[Pacific Nations Cup] United States vs. Canada. 21/06/14

[LittleGuy]

United States vs. Canada. 21/06/14, 3:00 p.m. PDT (6:00 p.m. EDT) Bonney Field, Sacremento, California, United States

Broadcast: IRB.com (stream) TSN (Canada) Universal Sports (U.S.A.)

Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

The two North American rivals will go head to head in their final June games to try and come away with a win, both sides have lost to Japan(by similar margins) and to Scotland(Canada much closer). Canada is riding a long win streak over the Eagles though many of those games have been very close. On paper I would think that Canada has the edge but the Eagles alomst always show up for these derby matches and in front of the home crowd might get a boost.

Lineups: TBA

 

[rusty_lock]

Must win game, so no dicking around with the lineup. Preferred lineup should be relatively unchanged from Canada v. Scotland

1. Buydens
2. Carpenter
3. Marshall
4. Hotson
5. Cudmore
6. Sinclair
7. Moonlight
8. Ardron
9. Mack
10. Jones
11. Paris
12. Braid
13. Hearn
14. DTH
15. Pritchard

16. Pifferio (He's here he might as well get a few minutes off the bench)
17. Tiedemann
18. Ilnicki
19. Phelan
20. Gilmour
21. McRorie
22. Parfrey
23. Hassler

If you do want to experiment a little in the backs with an eye to the future.

1. Buydens
2. Carpenter
3. Marshall
4. Hotson
5. Cudmore
6. Sinclair
7. Moonlight
8. Ardron
9. Mack
10. Jones
11. Paris
12. Braid
13. DTH
14. Hassler
15. Hearn

16. Pifferio
17. Tiedemann
18. Ilnicki
19. Phelan
20. Gilmour
21. McRorie
22. Parfrey
23. Pritchard

I've got a free ticket on Delta so I'm trying to convince the better half that this would be a weekend well spent. Seems to be a far few tickets stilll available.

 

[jonny24]

Hoping we lay a whuppin' on them Yanks so we can feel a bit better after the last two losses. I don't get TSN but I'm definitely going to try to be in a pub at game time so I can watch.

Thinking ahead a bit. Do we have anyone lined up for fullback one Pritchard retires?

 

[LittleGuy]

Hoping we lay a whuppin' on them Yanks so we can feel a bit better after the last two losses. I don't get TSN but I'm definitely going to try to be in a pub at game time so I can watch.

Thinking ahead a bit. Do we have anyone lined up for fullback one Pritchard retires?

Probably Evans, Braid can fill in there as well, maybe Fitzpatrick.

 

[rusty_lock]

I think we should give Hearn a shot there. He has been a great revelation this June. He can kick the stitches off the ball and is showing some great vision in attack.

 

[rusty_lock]

Canada's Starting Roster for USA Test Match:

1- Andrew Tiedemann, (Plymouth Albion RFC /Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB
2- Aaron Carpenter, (Cornish Pirates RFC) Brantford, ON
3- Jake Ilnicki, (Williams Lake Rustlers/Auckland Colts) Williams Lake, BC
4- Jamie Cudmore, (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Squamish, BC
5- Tyler Hotson, (London Scottish) Vancouver, BC
6- Jebb Sinclair, (London Irish RFC) Fredericton, NB
7- John Moonlight, (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON
8- Tyler Ardron, (Ospreys/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON - Captain
9- Phil Mack, (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
10- Harry Jones, (Capilano RFC/BC Bears) West Vancouver, BC
11- DTH Van der Merwe, (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK
12- Connor Braid, (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC
13- Ciaran Hearn, (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay South, NL
14- Jeff Hassler, (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB
15- James Pritchard, (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia
16- Hubert Buydens, (Manawatu Turbos/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
17- Ray Barkwill, (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
18- Jason Marshall, (Atlantique Stade Rochelais) Vancouver, BC
19- Jon Phelan, (Doncaster Knights/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC
20- Kyle Gilmour, (Saint Albert RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saint Albert, AB
21- Gordon McRorie, (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
22- Nathan Hirayama, (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears) Richmond, BC
23- Nick Blevins, (James Bay AA/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB/Patrick Parfrey, (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock) St. Johns, NL

 

[LittleGuy]

Like the selections this week, Braid in for Blevins!!!!! I guess Buydens and Marshall are being given a bit of a rest and congrats to Tieddemann on his new contract with Albion.

 

[rusty_lock]

Very pleased with this line up. Changes in the front row are deserved. Not that Buydens and Marshall were poor last week but I think that Tiedemann and Ilnicki have been pretty good and deserve a chance to start. With the rest of the pack unchanged I think we will be in very good shape up front. I thought that we might see Phelan get a start. I'm really pleased to see Cudmore put in his time with the team for the entire month, including the warm up vs. BC. He really has been excellent so far. This is more than we have seen out of him in a very very long time.

Paris must have a knock of some sort to be completely dropped from the team sheet. It will be good to see DTH get a full run and very pleased to see Braid getting the start at 12. One thing that is weird is that they are listing both Blevins and Parfrey at 23. I'm a little surprised to see Hirayama, I thought we might see Underwood on the bench. I have forgotten, is he injured or something?

I think that this is the best lineup available and we could but a pretty good score on the Eagles. That being said, you never know with CanAm games they can be intense affairs and the USA has got to be pretty hungry for a win these days. They have had a lot of losses over the last 12 months.

 

[rusty_lock]

Like the selections this week, Braid in for Blevins!!!!! I guess Buydens and Marshall are being given a bit of a rest and congrats to Tieddemann on his new contract with Albion.

You beat me to it, I was just about to post this one.

