Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Canada make it two from two against the USA Eagles

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Canada make it two from two against the USA Eagles

Canada beat the USA Eagles for the second week in succession as they came away from Infinity Park in Colorado with an impressive 27-7 victory on Saturday.

We're getting closer to rugby world cup kick off time, so while there's lots of frantic dev work and planning going on behind the scenes with RD, we're also aiming to keep you updated on what's going on around the world of rugby.

A few of the weekend's matches were covered yesterday, but there's still some not touched on, with this being one of them, as rivals Canada and the USA met in Colorado for the second of their warm-up matches. Canada won the first game 28-22 in Toronto.

Canada had a few men sent from the field temporarily in the first half, but remained on top having scored some nice tries and ultimately, they took advantage of the US errors. The home side came close following a brilliant break from Biarritz's Zee Ngwenya, but they were held up over the line as Louis Stanfill ran it in.

"Obviously we're very disappointed with the result. It was frustrating as we played a lot of good rugby, we dominated field position and possession, but once again like last week we let in three tries from long range turnovers," said Eagles coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

"We got punished harshly, as a lot of times when we turned the ball over we had Canada in trouble. So those were big plays that went against us. Our continuity is good, we're playing through a lot of phases. But we're not being clinical enough, turning over the ball at crucial times. It's something we need to fix before we get to New Zealand," he added.

The USA next face Japan in Tokyo, while Canada will travel to Australia.

Time: 10:13
Credit: Thanks once again to bcrugbynews.com for the extended highlights

Nice to see everyone get shown, and I'm sure Canada are over the moon after beating their neighbours, but could we please please get highlights of the France Irland game that took place over the week-end?

By I hate ppl who write "First!", at August 17, 2011 3:17 pm
Cripple fight! Neither will win a game at the RWC. You heard it here first.

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 3:21 pm
Superb try saving tackle from the Canada 15

By Michael, at August 17, 2011 3:29 pm
These guys are looking good. future looks good too if they can keep/improve on that solid infrasture in USA/Canada, thats the key. player numbers, admin etc etc

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 3:32 pm
Canada show some nice skills here, world class try saver by the full back there.
Maybe they won't win a game, but entertaining to watch anyway.

"You heard it here first"....I think Canada could beat Japan and/or Tonga and the US are more than up to the task of beating Russia and their non-existant pack...maybe we've heard it here first because no-one else is saying it?

By I hate ppl who write "First!", at August 17, 2011 3:33 pm
Please also put up the highlights of a very intriguing Japan vs Italy match

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 3:37 pm
Cudmore having discipline issues! Now that's new...

I think both teams will hold their own come the World Cup, they have some quality players, like van der Merwe, Pritchard, Cudmore (although he's a bullish thug) for Canada and Ngwenya, Clever an Usasz for the USA.

23 days to the big day lads,can't wait!

By Juggernauter, at August 17, 2011 3:50 pm
I don't agree with the TMO on that try, but that Canada #7 may have required a 2nd yellow for that elbow... if he didn't already have a yellow against him, he might have gotten one there.

The more rugby that is shown in Canada (and the USA) the better!!!

By Chris, at August 17, 2011 3:51 pm
Better quality highlights here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Bn3EIC5vw

By Joel Witwer, at August 17, 2011 4:20 pm
"Cripple fight! Neither will win a game at the RWC. You heard it here first"

What's your point jackass? I may be bias but I certainly enjoy seeing highlights from beyond the traditional rugby powers.

DTH had an amazing game, never really rated him that high, but he scored a great individual try and totally created the other two.

I also like this Canadian jersey, nice classic look.

I also can't wait to see the US vs Ireland on Sept 11th, the 10th anniversary. This will be a great event, with the American lads sure to be inspired, the Irish (the traditional power I back) better bring their "A" game or we could see another Georgia like result.

Thanks RD, you are my spiritual light.

By canadian content, at August 17, 2011 4:35 pm
Nice to see these teams coming along.
Good core skills at show here and great vision for the little grubber through for the US try.
Only thing holding them back by the seems is fitness, but I'm sure that will develop over time.

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 4:49 pm
05:51 to 6:00 she is cute!

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 5:36 pm
what the fuck was the US cover doing for that last try? Ngwenya was catching, then got taken out by his teammate's soccer tackle!! Could have injured their best player as well as give away a try!

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 6:51 pm
I wish I had caught this game! Looks like it was much better than last week's.

