Happy Canada maintain tradition

Canada 24 Tonga 7

Clark watched as the Maple Leafs scored two textbook tries, one in each half, for a convincing win over a tiring Tongan side, and maintained their tradition of winning at least one match at every World Cup.

“We have been working for a long time on that sort of thing and seeing them come to fruition was very satisfying,” said Clark. The only real down side was the bloody head injury suffered by Canadian skipper Al Charron; he 37-year-old lock was taken to hospital after being carried off in the 70th minute after a tackle by Pila Fifita.

Clark was disappointed for Charron, who was playing his 75th Test for Canada and his 25th as captain after recovering from a serious knee injury that stopped him playing until just before the tournament. “I’ve said it many times that he is the heartbeat of the Canadian team, and I guess that Al Charron has played his last game for Canada.”

Canada dominated territory and possession thanks to the precise tactical kicking of fly-half Bob Ross but poor execution meant they failed to capitalise.

Ross kicked one penalty but Tonga grabbed the first try of the game when they gathered behind Inoke Afeaki to drive the skipper over the line for a five-pointer, which Pierre Hola successfully converted into seven with the successful kick.

Ross added two more penalties to edge the Canucks ahead at the break but it was scant reward for a period half played mostly in the Tongan half.

The second half brought the nicely constructed try for Fauth. Ross kicked a penalty to within a few metres of the Tongan line, three drives pushed the defensive line back and then quick hands put Fauth over. When Aaron Abrams drove over for the second try it wrapped up an impressive scoreline.

Meanwhile, Tonga coach Jim Love wondered how he had ever been expected to mount a serious challenge in the World Cup given a schedule which crammed his team’s four pool matches into just two weeks.

“The boys take away the feeling that they have been treated like second-class citizens,” said Love, referring to a schedule which demanded too much in too little time from his players.

“It’s something the IRB have to look at or next time teams like Tonga will stay at home,” he said.

It is a timely warning as the pool stage winds down with many teams complaining about a schedule which heavily favoured the seeded teams.

CANADA: Fyffe, Fauth, Witkowski, Di Girolamo, Stanley, Ross, Williams, Snow, Lawson, Cooke, Charron, James, Cudmore, Van Staveren, Jackson.

TONGA: Leger, Fifita, J. Ngauamo, Payne, Fonua, Hola, Martens, Lea’aetoa, Taukafa, Lavaka, M. Ngauamo, I. Afeaki, Naufahu, Tu’amoheloa, Kivalu.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)