This is more good news for Canada. With all of our sport Canada funding going to backs and loose forwards I was worried that our tight 5 was going to become our Achilles heal.

 

[LittleGuy]

I think Underwood got hurt in the Bears vs. Selects game, I'm guessing Paris didn't recover from his knock in the Scotland game. I though O'Toole had joined the squad but he still didn't make the lineup not looking good for him he's fallen way down the depth chart, maybe he can play some 7's next year.

This is fairly close to a top side, insert Paris and/or Mackenzie and Evans on the bench and we are pretty much there, maybe some tweaks to the bench but this is looking close to our 2015 RWC side.

 

[rusty_lock]

Also Jon Phelan has signed with Doncaster

http://www.drfc.co.uk/About-Us/News/2014/June/Lock-Phelan-joins-the-Knights-4657

 

[rusty_lock]

I think Underwood got hurt in the Bears vs. Selects game, I'm guessing Paris didn't recover from his knock in the Scotland game. I though O'Toole had joined the squad but he still didn't make the lineup not looking good for him he's fallen way down the depth chart, maybe he can play some 7's next year.

This is fairly close to a top side, insert Paris and/or Mackenzie and Evans on the bench and we are pretty much there, maybe some tweaks to the bench but this is looking close to our 2015 RWC side.

Indeed, what we need now is some depth at a few key back positions. At this point I don't think we have any real answers if we get injuries at 10, 12 and 15. Perhaps Evans at 15 but to be honest he has been hurt an awful lot over his short career.

 

[LittleGuy]

Great to hear about Phelan, he got stuck at Lille when a foreign player did not get his French qualification and he essentially couldn't play because that guy was sucking up the overseas player spot week in week out. Marshall should get more game time as well, looks like a bit of a move away from France for our guys with only Cudmore and Paris likely to be there next year. Crowley's contacts in New Zealand seem to be paying off for our Props, which as you observed earlier Rusty is crucial now that our Loosies and backs can at least get game time in the 7's side.

USA Rugby are apparently expecting a sell out of 8,000 for this game, which kind of surpised me.

 

[Beerfalo]

Good on Phelan and Tiedemann on getting those contracts. They definitely deserve them. The more pros we have the better for our rugby. Hopefully they actually get some solid playing time with their new clubs and make a name for themselves.

I'm surprised that Phelan isn't starting but am glad to see Cudmore play so I'm alright with that. At the very least I saw Hotson on the bench coming on for Cudmore. I like Hirayama, even if he's not the best, and am glad he at least made the bench. Real bummed that O'Toole didn't make it but I'm not surprised. Hopefully he has a future with the 7's team because I'm still a fan of his. I believe Underwood was sent home because of injury, same as Dala and Kleeberger. Paris being hurt sucks but thankfully it's "only" the Americans. I thought DTH did well last week, especially since he hasn't really played in months, so it's a good game to get him some playing time and back into the groove of things. This team looks fairly strong and is probably close to what we'll send to England next year so I'm expecting a performance better than last weeks.

I'm expecting a win against the Yanks. Ideally it would be a big score for us but the Eagles like to play Canada tough, are playing at home and have to be wanting a win as badly as our guys. This should be a fun game and I can't wait for it. I wish I could go down to Sacramento to watch it live and I hope the Americans pack the house to create a great atmosphere.

 

[Beerfalo]

USA Rugby are apparently expecting a sell out of 8,000 for this game, which kind of surpised me.

I've heard people say Northern California is the hotbed for rugby in the USA so I'm not that surprised. Sacramento has a metro of like 2.5 million and the SF Bay Area is nearby and has like 7-8 million so 8000 is a pretty achievable number. Plus what American doesn't want to see America try and beat Canada.

 

[rusty_lock]

I love Hirayama at 7's. Unfortunately, he plays 15's like he does 7's and that is just a little to reckless for a fly half. Maybe more of a fullback option. O'toole is so far down the depth chart at loose forward that I can't see him in a 15's Canada Jersey unless the team bus drives off a bridge into sea.

 

[LittleGuy]

I love Hirayama at 7's. Unfortunately, he plays 15's like he does 7's and that is just a little to reckless for a fly half. Maybe more of a fullback option. O'toole is so far down the depth chart at loose forward that I can't see him in a 15's Canada Jersey unless the team bus drives off a bridge into sea.

Yeah now that he's behind even Gilmour it's pretty much a given he won't be back in XV's barring some sort of apocalyptic injury crisis like the one that saw Dan Pletch back at Hooker in 2012.

 

[rusty_lock]

Hey where's all the American posters. Chime in, we need to talk some smack.

 

[Beerfalo]

Hey where's all the American posters. Chime in, we need to talk some smack.

Uhhhhhhhh USA USA USA USA USA!!! Jamie Cudmore wishes he was the Lock that Samu Manoa is! Clever has better hair than Buydens and Kleeberger combined sport a beard! Canadians wish Pritchard was as good as Chris Wyles! USA USA USA!?!?!?!

 

[LittleGuy]

Here's the Eagles linep guys.....

1. Nick Wallace
2. Phil Thiel
3. Olive Kilifi
4. Samu Manoa
5. Hayden Smith
6. Todd Clever (C)
7. Scott LaValla
8. Danny Barrett
9. Mike Petri
10. Shalom Suniula
11. Brett Thompson
12. Thretton Palamo
13. Seamus Kelly
14. Blaine Scully
15. Chris Wyles

Men's Eagles | Reserves
16. Tom Coolican
17. Eric Fry
18. ***i Lamositele
19. Louis Stanfill
20. Kyle Sumsion
21. Folau Niua
22. Chad London
23. Luke Hume