Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Canada may have lost the battle but as it turns out the war was already won. Despite dropping a 40-22 result to the Junior All-Americans on Saturday afternoon the young Canadians have qualified as the North American representatives at the World Rugby u20 Trophy on account of their 20-point win on aggregate after scoring a big 60-22 win on Tuesday.
As it was a year ago, the USA were the better side in the second match but could not make up the massive 38-point deficit from the first leg. On Saturday they started well and stayed in the match for the full 80 minutes, scoring six tries in all to only three for Canada.
San Diego Legion flanker Devin Short was in the starting lineup this time and it only took him a couple minutes to get on the score sheet. New Zealand resident Sam Walsh was next to strike just five minutes later, with Patrick Madden converting both to give the All-Americans an early 14-0 lead.
A penalty goal from Brennig Prevost got Canada on the board and just before halftime they landed their first try. Elias Ergas showed his pace with Prevost’s conversion closing the gap to just five and giving the side a major boost of confidence heading into the break.
That seemed to spur the team on and Prevost gave them a lead just moments into the second half, returning a missed clearance kick some 40 meters to score an excellent individual try.
A turning point came in the 47th minute when Canada scrumhalf Will Percillier was binned and the Eagles struck for two tries while he was off the pitch. The first came from winger Noah Niumataiwalu and the second from captain Ruben de Haas. With a 26-15 lead it looked as though the All-Americans would start to pull away.
Before they could turn up the heat Canada got one last score with Ergas again the finisher. It wouldn’t be enough to save the match but the clock was now against the USA and two late tries for Quinn Perry and Ronan Murphy were too little, too late.
The Canadians will now turn their attention to Romania, where they will travel in August to take part in the second tier World Rugby u20 tournament. In last year’s edition they went in with high hopes but came away with three defeats. This time they will be aiming for the opposite, and a potential spot in the 2019 World Rugby u20 Championship.
SCORING
USA 40
Tries – D. Short (2’), S. Walsh (7’), N. Niumataiwalu (49’), R. de Haas (58’), Q. Perry (70’), R. Murphy (75’)
Cons – P. Madden 5/6 (3’, 8’, 59’, 71’, 76’)
CANADA 22
Tries – E. Ergas 2 (36’, 64’), B. Prevost (42’)
Cons – B. Prevost 2/3 (37’, 65’)
Pens – B. Prevost 1/1 (18’)
Yellow cards – W. Percillier (47’)
TEAMS
USA u20
1 Payton Telea, 2 Dillon Shotwell, 3 David Ainu’u, 4 Ronan Murphy, 5 Bailey Wilson, 6 Justin Johnson, 7 Devin Short, 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 Max Dacey, 21 Ethan McVeigh, 22 Campbell Johnstone, 23 Jack Bradfield
CANADA u20
1 Gavin Kratz, 2 Jack McRogers, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Quentin James, 5 Reid Davis, 6 Michael Smith, 7 James O’Neill (capt.), 8 Jackson Matthews, 9 Will Percillier, 10 Steven Commerford, 11 Jack McCarthy, 12 Kevin Vertkas, 13 Elias Ergas, 14 Mostyn Findlay, 15 Brennig Prevost
Replacements: 16 Tyler Wong, 17 Sam Turner, 18 Emerson Prior, 19 Ben Newhook, 20 Owain Ruttan, 21 Peter Ingoldsby, 22 Brock Gallagher, 23 Brandon Schellenberger
