Match Preview – Canada vs Kenya

The last-chance saloon opens its doors on Sunday with four teams vying for one spot on the plane to Japan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. First up it’s Canada against Kenya. The former are favorites for most and the only side in the competition to have previously qualified. Kenya have never been this close but their hopes rest on victory in the first game.

Kingsley Jones has sprung some surprises in the Canadian lineup. The forward pack is at full strength but he has controversially left out Nottingham flyhalf Shane O’Leary, opting instead to field an all-domestic midfield trio of flyhalf Gordon McRorie and centers Nick Blevins and Ben LeSage.

Overseas pros DTH van der Merwe and Matt Evans add a touch of class out wide, but Ciaran Hearn and Conor Trainor are left on the bench with O’Leary nowhere in sight. Reserve scrumhalf Jamie Mackenzie makes a test lineup for the first time in two years and Toronto Arrows captain Mike Sheppard is set for his debut as a lock or loose forward replacement.

Kenya coach Ian Snook has also made some big calls, not least choosing incumbent blindside George Nyambua in the second row ahead of former skipper Wilson Kopondo. The latter is one of two locks named on the bench with fellow 30-cap veteran Oliver Mang’eni missing out to the towering Malcolm Onsando as primary lineout target.

As expected the loose forward trio is formidable with captain Davis Chenge paired with former sevens captain Andrew Amonde on the flank and the powerhouse Josh Chisanga at No8. There is greater Sevens Series influence in the backs with Samuel Oliech at flyhalf, Collins Injera at outside center, and Willy Ambaka on the wing.

Snook has opted for six forwards among the reserves, naming back row Martin Owilah in the No23 jersey with uncapped Welsh import William Reeve the only outside back cover. There is no place in the squad for promising openside Elkeans Musonye or hard-running center Peter Kilonzo.

This is a clear contrast of styles with Kenya desperate for quick attacking ball to use their imposing ball runners in space. Canada’s route to victory lies in the set piece and tight-loose, where the heavier and more experienced pack can impose their will and starve the likes of Ambaka and Injera of opportunities.

Look for the Canadian forwards to do just that. While Kenya may give the team a scare with ball in hand, at the end of the day the possession advantage will be too much to overcome with the first battle in Marseille going to the North Americans by a convincing score.

Kickoff is set for 1pm local time, 4am Pacific, 7am Eastern. A live broadcast will be available in Canada on TSN, in the USA on NBC Sports Gold, with World Rugby streaming the match to those located elsewhere.

 

CANADA
1 Hubert Buydens, 2 Ray Barkwill, 3 Jake Ilnicki, 4 Brett Beukeboom, 5 Evan Olmstead, 6 Kyle Baillie, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Phil Mack (capt.), 10 Gordon McRorie, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Nick Blevins, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Matt Evans, 15 Theo Sauder

Replacements: 16 Eric Howard, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Matt Tierney, 19 Mike Sheppard, 20 Lucas Rumball, 21 Jamie MacKenzie, 22 Ciaran Hearn, 23 Conor Trainor

KENYA
1 Patrick Ouko, 2 Colman Were, 3 Joseph Odero, 4 George Nyambua, 5 Malcolm Onsando, 6 Andrew Amonde, 7 Davis Chenge (capt.), 8 Josh Chisanga, 9 Samson Onsomu, 10 Samuel Oliech, 11 Willy Ambaka, 12 Leo Seje, 13 Collins Injera, 14 Darwin Mukidza, 15 Tony Onyango

Replacements: 16 Philip Ikambili, 17 Moses Amusala, 18 Hillary Mwanjilwa, 19 Wilson Kopondo, 20 Oliver Mang’eni, 21 Mohammed Omollo, 22 William Reeve, 23 Martin Owilah

 

Date: Sunday, November 11
Kickoff: 13:00 local (04:00 Pacific, 07:00 Eastern)
Venue: Stade Pierre Delort, Marseille
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistants: JP Doyle (RFU) & Joy Neville (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Broadcasts: TSN 1 & 3, NBC Sports Gold, World Rugby