These are the killer Bs.
Argentina XV, the national B team, defeated the Langford-based Canadian side 40-15 in an Americas Rugby Championship fixture on Saturday.
Since the Pumas, Argentina’s national team, is ranked No. 8 in the world, it would overwhelm the ARC tournament. So Argentina enters its national B side, nicknamed the Jaguars. They are future Pumas, and, as such, are no treat to play against either, as Canada discovered in Jujuy province in the northwest corner of Argentina.
All games in the ARC tournament are Test matches except those against Argentina XV, but don’t let that fool you. The Jaguars are the defending ARC champions.
The Canadians headed south after dismantling Brazil 45-5 last weekend at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
But Brazil is not Argentina when it comes to rugby. Both play soccer well, of course, but the Argentines also shine on the rugby pitch. Brock Staller got Canada on the board first with a penalty goal, but Argentina XV fly-half Lucas Mensa answered almost immediately with a try and the Jaguars were on their way.
Undersized but gritty front-row veteran Ray Barkwill, who has turned in so many outstanding performances during his career at Windsor Park in Oak Bay in Castaway Wanderers colours, pushed across for a Canadian try on a driving maul to cut the score to 19-8 just before the half.
But that was followed by 14 consecutive Jaguars points before veteran Canadian captain Phil Mack of Victoria was able to stem the tide with a try to make it 33-15 after a Staller convert. That’s as close as Canada got as it fell to 1-3 in the ARC tournament while the Jaguars moved to 3-1.
Island-associated players starting for Canada were Barkwill, Mack, University of Victoria Vikes and CW product Jake Ilnicki, Josh Larsen and Doug Fraser, both of Parksville, Conor Keys of the University of Victoria Vikes, Shawnigan Lake School-graduate Dustin Dobravsky and his CW clubmate Robbie Povey. Off the bench were Ryan Kotlewski of Westshore, Noah Barker of James Bay, Cameron Polson of CW and Shawnigan Lake-grad Guiseppe du Toit of the UVic Vikes.
World No. 21 Canada concludes the ARC next Saturday in Santiago against No. 25 Chile.
The big target this year for Canada is the last-chance qualifier for Japan World Cup 2019, to be held in November at a venue to be announced.
