RWC 2011 - Pool A - NZ, Tonga, France, Japan, Canada

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Someone should sign Adam Kleeberger. I can't believe he still plays domestically in Canada.

He is fantastic.

He also may have the greatest beard in international rugby.

Agreed. Someone should tell him not to push passes straight after a turnover. There was a couple of hasty decisions he made that is the difference between being a pro or not. He should consider trying to do a season in oz at least if no offers come to play in Sydney for his west coast off season.

 

[Nelse]

Richie McCaw is out of the Japan game with a 'minor calf strain' according to Fox Sports News.

Along with Muliaina and Dagg. Fantasy team ruined...

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Agreed. Someone should tell him not to push passes straight after a turnover. There was a couple of hasty decisions he made that is the difference between being a pro or not. He should consider trying to do a season in oz at least if no offers come to play in Sydney for his west coast off season.

He played for Auckland last year (ITM not Super 15) as an injury replacement. he didn't get much game time though. shortly after he injured his shoulder and was out for ages. he is a great player and very hard working. I believe he lacks a euro passport - which is why he can't get a gig over there.
Its very tough for good canadians and americans without passports to play pro anywhere. very dissapointing the european leagues allow islanders (and i think even argentinians) to play rugby without european passports, but no love for north americans.

DTH's ability to break tackles was outstanding. same with aaron carpenter (number 8) number 20 (conor trainor) who came on in the 2nd half and set up carpenter's try is one to watch. he is still quite young and i'd think he'll be slipping into the squad for the next match. I didn't see our 12 (smith) touch much of the ball aside from that opening try.

The structure of our forward back in the 2nd half in particular was very impressive. the defensive pattern we had going in the backs was a bit worrying, but it seemed to sort itself out in the second half and I loved how we started cutting them up out wide.

No idea what eddy (9) was doing with that kick near the death. I actually thought he had a bit of an off game.
he is a very classy player though and I'm sure he'll step it up for sunday.

Great game to watch overall and I was really impressed with how our front row held up, we brought mike cron in for a scrum clinic a few months ago and I think it has really helped!

Bring on les bleus......looks like they've named a handy backline

 

[Braveheart81]

Did you see the little interplay between DTH van der Merwe and Phil McKenzie after McKenzie scored the winning try?

Were they making some sort of heart symbol between them?

Seems they might share more than just a peroxide bottle.

 

[tigerland12]

Seems they might share more than just a peroxide bottle.

I was seeing double.......FOUR van der Merwe's!

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

The man can break a tackle.

we relied too much on him to get across the gain line however, and will need to remedy that for the french contest.

 

[Jets]

I am sure Kleeberger spent a little bit of time in Scotland as an injury replacement to at some stage. I think a Japanese team could do worse than pick him up. He deserves to make a bit of coin off the back of that display.

Also the issue with Islanders and Argies in France is that their countries have Free Trade Agreements with the EU so their players are considered locals. The Americans and Canadians don't have these arrangements so they have to obtain visa's which can be a pain.

 

[tigerland12]

I thought Carpenter was better then Kleeberger

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

that is very annoying!

the main stumbling block to an agreement is reportedly our clubbing of seals.

 

[Braveheart81]

Canada needs more club rugby players, less clubbed seals.

 

[waratahjesus]

I thought Carpenter was better then Kleeberger

Carpenter had slot more runs with ball in hand, but I think Kleeburger defended like a demon and had much greater impact due to it

 

[Lee Grant]

Canada needs more club rugby players, less clubbed seals.

Very droll Braveheart. :lmao:

 

[exISA]

Don't understand why many are calling canada's result yesterday an upset - they have beaten Tonga the last few times they have played! Also Tim Horan incorrectly reported in todays courier mail that it was Canada's first world cup victory - they made the quarters in 1991!, they also beat Namibia by heaps in 1999....

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I thought the bookiees paying $3 for a canada win was a bit much...thankfully i threw a few canuck bucks on them.

 

[exISA]

I thought the bookiees paying $3 for a canada win was a bit much...thankfully i threw a few canuck bucks on them.

Mate I made a motza on the game! After seeing them play the Aus Barbarians I thought they were great. Specially DTH. I mean it was not a shoe in , it was a close game, but just really surprises me someone of Horan's ilk is reporting their "first world cup victory" .. when they made the quarters in 1991 - the same tournament he played at!

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I'd expect a rookie mistake like that from Burke, not Horan though.

So my understanding now is that it was sopping wet against italy and cooper held up well. good to know!

 

[tblackadder]

that first canadian try against tonga is the try of the tournament so far....just for sheer persistence, absence of structure and light comic relief when they almost bombed it 3 times in the movement..........

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

He played for Auckland last year (ITM not Super 15) as an injury replacement. he didn't get much game time though. shortly after he injured his shoulder and was out for ages. he is a great player and very hard working. I believe he lacks a euro passport - which is why he can't get a gig over there.
Its very tough for good canadians and americans without passports to play pro anywhere. very dissapointing the european leagues allow islanders (and i think even argentinians) to play rugby without european passports, but no love for north americans.

DTH's ability to break tackles was outstanding. same with aaron carpenter (number 8) number 20 (conor trainor) who came on in the 2nd half and set up carpenter's try is one to watch. he is still quite young and i'd think he'll be slipping into the squad for the next match. I didn't see our 12 (smith) touch much of the ball aside from that opening try.

The structure of our forward back in the 2nd half in particular was very impressive. the defensive pattern we had going in the backs was a bit worrying, but it seemed to sort itself out in the second half and I loved how we started cutting them up out wide.

No idea what eddy (9) was doing with that kick near the death. I actually thought he had a bit of an off game.
he is a very classy player though and I'm sure he'll step it up for sunday.

Great game to watch overall and I was really impressed with how our front row held up, we brought mike cron in for a scrum clinic a few months ago and I think it has really helped!

Bring on les bleus......looks like they've named a handy backline

Oh there you go, i'm sure that he learned a few things even without game time.

It's a shame that they require passports. I guess it's kind of the same for Australian players also. Whilst we have the avenues to acheive a professional level there may not be enough positions.

Your blokes need to be in the 6 Nations. It's such a shame that the Eastern part of Canada is frozen in February. Man that would work well for tv in terms of time zones etc.

 

[Jnor]

I am sure Kleeberger spent a little bit of time in Scotland as an injury replacement to at some stage. I think a Japanese team could do worse than pick him up. He deserves to make a bit of coin off the back of that display.

Also the issue with Islanders and Argies in France is that their countries have Free Trade Agreements with the EU so their players are considered locals. The Americans and Canadians don't have these arrangements so they have to obtain visa's which can be a pain.

Those agreements must be pretty comprehensive. Not too many FTAs get citizens of each country being able to work without visas - I thought Schengen was pretty much the only one.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

What Canada needs is a benefactor to build an indoor stadium in the eastern part of the country to compete in either the 6 nations to be in line with whats going on in Europe.

The other thing that might work is getting these kids while they are young getting them educated in University as this is vital in North America. The french speakers could go to Uni in France, English anywhere else they choose. Get them qualified as residents and continue playing good level rugby if they are not passport holders.

I understand that the better competition is in BC and is played in line with the Northern Hemisphere winter. But i think that given 66% of the population lives in the east of Canada they need to look at getting more players involved at a higher level there. It might not be the best approach Rugby wise domestically but there has to be some solution.