It looks to have some really nice runs, bits of skill, some outstanding pace by Ngwenya (surprise surprise) and a few good tries scores. And the try-saver was a beauty.

I don't really see what Cudmore was penalized for. "Playing without the ball"? If you can't handle the ball in a ruck, and he's rucking an opponent straight out the back, what's the issue? A second row clearing out a scrumhalf... of course they're going to cover some ground! Nothing wrong with it IMO.

Also, Kleeberger's beard is outrageous. Mightiest beard in world rugby. Most beardly.

By nw, at August 17, 2011 6:52 pm
Lol, at Canada's number 8 trying to block USA's center... and failing to do so.

By plarah, at August 17, 2011 7:00 pm
^^ I think Strauss from the Lions would have something to say about that..

By gf, at August 17, 2011 7:01 pm
I personally think the rugby beard prize goes to Erik Lund, now at Biarritz I believe

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2010/5/7/1273230858228/Erik-Lund-006.jpg

You just don't get more Viking-like than this bloke

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 7:09 pm
gf: It's a very tough call. Really, without a beard TMO, only a head-to-head (chin-to-chin?) beard-off can settle it.

But I suppose I could just revise my statement to read: Mightiest beard in international rugby.
As far as google has told me, Strauss plays for the Lions, but not for his country. (Though if his country were Canada, he'd probably be first XV.)

By nw, at August 17, 2011 7:11 pm
USA played better than South Africa...

Both teams going to get a bum fingering from NZ (as is traditional!)

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 7:12 pm
is erik lund the techno viking?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VudJpH-ytH4&feature=related

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 7:39 pm
really nice to see the US and Canada playing with such heart. ok, they've NO CHANCE of getting any bigger than that due to american football and hockey, which are basically taking all there is when it comes to contact team sports. but come on, congrats lads!
as for the "NZ-fingering", I wouldn't be so sure... I'd rather say Australia who will play nearly the same game, without the pressure (and Cooper is sooo unpredictable!) they seem to have found a decent pack. or maybe England, for that matter...
what do you guys think about France?

By Anonymous, at August 17, 2011 8:45 pm
The first canadian try wasnt a try as there where hands in the ruck, and what was that yank doing at the end with the two footed studs up slide!

By Savage, at August 17, 2011 10:56 pm
Don't really understand why Cudmore got the yellow.

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 12:56 am
I don't really get why he got a yellow either?!?!? seemed to ruck through the only opposition player there, which was the scrum half... he came through the middle... seemed fine..

Obviously the typical card happy NH referee! 2 cards within the first 25 minutes!!!!

F*cking NH teams with SA players in the centres! so so weak!

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 2:25 am
WTF did Cudmore get a yellow for? Was it really for finishing the guy in the ruck and making it sort of a tackle at the end, where he brought the guy down? If so come on ref...he took that guy out of the play by rucking him back 7 yards, he was out of the play regardless of whether or not Jamie finished his ruck-tackle. I don't see how it's a penalty at all...like I sort of see because he did finish and tackle the guy and I guess that's not really allowed but bah, harsh imo.

Once again our backs can't tackle...Ngwenya is amazing but we are far too passive with him. Same with that break from Emerick, though not taking anything away from him either, class player.

Clever always did seem to not-so-much live up to his name whenever I've seen him play. Ran mad isolated and gave us that fantastical beard-glory try that Carpenter benefited from (he looks fatter and fatter).

USA looked dusty on the day, but that third try for us is not very typical of Canada to be scoring tries like that, very nice to see.

By eh oh canada go, at August 18, 2011 2:42 am
What it looks like is the ref felt there was a ruck formed, and you can't take out the half back when a ruck is formed, not until he touches the ball anyway.
Also, he might have felt that Cudmore led with the head (which is technically a cardable offence, even though it happens all the time without censure).

In Cudmore's defence, it didn't look like a ruck was really formed since there weren't any US players on their feet over the ball and it did look like the half back was bridging over the ball. Cudmore probably thought the halfback had joined the ruck and was fair game.
Also, leading with head is rarely punished, it happens alot without anyone worrying.

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 2:44 am
The best part of the match was that the stadium is so small and intimate that I was sitting next to the Eagles reserve players and I got to shake Mark Lawrence's hand...other than that, it was a pretty dissapointing night.

