Canada crash to defeat against Portugal

Canada crashed to defeat in their opening round match at the World Rugby u20 Trophy tournament in Bucharest in Tuesday. A second half collapse saw them squander a 15-point halftime lead as Portugal instead came away with the 31-29 win.

The two goal kickers exchanged penalties in the opening quarter. Will Percillier was on target for two with João Lima responding to keep the scores level. Michael Smith would land the game’s first try, peeling away from the back of a lineout drive and doing just enough to ground the ball.

Percillier added penalty goals on either side of a Nuno Mascarenhas try for Portugal. The hooker ran a hard line around the corner to barge his way over. The last say of the half went to Canada with another try via the lineout, this time to their own hooker Jack McRogers.

The second half would be nothing short of disastrous for Canada. A spectacular solo run from Rodrigo Marta resulted in a penalty try as Brennig Prevost’s last-gasp tackle on the winger was too high. The Canadian fullback was sent to the bin and he was soon joined by Percillier on a questionable call for tackling off the ball.

With only 13 defenders there would be no stopping Marta from skating down the blindside at a 5 metre scrum. Jerónimo Portela’s left boot was on target with a picture-perfect conversion from the left touchline and the gap was down to one.

A yellow card to Duarte Gonçalves for reasons unknown set Portugal back but they hardly noticed the numerical disadvantage. Instead it was Portela who landed a penalty goal to give his team their first lead of the match Percillier stole it back for Canada with his fifth penalty but it was just as quickly erased by Portela, his kick proving to be the match-winner.

Canada will need a to win their remaining pool matches in convincing fashion and get a bit of help from others if they have any hope of making the Trophy final. As they prepare to play Uruguay on Saturday they will wonder how it went so very wrong in the final 40 minutes.

 

SCORING

PORTUGAL 31
Tries – N. Mascarenhas (33′), Penalty try (43′), R. Marta (47′)
Cons – J. Lima 0/1, J. Portela (48′)
Pens – J. Lima 2/2 (12′, 22′), J. Portela 2/3 (65′, 73′)
Yellow cards – D. Gonçalves (60′)

CANADA 29
Tries – M. Smith (25′), J. McRogers (40′)
Cons – W. Percillier 2/2 (26′, 40′)
Pens – W. Percillier 5/7 (2′, 16′, 29′, 39′, 71′)
Yellow cards – B. Prevost (43′), W. Percillier (46′)

 

TEAMS

PORTUGAL
1 David Costa, 2 Nuno Mascarenhas, 3 José Pimentel, 4 José Roque, 5 Manuel Peleteiro, 6 Manuel Pinto, 7 João Vital (capt.), 8 Duarte Campos, 9 Duarte Azevedo, 10 João Lima, 11 Duarte Gonçalves, 12 Gonçalo Santos, 13 Gabriel Pop, 14 Rodrigo Marta, 15 Manuel Cardoso Pinto

Replacements: 16 José Alexandre Sarmento, 17 João Francisco Lima, 18 Filipe Granja, 19 Pedro Ferreira, 20 Manuel Nunes, 21 Sebastião Silva, 22 Martim Cardoso, 23 Jerónimo Portela, 24 Diogo Cardoso, 25 Manuel Marta, 26 Francisco Campos

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

Replacements: 16 Tyler Rockwell, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Guerschom Mukendi, 19 Owain Ruttan, 20 Jackson Matthews, 21 Brandon Schellenberger, 22 Lachlan Kratz, 23 Josiah Morra, 24 Tyler Duguid, 25 Mitchell Wainman, 26 Gabriel Casey

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Tasuku Kawahari (JRFU)