U.S.A. vs. Canada. RWCQ 1st leg, 17/08/13

[psychic duck]

I think your right on Tolkin in fact I think he's probably done either way, the Eagles just can't create in attack, a new guy would have a couple of months before getting a good chance to try out new combo's in November vs. Moari, Russia and Georgia. If the States make a move it should be now, with two years to go before the RWC a new coach probably has just enough time to get settled in and get his game plan working.

A new coach won't be able to magic up some quality props, a creative midfield playmaker in the backline and more depth beyond the first choice XV. Bigger name coaches Scott "Dappydoo" Johnson and Eddie O'Sullivan barely achieved more anyway. In fact Scott Johnson went ahead and cost the States the midfield playmaker they were developing, and barely won a game, he was a distaster.

The USA were improved in 2012 under Tolkin than they were in 2011 under Eddie O'Sullivan. And they delivered one of their best ever performances away to Romania and gave a strong Tonga side a hard game. They have been a unpenetrative in attack since before Tolkin came. This drop of form is sudden, they have gone from holding Ireland to a close match and keeping them tryless to cutting cut apart by Japan. They could have beaten Canada if the game was played last November.

 

[canadafan]

1- Andrew Tiedemann, 5 - played out of position and scrum alright, decent around the park. We missed Buydens here.
2- Ryan Hamilton, 6 - Decent around the park and line out was okay, gets an extra point for not injuring himself during the match.
3- Jason Marshall, 6 - Some good caries, but didn't dominate in the scrum, missed his partner Buydens?
4- Jebb Sinclair, 7 - Played well around the park, hit the rucks well. Plays well at lock when he is with Cudmore.
5- Jamie Cudmore, 7 - Played well, but subbed early, hopefully because they want to keep him fresh for next week. A very valuable member to out side, we also seem to play 'bigger' when he is on the pitch.
6- Tyler Ardron, 5 - Not the best of nights, but got better, knocked on a few times. Should have a bounce back game next week.
7- John Moonlight, 7 - Very good openside now, should be playing pro in Europe somewhere.
8- Aaron Carpenter, 7 - A bit quiet but led well, made few mistakes.

9- Phil Mack, 9 - MOTM, great performance, 1 try, 1 called back and knocked Clever into touch once.
10- Harry Jones, 6 - Kicked okay, bounces went his way scored a try, but didn't get the backline firing on all cylinders.
11- DTH Van Der Merwe, 7 - quiet first half but picked it up in the 2nd half. Should start at 13 next week.
12- Nick Blevins, 7 - Starting to make a claim for the 12 jersey, solid on D with a few good runs, helped set up a try. Should be playing pro in Europe.
13- Ciaran Hearn, 5 - Solid on D but didn't do much else, should be on the bench next week.
14- Matt Evans, 6 - some good touches and some knock ons, a bit of mixed bag from him.
15- James Pritchard, 7 - kicked well and put a lot of pressure on the Yanks because of it. Solid on D and okay on attack.

16- Ray Barkwill, 7 - Bench is his best spot, good player to bring on at around the 60 minute mark.
17- Tom Dolezel, 5 - Good D
18- Doug Wooldridge, 5 - Good D
19- Tyler Hotson, 6 - Work man like performance.
20- Nanyak Dala, 7 - Another great sub to bring on in the 2nd half. Kleeberger has a hill to climb to get back into the game day squad.
21- Sean White, N/A - Came on far too late in the match to get a rating.
22- Nathan Hirayama, 5 - Didn't **** up.
23- Phil Mackenzie, 5 - Came on late, played good D, should start on the wing next week.

 

[canadafan]

Hopefully that's not the case. Hopefully it was just a matter of Mackenzie coming back from injury and saving Cudmore (who isn't exactly young anymore) for next week. In any case, based on what I saw tonight, I'd go with this squad next week:

1) Tiedemann
2) Barkwill
3) Marshall
4) Sinclair (not crazy about this, but Crowley seems to like it so it will probably happen again)
5) Cudmore
6) Ardron
7) Moonlight
8) Carpenter (c)

9) Mack
10) Jones
11) Mackenzie
12) Blevins
13) DTH
14) Evans
15) Pritchard

16) Hamilton
17) Dolezel
18) Wooldridge
19) Hotson
20) Dala
21) White
22) Hearn
23) Hirayama (don't get the Hirayama bashing, one bad pass against Tonga doesn't make him useless)

Couple of points:

I would swap the hookers, I think Barkwill is a great impact sub to bring on around the 55 minute mark.

Assuming Underwood and Hassler are still out,the rest of the side I agree with.

 

[psychic duck]

12- Nick Blevins, 7 - Starting to make a claim for the 12 jersey, solid on D with a few good runs, helped set up a try. Should be playing pro in Europe.

Can't comment on performance as I didn't see the game. But from what I've seen before that he's a Championship player at best imo, useful depth but nothing special and can't see why any European teams would sign him when there is the likes of Trainor and Sharikadze unsigned. I'm not sure he should be even in the 23 man squad when everyone is fit, really surprised Mackenzie was left on the bench for this game as well.

 

[canadafan]

I did mean that he should be a pro player in a Championship team. He has gotten a lot better over the past year and I agree that Trainor should be starting ahead of him, if he ever gets healthy, but he is starting to make a case for the 12 jersey. Also agree that he is either a starter at 12 or out of the squad, he isn't a bench player IMO. Mackenzie on the bench was probably due to him just getting healthy, he should be starting next weekend, I hope.

 

[LittleGuy]

Same rules as the World Cup, seeing as it's officially the same tournament. Extra time (Two 10 minute halves), then golden score/sudden death for 20 minutes, then penalties (With five elected kickers, rather than the entire XV).

