Same Errors Plague Eagles As They Fall To Canada

Canada celebrating James Pritchard's try.

It was a much better performance than last weekend in the Charleston but by and large it was much of the same for the U.S. as they lost to Canada 13-11 in the final of their two-leg World Cup qualifying series. Canada won the series 40-20 on aggregate. The U.S. needed to beat Canada by 18 points to have any chance to winning the series. Canada have now booked their place in pool D at the 2015 World Cup alongside France, Italy, Ireland, and the Europe 2 winner. The U.S. will now play Uruguay in a home and away series next spring for an opportunity to qualify as Americas 2.

Overall it was a disappointing performance for the Eagles. The team played good rugby at times in the loss and even had a chance to win the match at the end with a Chris Wyles penalty. But like the rest of the summer for the Eagles it was poor execution leading to yet another U.S. loss. Passes were not good enough, the defense was missing at times, and the skill level simply was not where it needed to be. The loss puts the Eagles at 0-7 on the summer and the team will have plenty of questions to be answered before next spring. They will have only the Americas Rugby Championship and three matches this November to get things sorted.

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Needing to overcome a big deficit the Eagles naturally came out with energy. Straight from the opening kick they were deep into Canadian territory and looked threatening. The ball moved quickly from the breakdown and the forwards were energetic. That pressure looked to pay off only a few minutes into the match but the U.S. was held up in the try zone. Still the Eagles kept coming and Chris Biller nearly had the U.S. first on the board after he dragged Ciaran Hearn into the try zone. However, referee JP Doyle, who was very consistent throughout the match, referred the play to the TMO who ruled that Hearn had gotten his hand under the ball. The U.S. was then penalized on the ensuring scrum allowing Canada to clear pressure.

The U.S. would continue to maintain pressure.  Even when Canada would kick to clear pressure the kick either wouldn't be good or the U.S. backs would make strong runs to keep the ball in Canadian territory. In particular Luke Hume, who was strong all game, made several threatening runs.

The U.S. break finally came near the 15th minute when Take Ngwenya touched down in the corner. Blaine Scully got the sequence started with a great steal near the halfway line and then a strong run from Hume but the U.S. in a good position. A couple of passes out to the wing and Ngwenya was in for the try. Credit to Ngwenya for fighting through a couple of tackles. Chris Wyles was unable to convert meaning the U.S. led 5-0.

But as they have done throughout the summer Canada countered. Less than five minutes after the U.S. try Andrew Suniula was penalized at the breakdown. That allowed James Pritchard to step up and hit the long attempt and pull Canada to within two at 3-5. Strangely, it would be Pritchard's most difficult kick of the match but the only one that looked solid.

With the momentum on their side Canada extended their lead a few minutes later. Using a rare solid lineout Canada was able to swing the ball out wide quickly to Hearn who broke through the U.S. defense. He then passed to Pritchard for the try. It was poor defense from the U.S. coupled with strong execution for Canada. The U.S. were caught flat footed out of the lineup. Pritchard then missed the conversion to leave the score at 8-5 with 24 minutes gone.

Canada would continue to attack through the rest of the half. DTH van der Merwe made a strong run that nearly set up Phil Mack but he was unable to handle the pass. Pritchard had another opportunity to add to Canada's lead in the 35th minute after the U.S. was penalized in the scrum, but his attempt from 35 meters went wide. Instead, it was the U.S. that would close the halftime out with a score. Canada was hit for offside right near the stroke of halftime. Wyles stepped up to hit the kick and put the halftime score at 8-8.

It was a much better half for the U.S., especially in the first ten minutes. However, the typical combination of poor execution and unforced errors cost the Eagles. The two held up tries would be pivotal as now the team still had to overcome the 18 point deficit but with half the time.

As the second half started the U.S. had the opportunity to take the lead after Canada was hit with another penalty, but Wyles missed yet again. Overall it wasn't a good day, or series for that matter, from the tee for Wyles. The U.S. then made a flurry of substitutions which seemed to help energize the squad. Titi Lamositele made his second appearance for the team and looked good during his time on the field. Folau Niua also came on and proved once again he can move the U.S. offense.

Canada were able to absorb any pressure the U.S. put on them and were eventually able to go back on offense. Some strong movement from Canada, including a great line break, put them down close to the line. After a few clean passes prop Jason Marshall crashed over for the try. Referee Doyle again went to the TMO but this time the try was upheld. Pritchard once again missed the conversion but Canada took a 13-8 lead with only twenty minutes left.

Needing a miracle the U.S. kept pushing. At one point the team had worked the ball close to the tryline but an unforced error allowed Canada to clear. Still, the pressure did eventually lead to points. Canada were hit with infringing at the breakdown again leading to Nanyak Dala being sacrificed to the bin. Wyles then stepped up to hit the kick putting the U.S. down only two. But that was all they would get. Canada did a great job of slowing down the game, limiting the American opportunities. That said, the U.S. did have a chance to win the match at the end but Wyles's kick was no good giving Canada the 11-13 victory.

As was mentioned, the U.S. played well at times. On set pieces the U.S. was better than Canada. The lineout looked good as did the scrum in comparison to times past. At points the U.S. team also moved the ball better. The forwards were more active than previously and the backs were more involved than they have been since last November. The move to put Scully back at fullback and put Wyles at center seemed to work out. Scully was one of the Eagles better players on the day and made several positive plays. Wyles looked uncomfortable at the position but its something he could adjust to with times.

But overall it wasn't good enough. Handling was an issue for the team once again. Too often players would spill the ball at inopportune times, especially near the tryline. The timidness near the tryline is a major problem for the team and something that will need to be addressed going forward. Play was too slow at times as well. It's clear at this point that Toby L'Estrange is not the fly-half for the Eagles. Niua was much more active when he was given a chance at the position. Missed kicks were another problem. Too many points were left on the board. Defensively the U.S. also showed too many weak spots. Pritchard's try should have never happened as the U.S. defense fell asleep on the play.

Canada simply showed more energy, skill, and savvy when given their opportunities. Credit to Kieran Crowley and the rest of the Rugby Canada staff for putting together a game plan that works and that the players buy into.

There are going to be plenty of questions that will need to be answered for the Eagles going forward. Who is going to play fly-half? How does the team generate more offense? Who will take kicks? Not to mention that several players could have played their last match for the Eagles. Will the U.S. go younger? It's certainly a question that will have to be asked and answered before the U.S. plays Uruguay in the spring.

U.S.

Tries: Ngwenya
Penalties: Wyles (2)

Canada

Tries: Pritchard, Marshall
Penalties: Pritchard