Canada close ARC with win over Chile

Canada defeated Chile by 33-17 in the final round of the Americas Rugby Championship on Saturday afternoon. The error-strewn fixture leaves plenty of room for improvement for both sides but the Canadians have at least secured their second win of the tournament to clinch a fourth-place finish.

A penalty from Gordon McRorie in the opening minutes got Canada off to a good start and before long they were over the tryline. An attacking move went wine and Kainoa Lloyd crossed in the corner. McRorie couldn’t land the conversion from wide out and Tomás Ianiszewski replied for Chile with his own penalty to make it a one-score game.

The second quarter belonged entirely to Canada. With the Cóndores on the back foot the pressure proved too much and Lucas Rumball went over for an easy try. One more before the break would come from Kyle Baillie, the second row stretching out to score from in close.

Indiscipline saw Canada down a man for half of the final 40 minutes. Nick Blevins was the first to go for an off-the-ball tackle and then Luke Campbell was binned after repeat team infringements.

Chile could not take advantage, however, and instead it was Canada who would be next to score. Andrew Ferguson came on and immediately injected some pace in the attack. A chip into space bounced perfectly for the scrumhalf and though he was hauled down short of the line he managed to offload to a flying Cole Davis for the young winger’s second international try.

The Cóndores brought in fresh legs of their own and it paid off. Mauricio Urrutia fought through McRorie’s tackle attempt for Chile’s first touchdown. Just moments later it was 20-year-old flanker Alfonso Escobar who did the damage, showing great determination to bump off Luke Campbell and score his first international try.

McRorie nudged over a penalty goal immediately after to end any hopes of a miracle comeback.

Canada will now take a break after a long two months together before reconvening for the June internationals. Chile finish the tournament in last place with only a single bonus losing bonus point. They will regroup and prepare for the revamped South American Championships in May.

 

SCORING

CHILE 17
Tries – M. Urrutia (71’), A. Escobar (75’)
Cons – T. Ianiszewski 2/2 (72’, 76’)
Pens – T. Ianiszewski 1/1 (13’)

CANADA 33
Tries – K. Lloyd (9’), L. Rumball (25’), K. Baillie (39’), C. Davis (67’)
Cons – G. McRorie 2/4 (26’, 40)
Pens – G. McRorie 3/3 (2’, 44’, 77’)
Yellow cards – N. Blevins (44’), L. Campbell (60’)

 

TEAMS

CHILE
1 Vittorio Lastra (18 Basilio Díaz 70’), 2 Tomás Dussaillant (16 Rodrigo Moya 69’), 3 José Tomás Munita (17 Sebastián Otero 63’), 4 Nikola Bursic (20 Alfonso Escobar 59), 5 Mario Mayol (19 Benjamín Soto 34’-HT’), 6 Javier Richard, 7 Anton Petrowitsch, 8 Manuel Dagnino (19 Benjamín Soto 47’), 9 Juan Pablo Perrotta (21 Beltrán Vergara 59), 10 Benjamín Pizarro (22 José Tomás Maturana 59), 11 Ítalo Zunino (23 Mauricio Urrutia 69’), 12 Francisco de la Fuente, 13 José Ignacio Larenas (capt.), 14 Lucca Avelli, 15 Tomás Ianiszewski

CANADA
1 Djustice Sears-Duru (17 Noah Barker 63’), 2 Ray Barkwill (16 Martial Lagain 72’), 3 Jake Ilnicki (18 Cole Keith 63’), 4 Josh Larsen, 5 Kyle Baillie (19 Conor Keys 69’), 6 Dustin Dobravsky (20 Cam Polson 72’), 7 Lucas Rumball, 8 Luke Campbell, 9 Phil Mack (capt.) (21 Andrew Ferguson 63’), 10 Gordon McRorie, 11 Kainoa Lloyd, 12 Nick Blevins (23 Guiseppe du Toit 55’), 13 Doug Fraser (22 Patrick Parfrey 78’), 14 Cole Davis, 15 Josh Thiel

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Pali Deluca (UAR)