Scots triumph over Canada
Sun, 08 Jun 2008 11:30
A three-try day from Scotland A fullback Steven Jones was the difference as the visitors beat Canada 24-10 on a hot day at Ottawa's Twin Elm Rugby Park in the opening round of the of the Churchill Cup on Saturday.
The Scottish lead was only 5-3 at half-time, but Jones would cross two times in the second half to see his side pull away, but never dominate the young Canadian team.
Calum MacRae scored under the posts late in the game to put an emphatic stamp on Scotland A's afternoon.
Justin Mensah-Coker scored Canada's only try of the game, the result of an excellent chip and chase and then a long pass out to the Albi wing, who saw it bounce once, before gathering it in and legging it under the posts. The plucky Canadians poured it on at the end trying to get another try before full-time. Luke Cudmore made an excellent break of thirty metres before the support pass was knocked on.
Canada held a 3-0 lead from a James Pritchard penalty from the sixth minute to the 38th - when Scotland fullback Steven Jones scored.
Ander Monro had a chance to get Canada in the lead but hooked his eighteen-meter effort to the right.
Canada had another apparent try denied when Mike Pyke did a quick throw in on the Scotland five metre line, hitting an unmarked Ed Fairhurst who touched down. Referee Rob Debney said no, and called it back for a lineout.
Canada repelled a final Scottish attack that had gone static, but a turnover late in the half saw a scorching run by Rob Dewey apparently score, but the television match official said no after a nearly three minute assessment of the play.
Scotland A coach Rob Moffatt, who is also on his first tour with the A squad, was pleased with the win, but felt like they could be in a bit of bother with only a two point cushion between them and Canada.
"You never know and we were obviously disappointed that the try was disallowed, though I didn't think it was the wrong call - just disappointed that we didn't score the try in that situation," Moffatt said.
"I thought we played a lot better in the second half. The first twenty minutes of the second half were played far quicker and far more accurate."
Moffatt's counterpart Kieran Crowley, was stoic in defeat, refusing to point fingers, but also being realistic in what can be done with a team in just four training sessions.
"The last five minutes of the first half was just starting to show a little bit the fatigue and playing at that pace and that level," said Crowley.
While a quick start in the second half by Scotland A put Canada off the boil, late in the second half there were signs of life as replacements revitalised the Canadian attack, netting Mensah-Coker's score and Canada nearly got another.
"You've got to get up to speed on that game don't you," offered Crowley, "We ran ourselves out a little bit early on with some of that ball.
"There was some good things later in the game where we got some runs off the ball it created a few holes. You can't afford to go through the motions out there and you need to work on the ball and off the ball."
Crowley was glowing with praise for first time Canadian selection Andrew Wilson, who had a number of big tackles and pinched balls at the break down that had the crowd cheering his mad rushes into the Scottish line.
"He had a good game. It was his first one in a Canadian jersey and I thought he did well," said Crowley, who now turns around and prepares for Argentina on June 14 in Toronto.
Justin Mensah-Coker says the basic game plan of moving the ball out wide and using some of the Canadian pace is a sound one, but basic errors negated the potency of the attack.
"We definitely worked on it this week in terms of moving it out wide and opening things up a bit," said the professional player, who plies his trade at French side Albi. "I think our hands let us down a bit, but those are small things that we can work on."
Jones scored two long tries from moves down the wing, to cement his impressive performance.
"He was quite good today [Saturday], I was happy for him," said Moffatt, who added: "People aren't sure what position he should play, fly-half or fullback, but I think that performance showed what he is capable of."
The hometown hero on the afternoon, Perth, Ontario's Stu Ault, who has played extensively for the Barrhaven Scottish over the past few seasons, had a large retinue on hand to support his every move, but it was move he didn't make, that of ducking a Scottish elbow, that nearly ended his day early.
Rushed off with blood streaming from a gash above and below his right eye, he only needed eight minutes of stitch work before he went back on to the pitch.
"It was great playing in front of family and friends, but it is still a disappointing result.
"I was pretty sure my day wasn't over," he said with a smile, the swelling around his right eye and the silk stitches giving testimony to the pain the injury must have inflicted. "It's all good, I am glad I could get back in there."
The scorers:
For Scotland A:
Tries: Jones 3, MacRae
Cons: Ross 3
For Canada:
Try: Mensah-Coker
Con: Pritchard
Pen: Pritchard
Teams:
Scotland A: 15 Calum MacRae, 14 Mark Robertson, 13 Steve Jones, 12 Rob Dewey, 11 Roland Reid, 10 Gordon Ross, 9 Mark McMillan, 8 Stevie Swindall, 7 Alan MacDonald, 6 Scott Newlands, 5 Dan Turner, 4 James Eddie, 3 Ed Kalman, 2 Fergus Thomson (captain), 1 Stuart Corsar.
Replacements: 16 David Young, 17 Andrew Kelly, 18 Fergus Pringle, 19 Andy Miller, 20 Colin Gregor, 21 David Blair, 22 Andrew Turnbull.
Canada:
15 James Pritchard, 14 Dean Van Camp, 13 Mike Pyke, 12 David Spicer, 11 Justin Mensah-Coker, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Ed Fairhurst (captain), 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Andrew Wilson, 6 Adam Kleeberger, 5 Oliver Atkinson, 4 Stu Ault, 3 Scott Franklin, 2 Pat Riordan, 1 Kevin Tkachuk,
Replacements: 16 Mike Pletch, 17 Doug Wooldridge, 18 Ben Johnson, 19 Luke Cudmore, 20 Nanyak Dala, 21 Pat Fleck, 22 Ryan Smith
Referee: Rob Debney (England)
