Profile: Canada face tough road
With just two teams going through from each pool, there doesn’t appear to be a lot of hope for Canada. They have winnable games against Tonga and Japan but they are also face France and the mighty All Blacks.
It would take a first-class optimist to forecast the Canucks forcing their way through to the quarterfinals.
And yet, they have proved in the past – notably in 1991 when they did reach the last eight – that they are a tournament team which, if given the right game plan, can make life extremely awkward for the opposition, no matter how vaunted.
The Canadians have been ever-present at the World Cup but instead of building on their success of ’91 and 1995, when they gave South Africa and Australia a torrid time before eventually losing out, they began to slip backwards to such an extent that in 2007 they failed to win a game, a draw with Japan consigning them to bottom spot.
That heralded the arrival of former All Black fullback Kieron Crowley as coach. He has worked steadily on steering the ship forward, taking them to the final of the Churchill Cup in June, but still faces a difficult prospect.
“It is a huge challenge for Kieran Crowley because most of the players are based on the west coast of Canada, not really exposed to the highest level of competition,” explained former Canada captain Gareth Rees, who was part of the ’91 team that pushed France all the way in the group stages before losing a quarterfinal classic to New Zealand.
“But he epitomises the values we bring to rugby, a never-say-die spirit of unity, bodies on the line and honing our game to the resources at hand. It is slightly ironic that it has taken a New Zealander to restore those values to the Canadian game.
“On current form it would be a remarkable achievement if we were to get through.
“We like to think we are better than Japan but they have a fully integrated professional league with some real quality players in it. We don’t. So we have to be realistic. Tonga could go either way depending on how they are on the day.
“The core of this side beat France A in the Churchill Cup last year, mainly by picking horses up front, getting under their skin and playing with discipline. So there is hope but it is very different taking on the full French side in a World Cup. I don’t really see us troubling them and New Zealand,” he said.
Although the home-based players are given a decent amount of support, both in terms of finance and training, Canada only has a handful of fully professional players including the combustible lock Jamie Cudmore (Clermont), wing Matt Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons), No.8 Aaron Carpenter (Plymouth Albion) and fullback/wing James Pritchard (Bedford Blues).
“There is some experience in the side – Pat Riordan the hooker is a great captain – but some of the guys who have come into the side could really take it up a level,” says Rees.
“The flanker Chauncey O’Toole reminds me a lot of Gordy Mackinnon while (wing) Ciaran Hearn has the potential to be a game-breaker.
“If they play a game that suits them and keep their focus for the full 80, then it could be a World Cup to enjoy.”
Coach:
Kieran Crowley
One of the many New Zealanders to be coaching at the 2011 World Cup but only one of two to have actually won a World Cup – Japan’s John Kirwan is the other. Crowley played fullback in the All Blacks side that won the inaugural event in 1987, ending his career at the 1991 event. He coached Taranaki for a decade and was an All Black selector. Crowley knows what to look for in a player; Canada will be hoping he knows how to extract it in full.
Key player:
Jamie Cudmore – lock
Every team needs a talisman and over the years Canada has had its share, mainly big men among the forwards, fellows like Norm Hadley and Al Charron. Cudmore is up there with them, a man mountain who leads by inspiration and sheer hard work. Has only just returned to national colours following a lay-off since 2007 but if he remains fit and available – he has a habit of collecting suspensions – Canada will have not just a ball-winner who can dent opposition line-outs and a ball-carrier but a totem around which the others can gather.
AFP
