Canada score big win over USA in u20 Qualifier

Canada scored a big win over the USA in the first leg of the World Rugby u20 Trophy Qualifier at Texas A&M’s Penberthy Field in Houston on Tuesday. The 60-22 result means that Canada will enter the second leg on Saturday with a 38-point buffer with the overall winner set to travel to Romania in August.

The game was very competitive in the first half. Elias Ergas finished off an attacking move in the corner for the first score. Kickers Patrick Madden and Brennig Prevost exchanged penalty goals before Canada got a second try through hard-running center Kevin Vertkas.

Captain Ruben de Haas saved the All-Americans from heading in to the break with no tries by dotting down just ahead of the intermission. It made the score 15-10, will within reach of the home side but the second half did not go as planned.

Within seconds Vertkas was over for a double and then Canadian skipper James O’Neill put his country up by 17. Any hope of a USA comeback ended soon after when second row Bronson Teles was sent off for punching. With only seven forwards on the pitch the overlaps were inevitable.

To their credit the All-Americans still managed to score twice despite the numerical disadvantage. Justin Johnson and Campbell Johnstone scored within a couple minutes of each other. Unfortunately Canadian eightman Michael Smith scored on either side of the pair, with a penalty try also coming via the scrum.

A couple replacements rounded out the scoring for Canada. Jackson Matthews was put clear for try under the sticks and then a dropped ball on a kick gave Mostyn Findlay a free route to the line.

Saturday’s match takes place at Rice University, kickoff 3:30 local time.

 

SCORING

USA 22
Tries – R. de Haas (39’), J. Johnson (64’), C. Johnstone (66’)
Cons – P. Madden 2/3 (40’, 65’)
Pens – P. Madden 1/1 (12’)
Red cards – B. Teles (52’)

CANADA 60
Tries – E. Ergas (7’), K. Vertkas 2 (33’, 41’), J. O’Neill (49’), M. Smith 2 (59’, 70’), Penalty try (63’), J. Matthews (75’), M. Findlay (80’)
Cons – B. Prevost 5/8 (34’, 42’, 60’, 71’, 76’)
Pens – B. Prevost 2/3 (16’, 34’)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Payton Telea, 2 Dillon Shotwell, 3 David Ainu’u, 4 Ronan Murphy, 5 Bronson Teles, 6 Bailey Wilson, 7 Justin Johnson, 8 Santiago Mascolo, 9 Ruben de Haas (capt.), 10 Sam Walsh, 11 Noah Niumataiwalu, 12 Quinn Perry, 13 Jack Wendling, 14 Patrick Medina, 15 Patrick Madden

Replacements: 16 Stephen McLeish, 17 Jack Wiles, 18 Daryl Bagley, 19 William Waguespack, 20 Devin Short, 21 Ethan McVeigh, 22 Campbell Johnstone, 23 Jack Bradfield

CANADA
1 Gavin Kratz, 2 Jack McRogers, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Quentin James, 5 Reid Davis, 6 Owain Ruttan, 7 James O’Neill (capt.), 8 Michael Smith, 9 Will Percillier, 10 Steven Commerford, 11 Jack McCarthy, 12 Kevin Vertkas, 13 Seth Purdey, 14 Elias Ergas, 15 Brennig Prevost

Replacements: 16 Tyler Wong, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Stephen Mallard, 19 Ben Newhook, 20 Jackson Matthews, 21 Peter Ingoldsby, 22 Brock Gallagher, 23 Mostyn Findlay