I wonder if it's EOS's coaching that has the USA team looking more like a poor version of an Irish side...constantly kicking the ball when they should just fucking use it in hand. Usasz kicks it like he thinks he's O'Leary, and Malifa (we need a flyhalf more than anything, I think) thinks he's Dan Carter or Ronan O'Gara, kicking grubbers every time he gets hands on it.

The one try we got was a fluke and pure luck (and it wasn't even convincing that it was scored). Too many times, there was a clear chance to go on the blindside and score - or at least break the gainline, but Usasz took too long to deliver, or went the wrong way (at which point, Malifa kicked it or someone would knock it on).

If we could get a quality 9 and 10, I think the rest of the pieces will start to fall into place.

The one good quality of the side was that the Eagles poached nearly all Canada's lineouts, so that was a plus indeed. Hopefully, that's something they've got going...and it just wasn't Canada having an off day...

A lot of times, they say that a loss can actually be better than a win because it can be a real motivator and the side can learn from the mistakes they made...well, the US is too many losses down the hole for that to apply. We need a win pretty bad, so I hope they can pull it together against Japan!

By i love bacon, at August 18, 2011 3:21 am
i am surprised that no one is commenting on the fact that all 3 canada tries were well against the run of play, and that by and large, the US controlled territory and posession the entire game. the backs, in large part due to emerick and ngwenya, consistently gained ground.

the two issues i saw were finishing in the canada 22 and the muscle play of the forwards. i thought that our try was a poor decision by malifa that worked out, and that too many unsupported forward pick and goes or pops and uncreative backs cost us too many scoring opportunities from 5m out. our lack of pick and drive and ineffective maul are emblematic of the forward pack that will get destroyed by anyone but russia.

thoughts?

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 3:43 am
mark lawrence's inerpretations of the rules at the breakdown are insane....neither incident deserved a yellow card...the rule structure at the ruck needs to be revisited..its getting to the stage where there is no point in counter-rucking..which was once an artform in the game!

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 3:44 am
Different refs have different interpretations.
Mark Lawrence seems to have been frustrated with the rucking. I didn't watch the whole game, so i don't know if he was justified.

I do think that his mate Bryce Lawrence penalised the crap out of Australia on Saturday against South Africa, despite much of the Australian counter rucking being completely legal.

But it's very ahrd as a ref. We get the benefit of slow motion replays of rucks, which we can replay as many times as we like. They have to make snap decisions in seconds while also watching for other infringments like offsides.

Personally I think it would be a decent idea to have a second ref jsut watching the ruck, but I doubt we'll ever see that.

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 3:49 am
yo the usa didn't even score a try, such crappy tmo's! if you freeze frame at 3:39-3:40 the usa player missed the ball and doesn't even ground it with control, he grazes it with his fucking elbow, real score 27-0

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 3:53 am
All he has to do to score is groudn the ball with his forearm. The elbow is basically considered the forearm in this case.

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 3:56 am
you big nation rugby faggots are just jealous of canada's superior wealth and the fact that we know how to manage our economy, be happy that canadians changed the CFL from a rugby league to a footbal league because we would be so good at rugby right now. you would all be shitting your pants about playing us

By dave, at August 18, 2011 4:04 am
@dave
As a fellow Canadian, please STFU.
Rugby is growing in Canada. My daughter is in Calgary right now for the Canadian championships (U18). Her club just did a tour of Wales and Ireland (2W 2L). We are not the best but we try hard (pun intended).

By Stubby, at August 18, 2011 6:13 am
Did anybody notice the football tacle at 8:18 ? straight red no?

By Jogol, at August 18, 2011 9:31 am
Jogol, of course not, the fucking NH ref just likes his football and thinks thats fine. As for the rucking he doesnt understand it and gives someone like cudmore a yellow card. LOL

massive joke by that ref. He should go back to reffing english football instead of messing up rugby games like he always does!

By Bokke_2011, at August 18, 2011 12:09 pm
ahhh, he's a Saffer.
Which any Saffer would know, so your probly a troll

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 2:46 pm
Cudmore got a yellow for hid reputation.

By Canadian content, at August 18, 2011 3:06 pm
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By dave, at August 18, 2011 7:52 pm
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By Dave, at August 18, 2011 7:54 pm
@ Dave,

appart from the daughters nuts comment - which made me squirt tea out of my nose, your not doing your countrymen any favours!

It takes alot more than population size or the presence of a league to turn out good rugby. Argentina are testiment to that - they clearly punch well above their weight. I hope canada does improve its rugby, hopefully as they grow so will you humility.

