It’s a new era for the Langford-based Canadian rugby team, looking ahead long term to the 2019 World Cup in Japan under new coach Mark Anscombe, but with the same old refrain.
An inability to maintain leads and close out tight games, a familiar issue under former coach Kieran Crowley, was again evident in an exciting 26-22 Test loss to Japan as Canada’s furious final drive crossed the goal line, but Djustice Sears-Duru was unable to touch down for victory before more than 10,000 screaming fans at B.C. Place.
World No. 18 Canada led 12-5 and 17-13, but left 10 points on the table by missing two converts and two penalty goals. You simply cannot do that against a world top-10 team such as Japan.
It was the first Test match under Anscombe, and the first ever played at B.C. Place, following a training camp at Shawnigan Lake School.
Two thirds of the highly productive Canadian front line — World Cup veterans Jake Ilnicki and Ray Barkwill — are products of the Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay. Sears-Duru was the other forward and named man of the match.
“There were a lot of positives to take away from the game,” said Ilnicki, also a former University of Victoria Vikes stalwart from Williams Lake, now playing pro in San Diego.
As there has been in so many close losses over the last two years.
“The result was not good . . . we are setting the bar higher as we look ahead to the next few years,” agreed Ilnicki, by phone after the game.
Canada had the advantage of having a Japanese player sent off with a red card at 54 minutes.
“We scored four tries to Japan’s two, but we shot ourselves in the foot with all the penalty goals we gave away,” said Ilnicki.
“Now we go back to the drawing board and regroup for next week [the Test next Saturday in Calgary against No. 19 Russia].”
But Canada at least seems to be going into Calgary with a sense of forward momentum under Anscombe, who like Crowley before him, is a Kiwi.
“There were a lot of stepping stones we crossed out there today,” said Ilnicki. “We’re still getting to know [Anscombe] but we’re all buying in.”
Canada got tries from Barkwill, Taylor Paris, Aaron Carpenter and captain Jamie Cudmore of Squamish. But Gordon McRorie was able to put through only one of his five kicks.
Yu Tamura, meanwhile, hit on four penalty kicks and two converts for Japan and that proved the difference.
“At the international level, you have to kick your goals, and we didn’t. It’s tough, but that’s what it’s all about,” Anscombe said in a statement.
The new coach, however, also found much to like: “We created opportunities. We made some good yards. The way we finished, we kept composure and didn’t lose the ball. Those are great traits.”
Canada is 8-15-2 all-time against Japan, but without a win and just two draws in 10 games since 2005 against their tran-Pacific rivals.
After the game against Russia in Calgary, Canada closes out the Test series against No. 14 Italy on June 26 at BMO Field in Toronto.
