June Internationals: Canada vs. Ireland (15/06/13)

[LittleGuy]

Scotland is touring NA next year I believe.

They are scheduled to enter Fortress BMO, next June(which might make the PNC schedule a mess again). Weather knock on wood looks great for Saturday as well scheduled to low-mid 20's and sunny.

He would be my first pick in our 7s squad, but last in our XVs. I would start Underwood with Braid backing up, but I would give Hirayama the start in Japan for the reason I stated earlier.

I've always loved Hirayama in 7's but with XV's he's always made questionable decisions and I've found he's been fairly poor especially coming off the bench, starting he seems to get in a rhythym more. We have qaulity FH's coming up in the pipeline so I think he'll be mainly a 7's guy coming up. BCRugbynews made a great point yesterday about all Ardron and Hassler being signed they might miss most if not all the year of the circuit and will have to be replaced.

@Canadian rugger(and everyone else) I think O'Toole isn't with the side by his own choosing, he is getting a ton of **** from the team on twitter, and I really think he'll get lost in the number's game especially should Cudmore and Kleeberger return to action. Maybe Ardron going to Wales gets him back in the 7's side but I wouldn't totally count on it.

Matt Evans uploaded this on youtube the other day....

 

[canadafan]

Please don't refer to BMO Field as 'Fortress BMO' until we win more than once there. (half joke)

I actually think we should play the U.S. at B.C. Place next summer, I figure we could get between 20~30,000 there.

 

[LittleGuy]

Please don't refer to BMO Field as 'Fortress BMO' until we win more than once there. (half joke)

I actually think we should play the U.S. at B.C. Place next summer, I figure we could get between 20~30,000 there.

They wanted to get the Moari in there this November but the IRB hasn't OKed the turf yet, maybe once the Blues and Saracens show that turf is fine for rugby this could go ahead.

Edit: Fortress Twin Elm might be more appropriate!! Our record in Ottawa is insanely good.

 

[canadafan]

They wanted to get the Moari in there this November but the IRB hasn't OKed the turf yet, maybe once the Blues and Saracens show that turf is fine for rugby this could go ahead.

I think we could get a tier 2 team to agree to play there and I think the U.S. would be great, make it an afternoon game.

Afternoon game allow:

3-5,000 from Vancouver Island to watch
3-5,000 from Seattle(American fans)
10,000 From the Lower Mainland

20,000 probably a safe bet

5,000 for novelty factor
BCRU plays the 'we hate Toronto card' 5,000, maybe more.

About 30,000 would not surprise me.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The 23 I want to see Ireland put out in this match would be:

15. Jones
14. Trimble
11. McFadden

Henshaw struggled against USA I think this back three will be a bit safer and more capable of scoring tries, McFaden was good vs USA

13. Cave
12. Olding
Olding and Madigan looked promising, Cave is all we have and he can be good.

10. Madigan
9. Marshall
Marshall was better than Boss and it's a lot easier for a 10 like Madigan to play off a 9 who provides quick ball and is a threat around the fringes.

8. O'Mahoney
7. O'Donnell
6. Henry
A bit imbalanced Henry and O'Mahoney are leaders in the team and O'Donnell deserves a shot.

5. Henderson
4. McCarthy
I think we need to give Henderson a shot in the second row.

3. Hagan
2. Sherry
1. Kilcoyne
Sherry was an improvement on Strauss, Hagan deserves a shot and Ross needs a break.

16. Strauss
17. Court
18. Fitzpatrick
19. Tuohy
20. Mclaughlan
21. Marmion
22. Jackson
23. Henshaw

A bit of an experimental pack but that's what these tours are for and we need to improve on the USA match.

What would any of the Canadian posters think of that side? I think we're there for the taking to be honest but I also think the US had a better chance because it was the first game. Which areas would you think Canada are stronger and which individual Canadian players do you think are better than their Irish counterparts?

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

Really hope more than anything else that the Canada game is a more entertaining and convincing performance than the USA from Ireland. Not only because id like to see some positives in our performance post Declan Kidney, but because its not great for promoting the game in North America through boring snooze-fests and penalty kicks. If I was a new comer watching the Ireland-USA game a few days ago id probably wouldn't be watching the sport again.

 

[norcalbuff]

I find it interesting that you guys have so many 7s players in your 15s team this June with the 7s RWC at the end of this month. We only took 2 guys from our 7s team for our June tests (Hume and Scully) and as a result of their involvement in 15s, they aren't part of the 7s RWC squad. Will all of these 7s guys like Hirayama, Duke, Dala, etc. still be playing in the 7s RWC?

 

[LittleGuy]

I find it interesting that you guys have so many 7s players in your 15s team this June with the 7s RWC at the end of this month. We only took 2 guys from our 7s team for our June tests (Hume and Scully) and as a result of their involvement in 15s, they aren't part of the 7s RWC squad. Will all of these 7s guys like Hirayama, Duke, Dala, etc. still be playing in the 7s RWC?

Almost certainly, and I think a large part of the problem has been Canada's injuries, Duke, Hirayama, Paris would probably have seen less game time has our backline been healthier.

