Flyhalf has always been a hard position for Canada to develop and if we're being realistic, a few games does not make a player.
If Canada ever gets an above average to very good fly half then they'll be set.
I reckon this game will be very similar that one. Canada's scrum is OK at best and Georgia makes life difficult in that area, even for the best. I personally think the game will be won in the backs or loose play, Canada has some very good backs and some very good loosies at running the ball. However Georgia will dominate the scrum and from positions 1-22 (possibly even the coaching staff and waterboy) everyone on that team can tackle and ruck.
Phi MacKenzie is part of a long list that includes James Pritchard, Adam Kleeberger, Chauncey O'toole and Aaron Carpenter. I personally blame both the import cap rule in the premiership and the focus on national team players in the Rabo. France is an option but difficult to get into. Hopefully players like Jebb Sinclair can make some room down south for some future players.
I completely agree with the sentiment in your bio.
I would be confident about the Georgian scrum but .....
the Georgian scrum was great in the ENC and the November matches of 2010, but was disappointing and only adequate during the RWC due to playing a very small hooker, it did well in this year's ENC, but there are several players missing in the front row for this tour
Mikheil Nariashvili of Montpellier is likely to start at 1, as the two best looseheads Kakovin and Khinchagishvili are missing, and he is very inexperienced for a prop (just turned 22) so can't be relied upon
Zirakashvili is on good form and in the squad and was immense vs Canada in 2010, he is a good scrummager, but not the top one which Jgenti and Kubriashvili are, Zirakashvili in the loose is much better than those two, but isn't quite as good at scrum
meanwhile hooker, is down to third choice with Bregvadze and Natriashvili (a converted prop who is a very good scrummaging hooker) are both missing, so there is Giorgadze recalled into the team and he is really getting on in years (now 36) and may have declined
so that isn't as strong as it could be, but that is the biggest strength Georgia have over Canada so it will be crucial to the result
unfortunately Gorgodze is missing too, so there is the best ball carrying asset Georgia have, and pushes the reliance even more on a depleted front row which isn't that trustworthy (with the exception of Zirakashvili)
by the way, there is no way the 10 Merab Kvirikashvili can tackle and ruck, he's like a Dan Parks tackler!
I too dislike the non European player rule in European competitions, it favours very much Samoans, Fijians, Tongans or Vodacom Cup standard South Africans who it doesn't effect getting pro contracts ahead of Canadians, Americans or Japanese
there are many more Canadians who in my opinion are good enough for the top European leagues, such as Kleeberger and MacKenzie
if there is going to be a foreign player rule, then it should count to all the foreigners, not allow some nations to be able to avoid it whilst it effects others
Was Evans the fly-half that played so well for Canada at the RWC?
Edit: Scary thought, the RWC was 8/9 months ago. Is it just me that feels like time is flying at the speed of light?
Monro was the Canadian RWC fly half in 2011
Are these game being televised?
pretty certain it will be, probably not on UK tv, but should will be links online
