Canucks face Chile in bid for RWC 2023

BRENDAN GALLAGHER

CANADIAN rugby is invariably a roller coaster and never more so than during the week of their back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against the old enemy USA.

Going into the first leg at St John’s Newfoundland the Canucks were huge underdogs. They had got their backsides kicked during the summer Tests against Wales and England and on top of that were already resigned to playing without four of their best, French based, players.

But from somewhere they fashioned a famous win over the Eagles. After a relatively even first half the Canadians went into overdrive with 24 unanswered points after the break and were leading 34-14 when they leaked a later try and ended up 34-21 winners. A useful lead … but a clear 20 point advantage would have felt so much better.

Seven days later it was so different at Infinity Park Colorado. With flanker Hanco Germishuys scoring a barnstorming try and Sale fly-half AJ McGinty back to starting duties, the Eagles were a much stronger proposition and scored six tries to win 38-16 and progress 59-50 overall and if you’re looking for a chance to win you can visit usplayercheck.com.

All of which means the Eagles must now tackle Uruguay in a double header to determine who qualifies as Americas 1, with Argentina of course already pre-qualified.

This feels like another nip and tuck affair. The first leg is at Infinity Park on October 2 with the return match in Montevideo a week later.

The winner will go straight through to Pool A in France, which although headlined by New Zealand and France presents more competitive games against Italy and Africa 1.

Canada, meanwhile, face a double header against Chile who were unlucky to lose to Uruguay in the previous qualifying games. The winners of this will claim the America 2 slot where Pool D awaits and games against England, Japan, Argentina and Samoa.

Should the Eagles lose to Uruguay they will play the loser of the Canada/Chile contest to decide who represents the Americas in the final qualification tournament. The Eagles and Canaucks might yet have to ‘go again’.