Canada’s quest for a victory within the 2024 Asahi Pacific Nations Cup got here up simply brief as they fell 32 – 17 to Tonga in an end-to-end contest on the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
Regardless of dominating at set piece time and holding the benefit in each territory and possession, Les Rouge couldn’t include the explosive attacking prowess of the Tongans.
Working their means again into the competition when centre Takoda McMullen raced away for a strive within the 66th minute to convey the scores again to inside a rating at 22 – 17, Canada seemed poised to tug off the upset.
Nevertheless, a penalty and a late strive sealed the deal for Ikale Tahi, who completed the PNC in fifth place.
Right here is how the Canadian gamers fared in Tokyo.
1. Calixto Martinez – 4
Departing on the half-hour mark, the loosehead will likely be disillusioned to have been compelled off when he was having a robust exhibiting.
2. Andrew Quattrin – 7.5
Continued his distinctive work at set piece time and was rewarded together with his staff’s first strive as he picked up on the base of the ruck following a strong surge from skipper Lucas Rumball. As soon as once more, it was a no-nonsense, excessive output exhibiting from the hooker.
3. Conor Younger – 7
Received the higher of his reverse quantity at scrum time to earn his staff a couple of key penalties, which stored them within the combat heading into the break. Hustling exhausting, the tighthead’s work charge was by the roof with an early second-half cost down, piling the stress on Tonga.
4. Kaden Duguid – 6.5
Industrious and prepared to chase each attainable alternative, the lock was a continuing presence. On the breakdown, he was routinely within the scrumhalf’s face, affecting the Tongan’s skill to field kick cleanly, while in open play, his work charge was stable with 9 tackles.
5. Mason Flesch – 6.5
Shifting from the backrow for this contest, Flesch continued as his staff’s chief line-out banker with 13 takes, together with a few distinctive steals. Though his shift in place noticed a decline in his carrying sport however defensively, he had an excellent outing with 10 tackles and a stable work charge across the ruck.
6. Matt Oworu – 6
Trying extra assured by the week, Oworu put in some large hits, most notably contained in the opening minute of the primary half, the place he smashed Tongan powerhouse Lotu Inisi. Ending his account with six tackles, two of which have been dominant, the previous sevens stand out and introduced an additional layer as an explosive component to the Canadian pack.
7. Ethan Fryer – 5
Utilising his athleticism at line-out time, the rangy backrow acquired up shortly to disrupt the Tongan throws as his staff dominated the set piece. Across the park his work charge was distinctive as he flashed with a couple of incisive runs and large hits that swung momentum in his staff’s favour.
Sadly his day got here to an finish ten minutes early with a yellow card which stunted what seemed to be a promising comeback.
8. Lucas Rumball – 7.5
Placing his staff on his again as soon as once more, the skipper had a very robust all-round exhibiting this week. Organising his staff’s first strive with a strong surge that got here up inches brief, Rumball was his facet’s go-to operator after they wanted entrance foot ball. Defensively, his work charge across the breakdown was top-notch as
9. Jason Higgins – 7.5
Canada’s heartbeat, the scrumhalf, dictates his staff’s tempo as their Le petit Basic. Pushing the tempo, Higgins acquired his staff rolling ahead and had them in a number of robust attacking positions, which, sadly, they couldn’t capitalise on. Hallmarking his sport with some distinctive sniping runs, Higgins uncovered the Tongan breakdown defence as he lower free on a couple of events.
Defensively Higgins continued his position as a sweeper behind the Canadian entrance line defence and put in a couple of good tackles considered one of which left him with what seemed to be a nasty stringer late within the contest.
10. Peter Nelson – 6
Bringing extra of a working component that had probably not been an indicator of his marketing campaign so far, Total the flyhalf had a stable outing throughout the board. His kicking sport was pinpoint and pressurised the Tongan again three forcing a couple of errors that acquired his staff into robust positions.
11. Josiah Morra – 5.5
Extremely thrilling in assault, the sevens specialist ran some very good strains, particularly from a line-out set play late within the first half and whereas gathering a cross-field kick within the second half. His willingness to roam across the park noticed him get his arms on the ball in a number of harmful positions.
Defensively nevertheless his positioning was discovered wanting at occasions though he wasn’t alone on this space with Tonga exposing the Canadian fringe defence on a handful of events.
12. Ben LeSage – 5
Shifting one spot in to accommodate Takoda McMullen’s elevation to the beginning position, the skilled centre led the defensive position nicely with 11 tackles. Offensively, he was a prepared service into heavy visitors as his staff regularly hammered away on the Tongan defence, solely to be undone by dealing with errors.
13. Takoda McMullen – 7
The British Columbia College skipper had a efficiency that displayed his immense potential and inexperience within the check enviornment. Defensively, his work charge was very good, albeit he slipped a couple of tackles, which put his outdoors backs underneath some stress. Offensively, his strive was a second of particular person brilliance as he recognized a niche within the in any other case resolute Tongan defence. One second he wished again got here minutes earlier than his strive when he kicked the ball lifeless when his staff had the numbers benefit, and a easy cross would’ve sufficed. Throughout the board, it was a stable exhibiting for a gifted participant early in his check profession.
14. Andrew Coe – 7
As soon as once more, his staff’s most harmful counter-attacking choice, the Rugby Los Angeles star, simply fizzes with vitality each time he will get the ball. His work charge underneath the excessive ball was top-notch, albeit defensively, he was caught out on a couple of events all through the primary half.
15. Cooper Coats – 4
Topping the meters carried for his staff, Coats had some flashy moments in addition to a couple of lapses in what was a combined efficiency at fullback. Unafraid to tackle the Tongan defence, Coats probed the Tongan defence however at occasions discovered himself remoted while defensively he was discovered wanting positionally.
Replacements
16. Dewald Kotze – 4
Took over from the extremely spectacular Quattrin and was instantly on defensive responsibility however couldn’t halt the facility of the Tongan maul and fell foul to a late scrum penalty.
17. Cole Keith – 6.5
Taking part in the majority of the competition following Matinez’s damage, Keith had a very robust scrummaging efficiency in opposition to the world class Ben Tameifuna. This power carried over to the maul the place Keith typically led the drive and restricted the Tongan’s from getting by the maul.
18. Tyler Matchem – 4
Got here on for Conor Younger with twenty minutes to play however couldn’t fairly convey the influence that he would’ve hoped.
19. Callum Botchar – 4
He entered the fray with ten minutes to play however couldn’t wrestle again the momentum for his staff as Tonga surged to the end line.
20. Sion Parry – 6.5
Introduced renewed enthusiasm to the Canadian pack within the closing twenty minutes with a couple of large tackles and stable runs.
21. Brock Gallagher – N/A
Got here on with 5 minutes to play and didn’t have a noticeable influence.
22. Mark Balaski – N/A
Much like Gallagher didn’t have sufficient time to make an influence.
23. Talon McMullen – 7
He got here on with twenty minutes to go to line up alongside his twin brother within the centres. Bringing bundles of physicality, the youthful twin ran the exhausting strains that acquired his staff over the gainline and on the entrance foot. Coming inside a break up second of slipping an offload that will’ve put his brother into open area within the 71st minute,
