Canada vs. Italy A

[CDN_Rugby]

Agreed with all your points, Chauncey could really show up Glasgow for not giving him a better chance if another Magners League side would pick him up, and Marshall looked really good. Erichsen is one tough customer isn't he, seems to enjoy the pain of contact.

The intensity of the Canadian team was so much higher than the Italians, possesion was dominated by the Canucks, with Van De Merwe in the lineup it could have gotten really ugly for the Azzuri.

Very true. Aside from Erichsen and Jamie Cudmore, it seems as if the rest of our locks are all beanpoles. There is no way guys like Burak, Luke Cudmore, and the rest of em have the muscle to make a difference in a scrum against top tier nations. Ideally, our squad going into the WC looks like this:

1)Tkachuk
2) Riordan (c)
3) Marshall
4) Erichsen
5) J. Cudmore
6) Kleeberger
7) O'Toole
8) Carpenter

9) Fairhurst
10) Monro
11) Hearn
12) P. Mackenzie
13) Van der Merwe
14) Evans
15) Pritchard

16) M. Pletch (not because he is better than Hamilton, but just because he can double as a tighthead)
17) Tiedeman? (prop is by far our weakest position)
18) Hotson
19) Dala
20) White
21) Smith
22) Mensah-Coker

23) D. Pletch
24) Dolezal
25) Jackson or Stephen
26) Hamilton
27) Sinclair
28) J. Mackenzie
29) Paris
30) Trainor

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

In all seriousness, watching the highlights on Sky and ignoring the concept of Biology exams, I'm suprised how decent Fairhurst was.

But I shouldn't be. As said, he's a demi-God, only a good one. (Not like Percy Jackson- just some kid who can hold his breath for ten minutes.)

 

[Melhor Time]

The following is my view on the match, written 5 minutes after full time......

http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023.blogspot.com/2011/06/churchill-cup-canada-vs-italy_04.html

Canada has begun its 2011 Churchill Cup campaign in style after knocking over Italy A 26-12 in Northampton this afternoon. The North Americans won by scoring three tries to zero against an Italian A side packed with professional players from the two Italian sides in the Magners League, Aironi and Benetton Treviso. The Italians also had Stade Français backrower, Mauro Bergamasco in the side as he continues his return from injury. Canadian fullback, James Pritchard continued his club form from the English second division in scoring 13 points while all 12 of Italy A´s points came from the boot of scrumhalf ***o Tebaldi.


Canada scored the first points of the game in the 8th minute of play following a penalty from Pritchard. Tebaldi slotted his first seven minutes latter to tie the scores at 3-3. After a prolonged period without scoring Canadian flyhalf, Ander Monro kicked a drop goal in the 29th minute but the lead was short lived as Tebaldi slotted two penalties late in the first half to put Italy A ahead 9-6 at the interval. Canada came out firing after the break and took it to the Italians. Backrower Aaron Carpenter went over for the games first try in the 44th minute and two minutes latter tighthead prop, Jason Marshall scored Canada´s second. Both were unconverted by Pritchard but he made up for it in the 56th minute as he scored a converted try to give Canada a 23-9 lead. Italy had made a host of substitutions but were unable to fight back strongly enough as the sides only second half points came from a Tebaldi penalty in the 63rd minute. Thereafter Canada closed out the match with Pritchard slotting a penalty in the 70th minute to complete a 26-12 victory which underlines the strength of Canadian rugby.


Canada
15 James Pritchard
14 Ciaran Hearn
13 Conor Trainor
12 Ryan Smith
11 Phil MacKenzie
10 Ander Monro
9 Ed Fairhurst
8 Aaron Carpenter
7 Chauncey O'Toole
6 Jebb Sinclair
5 Brian Erichsen
4 Tyler Hotson
3 Jason Marshall
2 Pat Riordan
1 Hubert Buydens

Reserves: 16 Ryan Hamilton, 17 Andrew Tiedemann, 18 Mitchell Gudgeon, 19 Nanyak Dala, 20 Sean White, 21 Mike Scholz, 22 Matt Evans


Italy A

15 Ruggero Trevisan
14 Andrea Bacchetti
13 Denis Majstorovic
12 Matteo Pratichetti
11 Michele Sepe
10 Riccardo Bocchino
9 ***o Tebaldi
8 Manoa Vosawai
7 Mauro Bergamasco
6 Valerio Bernabo
5 Corniel van Zyl
4 Marco Bortolami
3 Fabio Staibano
2 Tommaso d'Apice
1 Alberto de Marchi

Reserves: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Matias Aguero, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Josh Furno, 20 Giulio Toniolatti, 21 Durandt Gerber, 22 Francesco Minto

 

[Feicarsinn]

Good article, but needed more Fairhurst.

