Canucks make winning start

Canucks make winning start

14 Sep 2011

Canada scored two tries in the final quarter to beat Tonga 25-20 in their Pool A match in Whangarei.

Tonga appeared to be in control of the game when outside centre Siale Piutau scored his second try early in the second half. Fullback Kurt Morath slotted the conversion and then added a penalty to give his side a 20-13 lead.

But the Canadians finished strongly and struck two crucial blows.

First, Tonga conceded a turnover, replacement centre Conor Trainor bounced off two tackles, and No 8 Aaron Carpenter was unstoppable from close range.

Five minutes later, Canada kicked a penalty into the left corner and won the lineout. Flyhalf Ander Munro got to within a metre of the tryline and with no Tongans defending the fringes, left wing Phil Mackenzie was able to pick up and score the match-winning try.

Canada have now won all three of their World Cup matches against Tonga, having also emerged victorious in 1987 and 2003.

The Tongans will wonder how they managed to lose this one, having had 54% of the possession and 58% of the territory.

Playing into the wind in the first half, the Tongans opted to keep the ball in hand and spread it wide as if it was a game of sevens. A combination of long skip passes and Canada’s tendency to rush up too quickly on defence, created space for the Tongans out wide, with right wing Fetu’u Vainikolo looking particularly dangerous.

However, despite having most of the ball the Tongans found themselves 10-0 down after 25 minutes. Canada’s try was sparked inside their half, with SA-born outside centre DTH van der Merwe making the crucial linebreak, before offloading to fellow midfielder Ryan Smith, who put lock Jebb Sinclair away. Fullback James Pritchard kicked the conversion and then added a penalty to give his side a handy lead.

In contrast, Morath missed his first two penalty attempts at goal, and when the islanders were awarded another kickable penalty, they booted it into touch. Nineteen phases later, and after some aggressive Canadian defence around the fringes, the ball went wide and outside centre Siale Piutau scored the converted try that gave his side a big boost heading into the break.

Ultimately, though, seven points with the wind behind their backs just wasn’t enough.

By Simon Borchardt

Follow Simon on Twitter


41 Comments

  • 1.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:01 am

    I have a $50 on Tonga taking this one between 1-12 pts @$2.68-1… however we could also see an upset here if they can get a decent start…

  • 2.WOLFMAN21: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:18 am

    That DTH van der Merwe is a very useful player.

  • 3.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:38 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-1:

    Not looking good…

  • 4.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:43 am

    My guess is your money is still safe, Bryce.

    Tonga looking by far the better team, but am loving Canadian spirit here. Great atmosphere too.

  • 5.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:44 am

    Heh heh, and now they score….

  • 6.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:46 am

    Go Canada!

  • 7.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 07:48 am

    Excellent multi-phase play… excellent defending too…

    Hard to believe these teams are the 12th and 14th team ranked teams in the world…

    @Black Panther(Black Panther)-4:

    Home advantage and the Tongans earning me a good bet against the AB’s (keeoing the AB’s under 55pts… silly odds by NZ bookies) tipped me in their favour here…

    Canada looked very good against the US recently though…

    Will depend on which side is fitter…

  • 8.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:07 am

    IMHO, Canada better team for last 20mins, since I started watching and that time was 7-0 already.

  • 9.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:09 am

    @Nils(Nils)-8:

    Agreed… VD Merwe looking awesome…

    Tongan backs lack the pace of their SH brethren…

  • 10.Staal: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:11 am

    ref is having a shocker…. :lol:

  • 11.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:11 am

    Thank you Kaplan. Instead Tongan sent to the sinbin for tripping it’s Tonga ahead.

  • 12.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:16 am

    Heineken 0 Tonga 1. :D

  • 13.Staal: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:18 am

    @Nils(Nils)-12: :lol:

  • 14.kraven14: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:26 am

    Thank-you Jonathan Kaplan!!! You have just proven that you are at least up to northern hemi standards! What shocking reffing!!!!

  • 15.Staal: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:26 am

    Sitterende try!

  • 16.Staal: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:26 am

    Skitterende try! sorry spelling.

  • 17.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:26 am

    Frenetic stuff…

    C’mon Tonga keep this under 12 pts!

  • 18.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:26 am

    Good try Canada, keep on pressure!!

  • 19.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:30 am

    Better Canada go to the lineout than try to kick penalty into the breeze.

  • 20.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:32 am

    Try Canada!!!!!! :D

  • 21.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:32 am

    What a game… Canada’s superior fitness always going to come back into this if they backed themselves…

  • 22.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:33 am

    Since I am watching from middle of 1st half – apart from about 10mins in 2nd half when Tonga got their 10 points – Canada are better team clearly.

  • 23.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:37 am

    Kleeberger – BoM (beard of the match).

  • 24.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:38 am

    Nooooo Tonga!! Disappointing!

  • 25.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:39 am

    @Nils(Nils)-23: lol

  • 26.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:40 am

    Now Canada should use Boks tactics in the last 5mins. Eat up time and boot it out.

  • 27.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:41 am

    Awesome game… what composure by Canada… extremely rounded side…

  • 28.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:43 am

    Congratulations, Canada, clearly better team won and my 100% record stays intact.

    Well, because I did not put any money. Thank me, Canada, for that.

    Hard luck, Bryce.

  • 29.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:44 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-27: Yes, very exciting game. I slept just 3 hours, got up and thought that I will just watch for a few minutes and go back to bed – never did and now have to go to work. :D

  • 30.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:46 am

    @Nils(Nils)-28:

    Game of the round IMO… bitter-sweet for neutral supporters…

  • 31.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:46 am

    Now GO GEORGIA (I do not mind ******** my superbru at all there).

  • 32.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:47 am

    @Nils(Nils)-29:

    Ouch… well it’s Rugby World Cup time… so hit the caffeine… have a good day mate…

  • 33.conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend...: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:47 am

    ffuck yeah!
    great result for the little guys.

  • 34.BlueBlood: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:49 am

    And there goes my Superbru….

  • 35.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:51 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-32: It certainly is – nothing else can make me wake up at 4 after couple of hours sleep. The one and only Rugby World Cup.

  • 36.Nils: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:52 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-32: Have you, too, a very good evening and better luck next time!

  • 37.BreakdownBoy: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 08:55 am

    Nice one Canuks! My second team after SA, great country!

  • 38.Bouts: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 09:02 am

    Glad Canada finally came through. They’ve been playing good rugby for so long, but just couldn’t make a good step up. Let’s hope (for them) they go one better… and beat the All Blacks!

  • 39.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 09:23 am

    Great result for neutrals. Rugby is getting more competitive in the 3rd and 4th tiers, watch Georgia give Scotland a go now.

  • 40.Brads: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 09:34 am

    @Bouts(Bouts)-38:
    Troll

  • 41.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    14 Sep 2011, 09:56 am

    meh heh heh heh heh heh

    ~GULP~

    *burp*

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