Canada vs Russia

[Melhor Time]

It has been a year for the future of Canadian rugby. They played Georgia for the first time ever in June (during the Churchill Cup) and won 42-10 in Denver. Instead of touring Europe for a series of matches that they would have little chance of competing well at they went to Japan for two tests and now host Russia. A good set of fixtures, something that the folks at the IRB are finally starting to appreciate with Romania, at long last, hosting Fiji this weekend, Portugal hosting Tonga and Italy hosting Samoa. Chances for all three Island sides to get away wins and also chances for all home teams to get wins against reputable touring opposition.

Japan were too strong for Canada in the two tests, showing far more organization and clearly possessing more professionalism. The Canadian coahces have opted to pick far more Canadian based players than in previous years with some of the biggest names in Canadian rugby not playing at all this month. Jamie Cudmoore's exclusion is hard to understand. He is one of the best secondrowers in France.

Finally Hirayama will start for Canada but is picked at fullback rather than flyhalf. But, oddly, this means Pritchard will play 12 rather than 15. A strange choice given the talents of Ryan Smith and David Spicer who are not in the squad at all. Clearly, Canada rate their chances. Canada should win this game. Hopefully it is the start of regular fixtures between these two teams. It would be great to see Canada do a three match tour in November 2010 of Russia, Georgia and Romania.

Russia are close to qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. Hopefully they can qualify. I like to see new countries at World Cups.

The game will be live online at: <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-rugby" target="_blank">1.Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow Warriors - Scotland)
2. Pat Riordan © (University of Victoria)
3. Doug Wooldridge (Cowichan RFC)
4. Jebb Sinclair (Castaway Wanderers)
5. Tyler Hotson (Plymouth Albion - England)
6. Chauncey O’Toole (Castaway Wanderers)
7. Adam Kleeberger (Rotherham ***ans â€" England)
8. Aaron Carpenter (Coventry RFC â€" England)
9. Sean White (James Bay AA)
10. Ander Monro (Castaway Wanderers)
11. Justin Mensah-Coker (Moseley â€" England)
12. James Pritchard (Bedford Rugby Club â€" England)
13. Matt Evans (Hartpury College â€" England)
14. Sean Duke (University of Victoria)
15. Nathan Hirayama (University of Victoria)

Replacements
16. Mike Pletch (Velox Valhallians)
17. Dan Pletch (Oakville Crusaders)
18. Tom Dolezel (London St. Georges)
19. Brian Erichsen (Vancouver Meraloma)
20. Mark MacSween (Balmy Beach RFC)
21. Phil Mack (University of Victoria)
22. Mike Scholz (Oakville Crusaders)

 

[Corywalker]

I say Canada by 15+, BC Bears completely outplayed the Russians in Langford a while ago, and the Russian side couldn't really put anything together until the 2nd half. Unless it was a 2nd string Russia side against BC (who were also a "2nd" team), Canada should win this by a good margin (saying they get back to good form after defeats from Japan).

 

[poopiepeople]

6-6 at half time and it's all looking sloppy like.

 

[Corywalker]

not so good so far.. Russia has improved a lot from their last game against BC, and they are exposing canada's blindside a lot this match.. no tries yet though.. Russia just missed their 3 pointer.. 6-6.. come on Canada! i really think we need to start using our younger players coming up (Connor Braid is a great example) instead oif sending out our old veterans... well, its up to Kieran really.

 

[Corywalker]

penaltie, then a few minutes later: a good drop goal by munro.. 12-6

edit: wow.. horrible box kick almost led to a russian try.. jesus christ. We had so many numbers out wide over the turnover.. if we steal the ball, dont kick it away.

 

[poopiepeople]

I agree. Colin Brown is someone i'd like to see, he was pretty decent for the Ontario Blues this years (from what iv'e seen), Nanyak Dala from the Prairies. Steve Piatek also had a good tournament with the Ontario Blues with 35 points.

15-6 for the canucks

 

[Corywalker]

Yeah, i've played with and against Connor, and I know there are a lot of talented young players in BC like him, but the coaches aren't looking for enough young players to fill out the squad.

YEAH! 15-6 gives a good cushion.

 

[poopiepeople]

Almost scored a try, couldnt tell who because the stream is pretty crappy.

The BC team is immense, half their squad should be wearing red, too bad rugby canada is runned by goons now.

 

[Corywalker]

YAY! TRY! And yeah, the feed is very choppy. I totally agree with the BC comment.. team selecting is so biased and isn't based off current form anymore in Canada (or atleast in BC).

22-6.

 

[poopiepeople]

Can you tell who scored?

Yeah, the coaching has also gone down hill. I believe the Japan tests have pretty much shown that.

 

[Corywalker]

i couldn't tell, and couldn't hear the audio well enough either.

I think we need to improve our refereeing in canada as well to really get players better. So many times during age group and premier games referees call the wrong calls and players base their game off them completely; this is why we cant get players like Brussow who can turn over ball very easily. How is the refereeing in Ontario?

 

[poopiepeople]

Probably just as bad especially at school level, club level is decent but it has improved. I know that our under 20 league is pretty good. The club i play for (oakville) has probably one of the best under 20 teams in Ontario, probably some future potential there.

