Canada crush Brazil in Langford rain

Canada got their win that they so desperately wanted and did so in emphatic fashion with a crushing 45-5 result over Brazil at Westhills Stadium on Saturday evening. The visitors lost their captain, Yan Rosetti, before kickoff and did not look prepared for the cold and wet conditions. To make matters worse they were forced to play nearly half the match with only 14 players after receiving both a yellow and red card.

The opening could not have done any better for Canada as Luke Campbell scored his first international points on the end of a driving maul inside the three-minute mark. Cole Davis followed suit soon after, the 20-year-old winger slashing through the line from a set piece move to slide in under the posts.

Brazil’s defense was nowhere to be found and Djustice-Sears-Duru was next to take advantage. Jake Ilnicki took the ball to the line and found his front row mate on his shoulder. Sears-Duru barged through the last man before entertaining the crowd with a swan dive finish worthy of a winger.

Lucas Muller was dispatched for a professional foul just before the half and from the following sequence DTH van der Merwe extended his Canadian record to 32 tries. Shane O’Leary couldn’t connect on the extras but Canada were 26-0 up and the Tupis were happy to see the change rooms.

Fresh legs at the half gave Brazil a little more fire to start the second period but Canada were still on the rampage. Another driving maul ended over the line, this time the score going to hooker Ray Barkwill.

The discipline problems for the Tupis took a nose dive in the 56th minute when Gabriel Paganini charged head-first into a defenseless Dustin Dobravsky at a ruck. After a brief discussion with the TMO a red card was appropriately brandished and Brazil would play the remainder only a man down. The gaps opened and Phil Mack took advantage, breaking through a hole on the post with his over-the-shoulder offload handing Doug Fraser a try on debut.

To Brazil’s credit they would concede no further points in the fourth quarter. With the clock winding down they launched one final assault on the Canadian line, eventually committing enough players to the middle that space was open for De Wet van Niekerk to cross in the corner and end the shutout on full-time.

Both teams will head south next week for the fourth round of the Americas Rugby Championship. Canada travel to Jujuy to face the Argentina XV in a match that will not count for World Rankings points. Brazil will find warmth in São José dos Campos but their opponent will be no easier as the undefeated US Eagles arrive at the Estádio Martins Pereira.

 

SCORING

CANADA 45
Tries – L. Campbell (3’), C. Davis (9’), D. Sears-Duru (29’), D. van der Merwe (39’), R. Barkwill (47’), D. Fraser (60’)
Cons – S. O’Leary 5/7 (4’, 10’, 30’, 61’, 77’)
Pens – S. O’Leary 0/2

BRAZIL 5
Tries – D. van Niekerk (80’)
Cons – M. Duque 0/1
Yellow cards – L. Muller (38’)
Red cards – G. Paganini (56’)

 

TEAMS

CANADA
1 Djustice Sears-Duru (17 Anthony Luca 68’), 2 Ray Barkwill (16 Martial Lagain 68’), 3 Jake Ilnicki (18 Ryan Kotlewski 68’), 4 Josh Larsen, 5 Kyle Baillie (19 Conor Keys 71’), 6 Dustin Dobravsky (20 Cam Polson 75’), 7 Lucas Rumball, 8 Luke Campbell, 9 Phil Mack (capt.) (21 Andrew Ferguson 62’), 10 Shane O’Leary, 11 DTH van der Merwe (23 Brock Staller 18’-28’), 12 Nick Blevins (22 Guiseppe du Toit 62’), 13 Doug Fraser, 14 Cole Davis, 15 Patrick Parfrey

BRAZIL
1 Jonatas Paulo (17 Lucas Abud HT), 2 Endy Willian (18 Wilton Rebolo HT), 3 Matheus Rocha (16 Caíque Silva 62’), 4 Gabriel Paganini, 5 Diego López (19 Lucas Piero HT), 6 Michael Moraes (20 Arthur Bergo HT), 7 Cléber Dias, 8 André Arruda, 9 Laurent Bourda-Couhet (21 Will Broderick 62’), 10 Josh Reeves, 11 Lucas Muller (23 De Wet van Niekerk 49’), 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 Ariel Rodrigues, 15 Lucas Tranquez

Not used: 22 Leonardo Ceccarelli

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Kurt Weaver (USAR)
Assistants: Harry Mason (RC) & Robin Kaluzniak (RC)