By Canadian Press

Canada wraps up Rugby World Cup preparations with final warmup against U.S.

Sep 6, 2019 | 2:57 PM

Canada wraps up its Rugby World Cup preparations against the U.S. on Saturday with coach Kingsley Jones fielding a strong side for the game at B.C. Place Stadium.

The Canadian starting 15 could well serve as a template for its campaign at the 20-team World Cup, which opens Sept. 20 in Japan, although competition remains fierce on one wing.

Jeff Hassler gets the nod Saturday over Taylor Paris on one wing with DTH van der Merwe, Canada’s all-time leading try-scorer with 38, on the other.

Jones said Saturday’s selection of Hassler over Paris was a “tight call.” 

Hassler missed out on Canada’s 38-35 loss to against Irish club side Leinster last month through illness. Jones said he wants to keep all his wings active.

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The 14th-ranked Americans have already beaten No. 21 Canada twice this year — 30-25 at the Americas Rugby Championship in March and 47-19 in the Pacific Nations Cup in July.

The Americans have been enjoying success in both the 15-man game and sevens, where they finished second this season on the World Series circuit.

“They’re doing something right,” said van der Merwe, who is headed to his fourth World Cup. “They’re a big physical side … I think it’s going to be a physical battle, it always is between Canada and the U.S.”

“It’s probably the one game I get real nervous for, just because of what’s at stake between Canada and the U.S.,” he added.

Saturday’s match could impact the North American rivals’ world rankings.

Canada will fall one place to No. 22 with a defeat — and two places to No. 23 if beaten by more than 15 points. That worst-case scenario would mean the Canadian men enter the World Cup as the lowest ranked team (Namibia currently occupies No. 23).

The U.S. will climb one place to No. 13 if they win and Italy (currently 13th) loses to No. 3 England. A loss would drop the Americans below Tonga (currently 15th) and the Eagles could fall to 16th with a Canadian win coupled with a Samoa victory over Australia.

Canada cannot catch No. 20 Russia, even with a lopsided win Saturday.

The U.S. is coming off a 2-1-0 campaign in the Pacific Nations Cup that also included a win over No. 16 Samoa (13-10) and loss (34-20) to No. 10 Japan.

Canada finished 0-3-0 at the Pacific Nations tournament, also losing to No. 9 Fiji (38-13) and No. 15 Tonga (33-23). 

The U.S. side has been bolstered by the return of prop Eric Fry and hooker Joe Taufete’e and replacements Olive Kilifi and Mike Te’o from injuries that kept them out of the Pacific Nations Cup.

The Canadians hold a 38-22-2 lead over the U.S. in the overall series. But Canada has not beaten the Americans since a 13-11 World Cup qualifying win in 2013 in Toronto. The Americans are undefeated in 11 meetings (10-0-1) since then.

The two teams tied 28-28 in another World Cup qualifying match in June 2017. The U.S. went on to win the second leg 52-16 to book its place in Japan.

After losing another qualifying series to No. 19 Uruguay, Canada became the last team to secure a World Cup berth when it won a four-team repechage last November in France.

American captain Blaine Scully will earn his 50th test cap Saturday, a milestone that only 10 other Eagles have reached.

U.S. coach Gary Gold, who will name his 31-man World Cup roster Sunday, is taking nothing for granted.

“Canada are a very well-coached team and have a number of experienced players within the squad who will be a serious threat to us if we don’t execute with precision,” he said. “We need to approach this game in the same way we will approach our pool in Japan in terms of our focus, our mindset and our ability to respond under pressure.”

The Americans have been drawn in Pool C at the World Cup alongside No. 3 England, No. 8 France, No. 11 Argentina and No. 15 Tonga.

Canada will play in Pool B with No. 1 New Zealand, No. 5 South Africa, No. 13 Italy and No. 23 Namibia.

Canada Roster 

Hubert Buydens, Saskatoon, New Orleans Gold (MLR); Eric Howard, Ottawa, New Orleans Gold (MLR); Matthew Tierney, Oakville, Ont., Castres Olympique (France); Evan Olmstead, Vancouver, unattached; Kyle Baillie, Summerside, P.E.I., New Orleans Gold (MLR); Justin Blanchet, Montreal, unattached; Lucas Rumball, Toronto, Toronto Arrows (MLR); Tyler Ardron (capt.), Lakefield, Ont., Chiefs (New Zealand); Gordon McRorie, Calgary, Calgary Hornets; Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland,  unattached; DTH van der Merwe, Regina, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland); Ciaran Hearn, Conception Bay South, N.L., unattached; Ben LeSage, Calgary, Calgary Canucks; Jeff Hassler, Okotoks, Alta., Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Patrick Parfrey, St. John’s, N.L., Toronto Arrows (MLR).

Replacements 

Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont,. Toronto Arrows (MLR); Djustice Sears-Duru, Oakville, Ont., Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Jake Ilnicki, Williams Lake, B.C.; Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Mike Sheppard, Brampton, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR); Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., Darlington Mowden Park (England); Jamie Mackenzie, Oakville, Ont., Toronto Arrows (MLR); Shane O’Leary, Cambellton, N.B., Nottingham Rugby (England); Nick Blevins, Calgary, Calgary Hornets.

U.S.

Eric Fry, Vannes (France); Joe Taufete’e, Worcester Warriors (England); Titi Lamositele, Saracens (England); Ben Landry, Ealing Trailfinders (England); Greg Peterson, Newcastle Falcons (England); Hanco Germishuys, Glendale Raptors (MLR);  John Quill, Rugby United New York (MLR); Cam Dolan, New Orleans Gold (MLR); Nate Augspurger, San Diego Legion (MLR); Will Magie, unattached; Martin Iosefo, U.S. Sevens; Paul Lasike, Harlequins (England); Marcel Brache,Western Force (Australia);  Blaine Scully (capt.), unattached; Will Hooley, Bedford Blues (England).

Replacements

Dylan Fawsitt, Rugby United New York (MLR); Olive Kilifi, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Paul Mullen, unattached; Nate Brakeley, Rugby United New York (MLR); Malon Al-Jiboori, unattached; Shaun Davies, Glendale Raptors (MLR); Bryce Campbell, London Irish (England); Mike Te’o, San Diego Legion (MLR).

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press