It wasn’t the result Canada wanted or that supporters were hoping for.
A 20-6 loss against Japan to open the Pacific Nations Cup will put Canada at a disadvantage going into their Friday match against Tonga in BC.
Canada Falls to Japan in PNC Opener
The only points Canada managed were two penalty kicks from Gordie McRorie. The 20 that Japan scored were all penalties kicked by their captain Goromaru, except for one try.
There were a lot of great opportunities for Canada at their try line, but Japan kept a watchful eye and managed to steal the ball. We lost at least three great chances as a result of loose balls, something that must have frustrated DTH Van Der Merwe, who had one really great opportunity stolen from him, and Jeff Hassler who very nearly crossed the line.
The problem was exactly what I hoped would not happen for Canada – sloppy play, poor ball handling, inability to hold onto possession in the breakdown. Japan just seemed to know how to get to the boys. They played on that weakness time and again. It lead to too many penalties and the ball too often kicked away from the try line – we were always chasing. Captain Tyler Ardron said: “Most of [the dozen penalties] were when we had ball in hand so it was very frustrating. That’s how we want to play, ball in hand, so not being able to keep it and putting phases together to do what we’ve practiced all week is frustrating.”
“I thought we created a lot of chances, we just weren’t able to take them and just gave away too many penalties,” echoed head coach Kieran Crowley. “There were certainly some real positives about the opportunities we created. We now need to work on taking those opportunities.”
One lost opportunity that really stung was a sin-bin that Japan faced, giving us that extra man advantage for ten minutes. We couldn’t capitalize on it though. It would have made all the difference. And it isn’t as if we didn’t have the skill or experience on the field. Canada had lots of great plays, they were just underscored by the ball handling errors.
Everyone who loves this team knows exactly what their problem is, as do the players and coaches. These talented men, these guys who individually boast some pretty incredible records, do not get to play together enough. They don’t train together long enough before they’re in the pressure cooker, so they don’t get that chance to gel.
This summer DOES promise to be different in terms of getting that team coordination together before World Cup. The Pacific Nations Cup will give Canada three more opportunities to play, as will a match played between Canada and nearest rivals USA on the 22nd of August in Ottawa, and then an exhibition game versus the Glasgow Warriors in Halifax on August 29. Between now and the 19th of September when Canada faces Ireland to open our World Cup campaign, those five games will bring the team back in touch with one another. Training together, living together, striving for that common goal, that will make the difference with Crowley’s men.
The other thing that will make a difference is the player support that Canada gives this team. It’s a huge move that sports broadcaster TSN last week announced that not only are they airing the PNC, they are also airing all of Canada’s matches in the Rugby World Cup. It feels like they FINALLY realize there is substantial interest in the game of rugby here in Canada. It’s getting harder and harder to rely on out-of-country broadcasters. It’s great to have our homegrown station recognize that Canada deserves this kind of support.
That will also make a difference to Captain Tyler Ardron and team.
First though, Tonga at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia. Kickoff is 10 pm EST and is being aired on TSN 2.
