Wal v Can: Canadian player ratings
Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:53
Wales managed a comprehensive 34-13 over Canada in the international at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Friday, but it was not the kind of performance that would inspire confidence ahead of the visits by New Zealand and Australia later this month.
Paul Dobson rates the Canadian players.
15 James Pritchard:
Kicked well at goal and out of hand and saved his side when he tackled Mark Jones.
7/10
14 Ciaran Hearn:
One good bit of play when the ball was kicked high to him, one poor bit of play when the ball was kicked high to him, and largely out of action otherwise.
5/10
13 Bryn Keys:
Tackled and little else.
5/10
12 Ryan Smith:
Lively and got that intercept try, running 50 metres to score.
6/10
11 Justin Mensah-Coker:
His defence was poor, his handling uncertain and his attacking nonexistent.
2/10
10 Ander Monro:
He is clearly a player with ability and vision but had so little to play with.
6/10
9 Ed Fairhurst:
Lively, competitive, bright, skilled and adventurous. He varied play well.
8/10
8 Aaron Carpenter:
He had one good charge.
4/10
7 Adam Kleeberger:
Small and hyperactive, he is as brave as a rugby player can be. He ran and tackle to good effect.
7/10
6 Jebb Sinclair:
It was a hard day for his type of loose forward with his tight forwards in increasing trouble.
4/10
5 Josh Jackson:
His line-out work was excellent and he was lively about the field but kicked a great ball dead when Canada had a rare chance to score.
6/10
4 Tyler Hotson:
Not an obvious player.
3/10
3 Jon Thiel:
The scrums were better when he was on - but that was only relative to execrable when he was off.
3/10
2 Pat Riordan:
Good in the loose, poor in the scrum.
2/10
1 Kevin Tkachuk:
Another buckled scrummager
2/10
Replacements:
16 Mike Pletch
The most buckled scrummager of them all
1/10
20 Morgan Williams
Played when Fairhurst was off and showed that he had lost none of his enthusiasm and skill.
7/10
Replacements came on for the worst part of the Canadian game when they were well under the cosh, suffering seven five-metre scrums and two penalty tries amongst other things, but to their credit they kept playing. Frank Walsh, Mike Burak, Sean Michael Stephen, Matt Evans and Dean van Camp.