 

[Corywalker]

22-6 Final.. my prediction was pretty close

Yeah, coaching at school/club here are about the same.. still needs to be improved though. The U19 league i play in is very competitive, we just need better coaches and refs to improve the overall game.

 

[poopiepeople]

I'd day thats pretty much goes for the rest of the country as well.

It was an ok game, could of been better. Hopefully this will set up a good relationship between the two unions providing more tests for both countries.

 

[fcukernaut]

What needs to happen is a drastic change from the bottom up in Canada. I've pointed it out numerous times on this website but I'll do it again. We are not breeding the best players in Ontario just the richest players. Given the huge travelling distances you simply have players that can't afford to play. I played Ontario one year and it costed me a couple thousand. If I was chosen for the Canada camp then it would be another $500 for a week training camp. And it simply wasn't worth it, the coaching wasn't as good as I got in high school, then again my old high school coach is one of the best. Simply put, I knew the game better than the coaching staff on my team and I openly questioned why some of our calls were what they were, which is to say they were over complicated and retarded. You don't to call out a play if you're doing a chip kick, just kick it.

Also, there is no open or active recruiting of players. The ontario coaches should be going out and watching Banting play Barrie Central, they should be watching BCI play St Johns, they sure as hell should be at the Salt Fleet tournaments and Red Hot tournament. Those are the best tournaments featuring the best teams. Watch these kids play outside of trial games to fully comprehend how they play. Not only that tell them you want them to come out, make them feel like they are wanted, like its a good idea to spend a couple thousand and to blow a summer.

Get better coaches. My old high school coach has been coaching high school since 1989, has 3 provincial championships and has coached 3 Canadian internationals. He has never been asked to coach Ontario, not once. That is unacceptable. Sure he probably would have turned them down, but you have to at least ask.

Free transportation: it has to get done, if the iRB gives you a couple million don't spend it on extra coaches for the national team, spend it on the grassroots so that you can have the absolute best coming through. We're not winning the world cup in 2011 but in 2019 you might have a better team that can compete if you pay the attention now.

Pick the best rugby players not the best athletes. We keep picking athetic kids that don't know the game or don't show they can exploit the game, but because they are fast and athletic we pick them hoping they turn around the mental aspect. But why not pick the 16 year old kid who can see how defenses are run and knows how to instinctively cheat and get away with it? Sure he's not the beast of an athlete but he knows whats going on. And what about those grinders that tackle like nutters and hit rucks like animals? Most of those kids don't get picked either, but those are the guys you want developing at the high level so when they become men you have a bakkies botha type player that canada used to produce all the time ala Danny Baugh.

And the refereeing is pretty good at the high school level and at club in Ontario amonst the top 5 refs. Apart from the ref that is deemed to be the best in Ontario and possibly Canada: Stoltz. I don't know his first name but there is not a single player in Ontario who hasn't been f***ed by bad call by him.

 

[roscommon guy]

are russian in a good position to qualafy for the rwc

 

[Melhor Time]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (seanAF @ Nov 29 2009, 07:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

are russian in a good position to qualafy for the rwc[/b]

Yes.

They are in 2nd place midway through the European qualification. They have home matches vs Portugal, Romania and Germany in February and March. They are favourites to win all of them. They also have away matches against Georgia aqnd Spain and should win against the Spanish. The game vs georgia will actually be in Turkey, the first ever international rugby match in the country. The reason is security given the war tentions.

Romania are picking mainly players based in the country now rather than those in France and Italy and it is really hurting them. Russia, Georgia and Portugal are all beating them. The Romanians are in 4th and so are not likely to qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever.

The top two qualify automatically. Georgia are first and Russia second. It should stay this way and would mean Georgia enter pool B (Argentina, England, Scotland, repercharge) and Russia enter pool C (Australia, Ireland, Italy, USA). Portugal are playing well too and should be able to hang onto third place and thus enter repercharge.

I am really wanting to see Russia at the World Cup.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melhor Time @ Nov 29 2009, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I am really wanting to see Russia at the World Cup.[/b]

That would be massive for the sport in general. With a population of around 150 million, Russia could potentially become a cash cow for the iRB if the sport grows on the back of a world cup appearance. Hopefully Russia, Georgia and Romania can help spearhead the growth of the game in Eastern Europe. I'd like to see the established European nations help improve the standing of the above nations by playing more test matches over there during the November or June test windows.

Am I right in saying that the Russian league is professional already?

 

[Melhor Time]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Nov 29 2009, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melhor Time @ Nov 29 2009, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am really wanting to see Russia at the World Cup.[/b]

That would be massive for the sport in general. With a population of around 150 million, Russia could potentially become a cash cow for the iRB if the sport grows on the back of a world cup appearance. Hopefully Russia, Georgia and Romania can help spearhead the growth of the game in Eastern Europe. I'd like to see the established European nations help improve the standing of the above nations by playing more test matches over there during the November or June test windows.

Am I right in saying that the Russian league is professional already?
[/b][/quote]

Yes, it is semi professional.

 

[roscommon guy]

Russia would be brilliant they can get rugby been develloped in the East