 

[LittleGuy]

Here is a highlight package I found

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good find!
Canada looking good

 

[cyRil]

Peter O'Toole's boy looks quality!

 

[lucky number 7]

Holy ****...Ed is absolute boss out there.

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

Looks a decent crowd...Anyone know the numbers that went to the game?

 

[Jayatron]

Impressed with that 7. I went to the the Ba Ba Wales match so I missed this, but I would like to see his breakdown work. But Canada are looking good. I will check out the Russia match. The more I learn about Canadian rugby the more I like it. Got real potential. However where was Van Der Merwe, he's had a good season with Glasgow I can only presume he's injured?

 

[CDN_Rugby]

Impressed with that 7. I went to the the Ba Ba Wales match so I missed this, but I would like to see his breakdown work. But Canada are looking good. I will check out the Russia match. The more I learn about Canadian rugby the more I like it. Got real potential. However where was Van Der Merwe, he's had a good season with Glasgow I can only presume he's injured?

Yes he is injured. So is Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow) and Adam Kleeberger (formerly of Auckland in the ITM Cup). Jamie Cudmore was unavailable for the game as well, but should be in the lineup on wednesday against Russia.

And yeah, there is potential for Canadian rugby but the professional era hasn't been kind. Prior to professionalism, Canada was probably the highest ranked nation outside of the 5 Nations and Tri-Nations. How things have changed...

 

[Jayatron]

And yeah, there is potential for Canadian rugby but the professional era hasn't been kind. Prior to professionalism, Canada was probably the highest ranked nation outside of the 5 Nations and Tri-Nations. How things have changed...

But how things could change again. I was actually discussing this very topic a few weeks ago with Little Guy. Very informative and insightful user on Canadian rugby. He informed me that there is a lot of problems with Canadian rugby, not in terms of player base or support, though it is slightly limited. but more in the form of red tape and politics within the game in Canada. Hopefully Canada can get their act fully together and get back on the regular international calender.

 

[CDN_Rugby]

But how things could change again. I was actually discussing this very topic a few weeks ago with Little Guy. Very informative and insightful user on Canadian rugby. He informed me that there is a lot of problems with Canadian rugby, not in terms of player base or support, though it is slightly limited. but more in the form of red tape and politics within the game in Canada. Hopefully Canada can get their act fully together and get back on the regular international calender.

Yeah, aside from the obvious politics and red tape that are rampant in Rugby Canada, the odds will always be against Canada being a power in international rugby. Factor in the sheer size of the country (bigger than the whole of Europe), the low population in comparison (33 million), and the fact that 90% of the country is under a metre of snow for 7 months of the year (when -35 celsius is just another day) and you have a problem. It doesn't help that in British Columbia rugby is a winter sport, but in all other provinces it is a summer sport. Imagine how catastrophic Irish rugby would be if Munster decided to only play in the summer? Pretty much what Canada has to deal with when it comes to BC playing in the winter...

 

[Brad John]

But how things could change again. I was actually discussing this very topic a few weeks ago with Little Guy. Very informative and insightful user on Canadian rugby. He informed me that there is a lot of problems with Canadian rugby, not in terms of player base or support, though it is slightly limited. but more in the form of red tape and politics within the game in Canada. Hopefully Canada can get their act fully together and get back on the regular international calender.

It's much the same with Soccer Canada, which could produce some quality sides if there wasn't so much red tape and BS, little personal battles within only makes for disorganized and fragmented organizations, Rugby Canada is improving with funding and limited guidance from the IRB. Canada is improving beating France 'A' and now Italy 'A', 6 - 8 years ago would of been total romps in score by the euro teams, but I still feel Japan is improving just as much if not more-so, the last two test matches between CAN and JAP (2010 I believe), CAN lost both games quite badly although they were missing some very key players, but I'm sure JAP was also. 12 - 12 last world cup between the two teams so this WC will be the tell-tail sign as to who has really improved the most over the past four years. Going to very interesting, I feel CAN will beat Tonga, loose closely to Japan, loose buy 25 pts. to France, and 55+ pts. to NZ, so 3 - 1... a tough pool to say the least.

 

[LittleGuy]

can anybody tell me how Corniel van Zyl did?

he deserved his chance as he plays nearly every game for Treviso

he's not in the team for the next match, is it due to injury or was he crap

He did allright but nothing special, the Italian forwards generally played o.k. and scrummaged hard, the backs though were pretty terrible and were the main reason for the loss.