Canada ends Brazil tour on a winning note

Canada ‘A’ closed out their Americas Rugby Trophy with a 31-14 win over the Brazil XV in Mogi das Cruzes on Friday. The inexperienced visitors outscored their hosts five tries to two, and an in an impressive second half denied the Brazilians any points at all.

It was a calamitous start for Brazil, who conceded a try to Canadian winger D’Shawn Bowen just two minutes into the game. Injuries then struck tighthead prop Henrique Ferreira and No8 André Arruda. Flanker Matheus Cláudio was shown a yellow card, and a try from Cooper Coats added to Robbie Povey’s second conversion made it 14-nil to the tourists.

Before Cláudio returned the Brazilian forwards got one back through Leonardo de Souza on the end of a driving maul. Povey slipped through a gap immediately following, however, and after a couple quick recycles the flyhalf took a short ball from Jason Higgins to touch down in the corner.

Now trailing by 12 points, Brazil advanced to scoring position after a line break from hard-charging center Victor Silva. With the defense on the retreat, Cláudio redeemed himself by stepping between two tight forwards to make it a one-score game at the intermission.

The two sides played to a stalemate until the hour mark. Ross Braude, who had replaced an injured Jason Higgins early in the half, followed up a Lindsey Stevens break to arc around an isolated prop and show a clean pair of heels to the cover for a fine individual effort. Povey somehow sliced the conversion but the Canadians were now 10 points to the good.

A faltering lineout cost Brazil possession, while the Canadian defense slowed their advances. Eventually their energy faded and Canada’s substitutes made their mark, driving the home side back to their own line. After a couple attempts were short, Siaki Vikilani drove in from short range to bring on fulltime.

Both teams now turn their attention to upcoming tours. Canada’s senior squad will head to Amsterdam to play the Netherlands on November 12 and Namibia a week later. Brazil will play a test against Paraguay before heading south to face Argentine provincial sides Tucumán and Córdoba.

 

SCORING

BRAZIL 14
Tries – L. de Souza (31′), M. Cláudio (37′)
Cons – L. Tranquez 2/2 (32′, 38′)
YC – M. Cláudio (24′)

CANADA 31
Tries – D. Bowen (2′), C. Coats (25′), R. Povey (33′), R. Braude (61′), S. Vikilani (79′)
Cons – R. Povey 3/5 (3′, 26′, 80′)

 

TEAMS

BRAZIL XV
1 Brendon Alves (17 Alexandre Alves 76′), 2 Leonardo de Souza (16 Endy Willian 56′), 3 Henrique Ferreira (18 Levy Marinho 8′), 4 Cléber Dias, 5 Gabriel Paganini (capt.) (20 Diego Vidal 62′), 6 Adrio de Melo, 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 André Arruda (19 Matteo Dell’Acqua 17′), 9 Douglas Rauth (21 Felipe Cunha 62′), 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Daniel Lima (23 Gabriel Quirino 71′), 12 Lorenzo Massari, 13 Victor Silva, 14 Robson Morais, 15 Guilherme Coghetto

Not used: 22 João Amaral

CANADA ‘A’
1 Liam Murray (17 Emerson Prior 56′), 2 Lindsey Stevens (16 Andrew Quattrin 64′), 3 Kyle Steeves (18 Conor Young 62′), 4 Conor Keys, 5 Kyle Baillie (capt.) (20 Corey Thomas 52′), 6 Matt Klimchuk (19 Izzak Kelly 55′), 7 Owain Ruttan, 8 Siaki Vikilani, 9 Jason Higgins (21 Ross Braude 42′), 10 Robbie Povey, 11 Josiah Morra, 12 Gabe Casey (22 Talon McMullin 62′), 13 Alex Russell (23 Takoda McMullin 56′), 14 D’Shawn Bowen, 15 Cooper Coats

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Nehuén Jauri Rivero (Argentina)
Assistants: Damián Schneider (Argentina) & Francisco González (Uruguay)