In the mean time however we will see how you fare against the tiny island nation of tonga, although they do have a huge league system with which gives them an unfare advantage over you.

By Savage, at August 18, 2011 8:44 pm
Canada are coming on really well, if the progression continues, who knows? another argentina?

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 10:14 pm
CFL used to be a rugby league? if that's true, canada could be a top 6 country in the world, CFL has been around 60 years, that's 60 years of playing rugby putting them on par with everyone else, what a shame, CFL is like the nfl's d league

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 10:18 pm
aren't you supposed to ground the ball with control? last time I checked that was very important for scoring a try. how does grazing the ball with your elbow count as grounding the ball with control?

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 10:20 pm
@ savage, lol i'm actually a lot more humble then you think, i'm just sick of all the big natins taking cracks at the small nations,@ kiwis : why don't you go win a world cup and not choke for once, @ saffas : why don't you go lose by 50 points at home with your (A) team @ France why don't you go eat a bagette @ USA why dont you give up NFL and become the beast you should be at rugby
lol @ administrator for taking away my comments, I guess you needed to do that to spare me verbally destroying your viewers ps next time dont wait so long to load the vids, i found them all online in 10 minutes, it took you most of a week. Don't have the site if you cant do your job

By dave, at August 18, 2011 10:35 pm
I find all these comments quite pathetic...

I am a rugby fan, I can totally appreciate that USA and Canada do not play to the highest standard of other teams that play more often and more regularly... I mean SH teams have Super rugby and some play in the NH, and vice versa... but America and canada are sort of left out.... the other side of the ocean so them not playing as well can be expected... but the intensity is still there, the pride and the heart etc etc... so to knock teams is pathetic...

And as I said I am a rugby fan, but I'd rather see a minnow team come up with some crazy victory in the RWC this year... I really would, I think the level of banter on here as increased and broken passed the banter line into poisonous comments that are said with a vicious tongue, there is very little friendly rugby banter these days, and personally I'd love to see a few big teams get knocked back as it would (hopefully) taken everyone down a notch and make them actually focus on the joys of rugby rather than bitching about little things going on ALL THE FUCKING TIME!

I'm going to root for Argentina... or perhaps France.. I know neither are "minnow teams" but France has never won the RWC.. and Argentina are up and coming and it would be a massive breath of fresh air!!!

Plus the fact the level of bragging would probably go down as English is not the first language in those countries! lol

By Anonymous, at August 18, 2011 11:00 pm
I think I would choose this match over some 14-9 borefest every time...;-)

And Dave: If you don't appreciate the energy and work that the people of RD put into this site, PLEASE SOD OFF TO YOUTUBE AND STAY THERE!!!! What are you doing here anyway if you allready saw the highlights somewhere else????

For the love of God, can they have a weekend off every now and then?!

By Guy, at August 18, 2011 11:40 pm
A couple of things.

First off, I thought the Classic and B side matches were fun as heck to watch. Got to see a teammate suit up for the classic Eagles (and walk around the rest of the day in his new USA kit) and the B side match was very exciting.

Another thing was that was one of the few times Infinity Park was sold out. Going from free give away tickets at Churchill Cup to that is pretty amazing for a USA match.

As for the play, Canada had some flaws but it sure wasn't their defense. The Eagles had a rough time getting anywhere, and when they did, they had someone come up and tackle them good. But the rucks for the Eagles were amazing (altho I think Canada let a lot of them go to get more men on the defensive line) and the Line Outs were all but flawless.

Great game from both sides. me and my club were there and are very excited to see some more. GO QUINS!

By RugbySkin, at August 18, 2011 11:57 pm
That Zee Ngwenya is AMAZING who does he play for ? he was the best player on the pitch by far

By Chief Financial Shaman, at August 19, 2011 9:44 pm
Ngwenya plays for Biarritz Olympique.

And yeah, he's definitely one of the best we've got playing for the Eagles.

It's a sad truth, but I wonder if he ever thinks about the fact that his club side could probably beat his national side by a good 20 points, considering how many French players are at BO.

He, Clever, Emerick, and Wyles are probably the best 4 we've got - and they all play(ed) at top club sides overseas.

Either way, steps forward in US rugby is always a good thing...so the more players we've got playing in Europe/SH competitions, the better.

By i love bacon, at August 20, 2011 12:20 am
greedy usa players with the ball!

By Anonymous, at August 21, 2011 2:33 pm