@ Cmac, If Canada were healthy I'd say we'd have 4-5 players that would be better individually than that squad listed, but with what we are likely to put out, I could only make an argument for at best 1-2. The difference between us and the States though is I think our squad has is mroe even ascross the board aside from the CT's. We also tend to play better than the "sum of our parts" and the team has had three games together now and should be gelled, Crowley is also a fantastic coach which will be a plus, as Les Kiss is only an interim for you guys and getting used to the side.

We have our top pack(Cudmore aside) available and I think we'll match up fairly well here, hopefully we don't have to go to the bench early on our front row though. Our CT combination will be a little weak for the game(if Eveans plays at CT not so much) and FH has huge question marks. Goalkicking should be fairly even, Pritchard and Madigan are both good kickers.

 

[big ginger 8]

Stuff like this will take a but of getting used to...

 

[canadafan]

I find it interesting that you guys have so many 7s players in your 15s team this June with the 7s RWC at the end of this month. We only took 2 guys from our 7s team for our June tests (Hume and Scully) and as a result of their involvement in 15s, they aren't part of the 7s RWC squad. Will all of these 7s guys like Hirayama, Duke, Dala, etc. still be playing in the 7s RWC?

One word: injuries.

 

[Lionsfan]

Great, Ireland and Canada are two of my favorite teams. Don't play Van der Merwe? He's a very good player

 

[canadafan]

Great, Ireland and Canada are two of my favorite teams. Don't play Van der Merwe? He's a very good player

He's out injured, think he just finsihed rehab actually, but don't expect him to play. Cudmore isn't going to play either.

 

[LittleGuy]

Another possible injury for Canada, as Ryan Hamilton is having neck issues(he didn't train today) not sure if he's out of the game completely yet, even with a minor issue, I'm sure Barkwill starts now, if Hamilton misses either Crowley puts in someone out of position or calls up possibly Govorchin or Piffero who were the two other hookers named in the extended squad.

 

[big ginger 8]

We're getting our excuses in early anyway. Reports of illness in the squad.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rug...e-canada-clash-reveals-les-kiss-29337395.html

 

[LittleGuy]

We're getting our excuses in early anyway. Reports of illness in the squad.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rug...e-canada-clash-reveals-les-kiss-29337395.html

Also looks like Canada has been allowed a delay in announcing the side due to some injuries, Evans(no surprise after the cheap shot in the Tongan game) Duke and Sinclair(from the punch perhaps?) have some concussion issues and Carpenter, Mack and Blevins have some minor knocks. Add that to Hamilton's neck issue, wow hurting bodies, I'm sure at least some of them will be available though.

Edit: Also possible great news for Canada fans, as Rugby Canada have signed a deal with TSN to show many more games leading into the 2015 RWC, one dissapointing thing is it is an exclusive deal, which probably means if TSN wants to show three Uzbeks playing Hockey on a pond than we might be screwed. Not sure when this takes effect as the Canada vs. Japan game is likely to be carried on Sportsnet World, likewise I'm not sure if they own rights to away games(or IRB sanctioned tournaments like the PNC) in which Rugby Canada may not be the rights holder. But they will eb showing both RWCQ's and the Moari test along with this game.

http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3817&leagueID=0&
page=70836

Edit Edit: Sportsnet World is indeed carrying the Canada vs. Japan game apparently live. So it might mean that this deal does not include the PNC.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Good god, injuries a foot for Canada. Will have to make an attempt to catch the Canadian games again. Always love watching them, despite the lacking of his Edness .

 

[psychic duck]

Canada are seriously ruined with injuries, roughly half their team are injured or doubts now. They are not having much luck at the minute as a similar thing happened last November to a lesser extent. Tonga lost the game, but really beat them up it seems. Compare that with USA who had just 1 unavailable player.

A 15 hour flight for a midweek game straight after this with so many knocks and injuries will be a real tough one.

By the way, did anybody catch the Tongan coach's rant? Seriously talking some rubbish, this is a yellow card and would be for a non Tongan as well. The Pritchard one was late, and there was another high tackle earlier as well. There have been similar complaints from Samoa about race as well, such as Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu claiming Nigel Owens was racist after the South Africa RWC game, and their PM also said similar things last year (the only one where there was an actual refereeing error). But it seems to be a theme, along with the "poaching" thing, that the Islanders like to play the victim role.

 

[LittleGuy]

Good god, injuries a foot for Canada. Will have to make an attempt to catch the Canadian games again. Always love watching them, despite the lacking of his Edness .

It's getting borderline ridiculous, especially in the backline, right now our hospital ward:

Out of action: Cudmore(Fractured Hand),Kleeberger(Shoulder...has been out for ages), Van De Merwe(Surgery), Trainor(Broken Ankle), Mackenzie(Leg), Hassler(I beleive ankle I'd have to confirm though)

Doubtful to possible: Evans, Duke, Sinclair(Concussions), Carpenter(Back), Phil Mack(Ankle), Nick Blevins(not sure). Hamilton(neck)

Edit: I agree Psychic it's not so much this game I'm worried about(I think some of these guys will fight through it) but I think the team we send to Japan could be a bit of a joke, especially if we incur anymore injuries in the match on Saturday.

The IRB have apparently declined comment on the racism allegations of the Tongan coach.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Wow ... that hit. Where are the arms like?

 

[LittleGuy]

Wow ... that hit. Where are the arms like?

Pritchard got hit with a similar tackle as well, thankfully not as hard and was able to continue, here is the brawl from that match as well.