Why were the USA so flat? it got beyond a joke by the end, they couldn't do anything with the tiny depth they had. Canada seemed to understand what they were doing, the USA, for all their Wyleses and Ngwenyas looked clueless.

Highlight package(from Canadian perspective)...




The first tiebreaker is total tries, they migth go into extra time after that(if away points isn't the 2nd breaker) an unlikely scenario in any case.

My ratings are similar to canadfans(and Hassler is definately out canadafan, he never even travelled from Wales.)


1- Andrew Tiedemann, 5 - Played OK by his standards in the #1 shirt is a better #3, seems to tire easily, should have been subbed a few minutes earlier, we miss Buydens Tieddemann should be#17
2- Ryan Hamilton, 7 - Good in open play worked hard, the competition for the #2 jersey is working wonders.
3- Jason Marshall, 6 - Kept his cool and discipline our best prop on the night.
4- Jebb Sinclair, 7 - Solid but not spectacular, had a run of some discipline problems and was giving away too many penalties.
5- Jamie Cudmore, 7 - Pretty much same sentiments as canadafan. Was he taken off early for Clermont's benefit? Should have played another 10-15 minutes, Canada had a noticeable comedown for first few he was off.
6- Tyler Ardron, 5 - Tale of two halfs, first half was pretty dour, second half stepped up his game. Made some basic errors that needs to get settled.
7- John Moonlight, 8 - As Shaggy said before the game really turning into a special player. The backrow depth is fantastic.
8- Aaron Carpenter, 7 - Better than his game vs. Japan, made better decisions as captain.

9- Phil Mack, 9 - Brilliant, only avoids a 10 due to me needing room at the top of the scale.
10- Harry Jones, 7 - Ran hard, almost like a flanker for his try, kicked good, but needed to get the ball out wide faster.
11- DTH Van Der Merwe, 7 - Used in the wrong position, needs to be used at #13 when he's with Canada, he's a special player and showed it when he got the ball.
12- Nick Blevins, 8 - Quietly one of our best players on the field, tackled and attacked well made a great line to set up one of the tries.
13- Ciaran Hearn, 6 - Ditto with canadafan, didn't do anything poor but didn't add a lot, has upped his workrate at least. Is a utility guy and should be at #22-23.
14- Matt Evans, 7 - Good in scrambling defence, had a great break for a called back try. Deserves to start next week.
15- James Pritchard, 8 - 5 from 5, best used at FB and not on the wing. Always seems to play well against the U.S.A.

16- Ray Barkwill, 7 - Love watching him chop down those bigger players. There's just something about him...it's like you have to like the guy.
17- Tom Dolezel 5 - Nothing special, but nothing poor.
18- Doug Wooldridge, 5 - Same with Dolezel
19- Tyler Hotson, 6 - Did what he was called on to do, didn't add a ton to our game.
20- Nanyak Dala, 7 - Typifies what you want as a bench player, Nanyak knows his role and executes it well each time.
21- Sean White, N/A - Can't rate one minute of play but made a decent clearing kick, Mack's brilliance kept him off the field, expect to see a little more of him next week.
22- Nathan Hirayama, 5 - Looked hesitant at first but then stepped up his game.
23- Phil Mackenzie, 6 - Needs to start, by the time he got on the game was getting a bit sloppy.

 

[LittleGuy]

And a highlight package from an American point of view.....

 

[norcalbuff]

A new coach won't be able to magic up some quality props, a creative midfield playmaker in the backline and more depth beyond the first choice XV. Bigger name coaches Scott "Dappydoo" Johnson and Eddie O'Sullivan barely achieved more anyway. In fact Scott Johnson went ahead and cost the States the midfield playmaker they were developing, and barely won a game, he was a distaster.

The USA were improved in 2012 under Tolkin than they were in 2011 under Eddie O'Sullivan. And they delivered one of their best ever performances away to Romania and gave a strong Tonga side a hard game. They have been a unpenetrative in attack since before Tolkin came. This drop of form is sudden, they have gone from holding Ireland to a close match and keeping them tryless to cutting cut apart by Japan. They could have beaten Canada if the game was played last November.

The props weren't a problem at all against Canada. In fact, we got the best of them in the scrum, particularly when Fry and Pittman were in. That's what is so dis-heartening about this match. Over the summer, the scrum cost the Eagles tons of points and could basically describe the difference in scoreline in some of the losses. Not so last night where a combination of terrible aimless kicking and complete ineptitude in attack were largely the difference.

We need a new 9-10 combo, starting with Niua and Shaw in the next match and we also need to find new centers. Andrew Suniula is extremely limited, as I have pointed out plenty of times before to you, and he's not getting any younger. We also need to find a new 13 to replace Emerick. Long term I think that's Scully, but for next match, I'd move Wyles to 13 with Scully at 15 and bench Suniula.

 

[dudeabides]

I had a great time with the people around and no raining, not much anyway. Congrats to Canada on that one but it's not over til it's over they say. I took a few pics if anybody's interested, my camera still only takes a clear shot of something happening right in front of me, the zoom is so bad. See the blurry Wyles kicking one of his penalties for example. Given the result, the best parts of the whole match were the drinking tent before the start, and the Eagles walking around the pitch after it was over. Even though they lost they shake everybody's hand at the fence, well except Ngwenya who rockets by high fiving everybody along the way and Clever who gets mobbed all the time and one of the managers has to drag him away. They're really thankful to have the fans there for them.

here is from one of the few times problems were arising between the players:

and of course at the end, 'why can't we be friends'

 

[LittleGuy]

Bit ridiculously late I know but just noticed we hadn't put up the attendance number, apparently it was 5,258 for the 1st leg. Weather had been atrocious for most of the week which I'm guessing took a bit off of what they would have got on a gorgeous day.