Canada’s 2-3 record in the Americas’ Rugby Championship was instructive.
The 33-17 victory over world No. 26 Chile in Santiago on Saturday, combined with the 45-5 win over No. 27 Brazil two weeks ago at Westhills Stadium, proved that No. 21 Canada has not fallen to the world third tier.
But the losses to No. 17 Uruguay, No. 18 United States and Argentina XV show that Langford-based Canada sits at the bottom of the second tier.
Front-row veteran Ray Barkwill, at age 37, celebrated his 50th cap for Canada against Chile, which finished the Americas Championship winless at 0-5. Barkwill, who made his name at Windsor Park in Oak Bay with the Castaway Wanderers, set up Kainoa Lloyd for the first try and Canada was off to the races in South America.
Lucas Rumball, Kyle Baillie and Cole Davis scored Canada’s other tries while veteran Gordon McRorie kicked two conversions and three penalties.
Barkwill started on the front row alongside Jake Ilnicki, a CW product out of the University of Victoria Vikes.
They were backed by Northland-pro Josh Larsen of Parksville in the second row. Luke Campbell, an emerging national-team rookie from Victoria, started at No. 8, and Shawnigan Lake School Stags graduate Dustin Dobravsky of CW at flanker. Doug Fraser from Ladysmith, another CW player, started at outside centre. Veteran scrum-half Phil Mack of Victoria captained Canada.
Noah Barker of Courtenay, fellow-JBAA player Cole Keith, Cameron Polson of Victoria, Conor Keys of the UVic Vikes and Shawnigan Lakegrad Guiseppe du Toit of the Vikes were in off the bench.
The big goal this year for Canada is the last-chance qualifier for the 2019 World Cup in Japan. The game will be held in November at a venue to be determined.
The Canadian men’s sevens team went 1-2 in pool play at the Las Vegas tournament with 40-12 and 19-12 losses to England and 2016 Rio Olympics bronze-medallist South Africa, respectively, before edging Wales 21-19 in a pulsating game.
The Langford-based Canadian side then defeated Spain 21-14 in the consolation round on Saturday and will conclude the tournament today before heading north to host the Canada Sevens at B.C. Place next weekend.
On the Canadian roster are Connor Braid, Luke McCloskey and Mike Fuailefau, all of Victoria, Pat Kay of Duncan, Luke Bradley of Port Alberni, Isaac Kay of the UVic Vikes and former Vikes great Nathan Hirayama.
