talent further down the depth chart but there seems to be a capable core that can be run with for a few years.

 

[canadafan]

Other than the backrow, I am happy with the line up. Ideally I would switch DTH and Trainor in the backline, but I can live with it.

 

[Shaggy]

@Beerfalo ... Geez, I don't post for a little ... ok a long while, and there's someone else from Edmonton when I come back

... Thanks for posting the team lineup

Anyone know if it's televised?

 

[rusty_lock]

The addition of "Cuddles" is a welcome addition to the tight five but I still think we are going to struggle up front physically. I am not convinced that Gilmour is up to the task and I love Dala as a 7's player and as an impact sub but as a starter not so much. He just seems to go missing for long stretches of time over an 80 minute game. As far as the backs are concerned I think that this is the best possible lineup that is currently healthy. I hadn't heard that Paris is injured but we have to assume as much. It is odd that he is not listed as injured on the rugby Canada website though so really not sure what to make of that.

 

[rusty_lock]

@Beerfalo ... Geez, I don't post for a little ... ok a long while, and there's someone else from Edmonton when I come back

... Thanks for posting the team lineup

Anyone know if it's televised?

It will be streamed on www.irb.com

 

[Beerfalo]

@Beerfalo ... Geez, I don't post for a little ... ok a long while, and there's someone else from Edmonton when I come back

... Thanks for posting the team lineup

Anyone know if it's televised?

Another Edmontonian online :O I thought I was one of the few here who could use the internet haha. Do you play in the ERU?

It's not going to be televised to my knowledge but the IRB is streaming the game at 1pmET/10amPT on their website and those are usually pretty good quality.

Also can we all just celebrate the fact that Nick Blevins is once again not on the roster. I know he was on the roster last week but that was kind of a last minute emergency. I could kiss Crowley for that but I'm still not that pleased with him. I'm pretty pleased that Trainor seems to have taken Blevins spot in the Centers.

 

[Shaggy]

Another Edmontonian online :O I thought I was one of the few here who could use the internet haha. Do you play in the ERU?

It's not going to be televised to my knowledge but the IRB is streaming the game at 1pmET/10amPT on their website and those are usually pretty good quality.

Also can we all just celebrate the fact that Nick Blevins is once again not on the roster. I know he was on the roster last week but that was kind of a last minute emergency. I could kiss Crowley for that but I'm still not that pleased with him. I'm pretty pleased that Trainor seems to have taken Blevins spot in the Centers.

No, Alas ... my playing days are over ... I am very loosely associated with "The Thistles" - which club do you play for?

I really hope Canada can beat Samoa, but I'm not too sure that they can manage it ... I kinda think DTH is wasted on the wing too.

Thanks Rusty for the link, by the way

 

[canadafan]

Another Edmontonian online :O I thought I was one of the few here who could use the internet haha. Do you play in the ERU?

It's not going to be televised to my knowledge but the IRB is streaming the game at 1pmET/10amPT on their website and those are usually pretty good quality.

Also can we all just celebrate the fact that Nick Blevins is once again not on the roster. I know he was on the roster last week but that was kind of a last minute emergency. I could kiss Crowley for that but I'm still not that pleased with him. I'm pretty pleased that Trainor seems to have taken Blevins spot in the Centers.

As I have said, I would prefer DTH at 13 and trainor at 11, but can live with that switch. Not sure why Thorpe is on the bench other than to learn the faces of his teammates. Would assume they are keeping MacKenzie at Sale so he can regain his starting/bench position with the first stringers. No idea why Paris isn't there, unless he is injured or is also trying to nail down a starting position.

 

[Beerfalo]

Shaggy, I followed my younger brother to the Nor'Westers Athletic Association. Best decision of my life so far.

And to Canadafan, on a related note DTH has been playing at 11 this season for Glasgow. Maybe it's better to keep him at his club position with Paris out? I think Trainor makes a better Center than Wing anyways so I'm okay to see how this goes. If Trainor struggles I assume they'll send Wilson-Ross to 11 and move DTH to 13.

Makes sense to let Phil Mackenzie get in Sales good graces and hopefully more time with the big club. I figured that's why he wasn't available. I'd almost rather he be starting in the Championship or try for the Pro 12 instead of spending the bulk of the season in the Aviva A League. But it's his life and his choices so I ain't gonna fault him.

No idea why Thorpe isn't playing. Maybe he hasn't had enough time to work with his teammates and they want to test him coming off the bench first. You don't want to just throw new players into a system. I assume they'll put Dala on the bench next week and give Thorpe the start since we need to see what Thorpe can do at the International level and we also need a healthy Dala for South Africa and Dubai. I'd almost prefer to not use Ardron against Romania at this point so Sinclair to 6, Gilmour to 7 and Thorpe to 8 would be my preferred trio.