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Japan got their 2024 Pacific Nations Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a 55 – 28 win over Canada in Vancouver.
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Facing wave-after-wave of attack from the off, Canada found themselves in a 14 – 0 hole inside six minutes. Despite this Les Rouges showed a steely resolve and some slick skills to fight their way back into the contest.
Here is how the Canadian players fared in their first outing of the competition.
1. Calixto Martinez – 5
Capitalising on his tighthead’s superiority at scrum time, the loosehead pressurised the Japanese front row with a few notable drives through the scrum. In the loose, Martinez got on the ball with a few good carries and a solid work rate around the ruck in what was a solid 56-minute showing.
2. Andrew Quattrin – 4
Accurate with his line-out darts and nuggety in his play as he looked to combat the lightening quick Japanese ruck ball, the hooker was front and centre for his team through 56 minutes.
3. Conor Young – 5
Firmly held up his side of the bargain as he took the fight to the Japanese front row. Twisting both the starting and replacement loosehead, Young won a few key penalties, which relieved the immense pressure his team was under.
4. Izzak Kelly – 4
An industrious showing from the big lock, who made 13 tackles and had 4 carries. Certainly not alone in the first half as a player who missed some noticeable tackles, Kelly and his lock partner Duguid struggled to contain their opposite numbers. His performance did enjoy a noticeable uptick for the twenty-two minutes he was on in the second half.
5. Kaden Duguid – 4
Hitting double digits in terms of tackles made with 10, the lock went the full eighty but, as touched on above, just didn’t have the impact of his opposite number.
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6. Mason Flesch – 5
Mr dependable at line-out time snagged seven throws as his team’s go-to guy in the air. In general play, he took on the stereotypical blindside role of getting through a ton of the less glamorous work, making eleven tackles, winning a turnover and making a handful of carries in the close quarters.
7. Ethan Fryer – 5
Mixed things up with a few big hits and an important turnover early in the first half, which was the first step in Canada’s opening second-half try. The youngster put in a strong 65-minute showing to end his day with 14 tackles, 1 turnover, and 4 carries for an all-in-all solid outing in what was just his second cap.
8. Lucas Rumball – 7
Superb form at the breakdown saw him pose a constant threat to the Japanese ruck; this effort saw him come away with three key turnovers. In addition to his poaching work, the skipper got through a mountain of work on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he made a whopping 19 tackles. His efforts would be rewarded in the 46th minute with a well-taken pick’n’go try.
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9. Jason Higgins – 7
Quick thinking and superb footballing skills saw the MLR veteran set up his team for their opening try as he pounced on a loose ball. Around the breakdown, his physicality ensured that he got the ball away even when his side was struggling to keep their head above water.
10. Peter Nelson – 5
Overcame a brutal first half where he was clutching at ghosts as the intricate Japanese attack carved open the Canadian defence. Defending in the backfield, he struggled in several one-on-one scenarios, which would frustrate him, given he was often the last line of defence. In attack, he stayed fast in his determination to take the ball flat at the line, and this began to pay dividends as the match progressed.
11. Nic Benn – 4
Certainly the quietest of the Canadian back three, Benn was found wanting on a few occasions as he bit infield when he should’ve stayed out wide. Offensively, he didn’t have many opportunities and appeared less willing than his wing partner Coe to go looking for work.
12. Talon McMullin – 7
Presented with a lone moment in attack, and he struck! Running a perfect hard line from a line-out, his power got him through the Japanese front line of defence before his pace got him over the line. Ending his day with 8 carries for 58 meters and six defenders beaten is a snapshot of his top-notch work rate throughout the contest.
13. Ben LeSage – 5
Canada’s backline leader led the defensive line with a hard press but, at times, found himself disconnected as those inside him dropped off tackles. Going forward, he straightened the line and was a willing option, but he would be disappointed with his knock-on late in the first half while his team was in the ascendancy.
14. Andrew Coe – 7
Electric pace ensured he capitalised on Higgins’ quick thinking as he outpaced the cover defence to touch down. Away from this moment of magic, Coe was an ever-present threat for the 68 minutes that he was in the park. Having completely emptied himself, he departed the action with what appeared to be a cramp.
15. Cooper Coats – 7
Rock solid positioning work ensured he covered the Japanese kicking game comfortably and often returned kicks with aplomb. Topping the carry charts with 9 carries for 94 meters and a line break, the hot-stepping fullback was not deterred despite being hit back hard time and again by the Japanese defence.
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16. Dewald Kotze – 5
Bringing his swashbuckling carrying ability to the fray, the hooker upped the ante in terms of front-row carries for his team. Carrying 5 times for 24 meters, the Dallas Jackals standout played a key role in his team’s resurgent second half.
17. Djustice Sears-Duru – 4
Not quite bringing the impact we are used to seeing, the loosehead struggled to get to the pitch of the match for the first ten minutes he was on the park.
18. Cole Keith – 4
Fresh from the bench and straight into the coal face would prove to be a step too far, as he conceded a scrum penalty immediately.
19. James Stockwood – 4
Came on with just under twenty minutes to play and continued the trend of the Canadian locks not quite finding a way to get on top of their opponents.
20. Matthew Oworu – 4
He came off the bench with the sole intention of being a one-man wrecking ball, a plan he, by and large executed. Displaying glimpses of the dynamism that he brought to the SVNVS circuit, the backrow looks set to be the perfect impact sub for the Canucks.
21. Brock Gallagher – 4
Came on for the immensely impressive Talon McMullin and played his part defensively without having any splash moments.
22. Mark Balaski – 4
Diving with the guile of a Premier League goalkeeper as he plucked the ball from the air to stop a certain Japanese try was a great way to announce his introduction to the match.
23. Takoda McMullin – 7
His first real bit of action was to backpedal 80 meters to deny Japan what looked set to be a certain counterattack try. Minutes later, he would be back on defensive duty with a monstrous hit that took the sizzle out of a Japanese attack. Matching his brother’s scoring output with a truly world-class finish in the final minute of action showed why so many are excited by what the duo can achieve in the red shirt over the coming years.
