Kieran Crowley has chopped and changed his lineup to face France on Thursday, with seven switches in total from the team that ran Italy desperately close at Elland Road. Canada will need to manage their resources with another game on the horizon against Romania on Tuesday. Aaron Carpenter and Brett …
Read More »First choice France to face Canada
France have retained only two of the starting side that faced Romania, reverting to their first strength team for the match against Canada at Milton Keynes on Thursday. Only Wesley Fofana and Brice Dulin continue, as Philippe Saint-André opts not to take any chances against a team that gave Italy …
Read More »RWC Forecast Round 3a
Hard to believe we’re already into week 3! The games are getting tougher, attrition is starting to become more of a factor, and a couple wild upsets have us all second guessing our picks. We’re splitting up the week once again, with our midweek choices up now and the weekend …
Read More »Forward Thinking (Vol. 1, Iss. 16): 24 Team World Cup
As a fan of the global game I take greater pleasure out of watching the pool phase of Rugby World Cups than many people certainly do but now this appears to have changed, and for the better. So good have the group matches been that we have been treated to more …
Read More »Up and Under
The Up and Under is a weekly feature on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week. UP Argentina Possibly the best half of rugby of any team in the tournament thus far was that produced in the second …
Read More »Parfrey to replace injured Braid
Patrick Parfrey has been summoned to join up with Canada’s World Cup squad as an injury replacement. The versatile back, who has started tests at both flyhalf and inside centre, will take the spot of Connor Braid, who came off injured early in the narrow defeat to Italy on Saturday. …
Read More »Italy scrape by valiant Canada
Canada suffered a heartbreaking 23-18 defeat at the hands of Italy at Elland Road on Saturday. The North Americans played the more expansive rugby, but ultimately it was the power of the pack – and some questionable officiating – that saved the game for the Azzurri. The Canucks got off …
Read More »RWC Forecast Round 2b
Predictions take 2… b! The second part of this week’s predictions, this time covering the half-dozen games ahead on Saturday on Sunday. There are a couple doozies up ahead, so read below to hear from the pros! The midweek action went pretty much entirely as predicted, though once again Bryan’s dissension …
Read More »Quick ball the key for Canada
Whisper it softly, but Canada have an enormous opportunity on Saturday. Yes, against Italy – fully professional Six Nations participants, clear favorites by the bookies, haven’t lost to the Canucks since 2000. And yet, if there was ever a time for them to be beaten, it’s now. Much has been …
Read More »No Parisse for Italy against Canada
Italy will be without captain Sergio Parisse against Canada, with the world class no8 instead remaining in Paris as he recovers from a hematoma suffered against Wales two weeks before the tournament. Jacques Brunel has also had to replace influential centre Andrea Masi, out with a torn Achilles tendon, and …
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