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Rugby World Cup 2023 is to be the first Men’s Rugby World Cup without North Americans. It is to be the first without Canada and the second without the USA. Both teams missed out on qualifying to leave North American rugby in crisis.
The USA were eliminated on points differential. Portugal sealed a draw in overtime to qualify as the 20th, and final competitor for RWC 2023. This outcome saw Os Lobos qualifying for a second Rugby World Cup; their first since 2007.
The USA and Portugal had both made light work of Hong Kong and Kenya. The four teams competed in a winner-to-the-RWC tournament in Dubai. The Final Place Winner secured a spot in Pool C. Portugal will open their campaign against Wales in Nice. Subsequent matches will be against Georgia and Fiji in Toulouse and against Australia in St. Etienne.
How the USA ended up playing in the Final Place tournament merits an investigation. The Eagles fell to defeats against all three opponents, from the Americas. The USA were beaten in St John’s by Canada, in Montevideo by Uruguay and in Denver by Chile.
The Eagles rebounded from the loss against Canada to win the return match and set-up an Americas 1 series against Uruguay. Los Teros recovered from a slow start to fight back in Denver to lose by three points. A convincing home win saw Uruguay qualifying as Americas 1.
Meanwhile, Canada and Chile played a must-win home-and-away series in 2021. It was decided in Valparaíso. Chile rebounded from a 22-21 defeat in Langford to outperform Canada on home soil. The 33-24 scoreline gave Chile the then greatest win of their history and eliminated Canada from the RWC 2023 qualifiers.
The scenario was replicated in mid 2022 this time the competitors were the USA and Chile. Los Cóndores again rebounded from a 22-21 defeat first up; however, Chile did so by winning on the road. Chile upset the USA in Denver to qualify for a first World Cup. Four months later the USA were eliminated by Portugal.
The outcome from Dubai is no North American competitor at RWC 2023. The map has remarkably been redrawn with the Southern Cone now home to all three of the Americas’ competitors for next year’s World Cup. Furthermore, it happened quickly; Uruguay’s return to the World Cup in 2015 saw plenty of spirit but a team outmatched.
Make no mistake, the North Americans owe their audiences answers. The administrators and coaches have not delivered. Canada were very close to producing an upset win over Italy in Leeds, England at RWC 2015. That near miss has come to be overlooked due to Canada losing from a dominant position in their final match of that tournament against Romania.
Canada performed well in the inaugural Rugby World Cup. Canada had a good win win over Tonga. History was made four years later; in 1991, Canada reached the knock-out stages by beating Fiji 13-3 in Bayonne and defeated Romania 19-11 in Toulouse.
Canada were winners over Romania at RWC 1995. A pool of little maneuvering against Australia and South Africa minimized opportunities of a second win. Canada gave France a scare before falling 33-20 in 1999. The campaign ended with a 72-11 win over Namibia.
Canada had two good matches at RWC 2003; a 19-14 loss against Italy in Canberra and a 24-7 win over Tonga in Wollongong. Canada were close to defeating Fiji in 2007; the 29-16 final score does not do justice to the match. Canada were then disappointed to draw 12-12 against Japan and again, this time, 23-23 in 2011. Canada had a good 25-20 win against Tonga.
Canada had been ranked 11th in the world in 2011 and is presently 21st. The current ranking is an improvement from the low point of 24th. Canada’s fall has coincided with the USA’s rise. The teams can be said to have traded places and to also have lessons to learn from the Southern Cone.
Uruguay’s win over Fiji at RWC 2019 is among the greatest upsets in tournament history. It was Uruguay’s third win from a total of four World Cup tournaments. The USA has played in eight World Cups for a return of three wins. The Eagles defeated Japan 21-18 in 1987, 39-26 in 2003 and were 13-6 winners against Russia in 2011.
