Canada's five game winning streak came to an unexpected end as they crashed to a 23-25 defeat at the hands of Uruguay in Montevideo in a 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifying clash.
The loss in front of 3000 noisy fans at River Plate Stadium does not spell disaster for the Canadians as it already holds second-place, and has a berth in the 2003 World Cup secured. It still must play Chile next weekend in Santiago in an attempt to gain the first -place finish it covets.
With few friends in the crowd, a very small and sandy pitch, Canada fought manfully. But the loss of two men to the sin-bin which, when they were off, accounted for sixteen of Uruguay's points, and four vital missed kicks eventually told the story.
"Uruguay played a tight game with a stronger and more forceful pack than in Edmonton in the first game and were able to employ their rolling maul to effect," said Canada coach David Clark. "We had the measure of them in the backs but we didn't put our sequences together often enough, and didn't get the ball wide as much as we would have liked."
Canada played into the wind for the opening half and with the game only a minute old Los Teros fullback Juan Menchaca hit for a 40-metre penalty to gain the lead. Canada's Jared Barker followed at three-minutes with one of his own to tie the score at 3-3.
Uruguay captain Diego Aguirre hit for a second at 14-minutes after Menchaca had rattled one off the posts a few minutes earlier. Uruguay 6-3. At 18-minutes, Canada passed the ball wide left to wing Fred Asslein and the speedy winger went inside, then outside, then inside again to beat two men and beat all opponents as he touched down under the posts for a beautiful try. Barker converted 10-6 and Canada looked in control at this stage in the game, winning Uruguayan line-outs with frequency and forcing the play.
At 31-minutes Barker struck again from 42-meters for his thirty-third (33rd) official kick in succession since last missing one against Scotland, and his 28th kick in succession in these World Cup Qualifiers. It brought his kicking rate to 50 of 52 in his nine internationals.
Soon after Jon Theil went off with a knock and Kevin Tkachuck replaced him. Rod Snow moved to tight-head. Menchaca hit another penalty at 35-minutes for offside as Uruguay moved the score closer at 16-9. Just on half-time Aguirre hit another as referee Pablo De Luca issued a yellow carded to Ed Fairhurst for what he decreed a stomp. Very unlike Fairhurst if true. Half time: 16-12.
Beginning the second-half with fourteen men Canada took an early penalty which Menchaca converted 16-15 and when Barker had the opportunity of edging Canada in front on a penalty at 43-minutes and with the crowd whistling like mad-men, he pushed the ball wide from 45-metres.
Canada found itself on the back foot and deep in its own end and when Uruguay won a line-out five-metres from Canada's line the home team launched its vaunted rolling maul. Second-row Rodrigo Capo went over in the pile up and managed to touch down:16-20 Uruguay.
Barker had two more shots at goal which went wide before No.8 Ryan Banks, at 55-minutes, launched a strong attack straight up the middle of the pitch. He linked with fullback Winston Stanley who zigged and zagged through tacklers until he handed to Fairhurst. He had just returned to the field of play, and the young halback sprinted 22-metres and took two men over in the tackle to give Canada a 23-10 lead with Barker's conversion.
With frustration mounting Kevin Tkachuck received a yellow carded for bringing down a maul after a line-out. Uruguay took the ball to Canada's line as Canada defended well on the first onslaught, but on the second attempt, at 72-minutes, Eduardo Berrutti rode the maul over the line to give Uruguay a 23-25 lead. Later Bob Ross had a long range attempt at the posts, but amid the deafening roar of the crowd the ball sailed just wide. 25-23 final.
"It is amazing to me that punching is given a warning and condoned down here, while the collapse of a maul by one tackler is admonished with a yellow card," said David Clark after the game.
"But, in spite of all that, we didn't play well. Great goal kicking is a luxury that we have come to enjoy with Barker and Ross, and they can't be faulted for missing those long-range kicks today. We'll just have to re-group for next week's game against Chile."
"We were able to use our maul to better effect today," said Uruguay coach Diego Ormaechea. "We used the ball better than we did in our game in Edmonton. Canada is big and strong, and every game for Uruguay is difficult. This will give us a boost for when we meet the USA next weekend."
"A big disappointment," said Canada captain Al Charron. "We came down here to win two games, but we didn't play well today. It was a physical game on a narrow pitch and we didn't get things done properly."
Vancouver's Mark Lawson enjoyed a strong game in his first start for Canada and Ed Fairhurst also played with flair as he ran well from the base of the scrum keeping the Los Teros back-row honest. Leif Carlson also had his first run in a red jersey as he came on for Adam van Staveren in the second-half.
The teams:
Canada: 1 Rod Snow, 2 Mark Lawson, 3 John Thiel, 4 Ron Johnstone, 5 Colin Yukes, 6 Alan Charron (c), 7 Adam Van Staveren, 8 Ryan Banks, 9 Ed Fairhurst, 10 Jared Barker, 11 Fred Asselin, 12 John Cannon, 13 Nik Witkowski, 14 Marco Di Girolomo, 15 Winston Stanley
Reserves: Leif Carlson, Bobby Ross, Kevin Tkachuk
Unused: Jamie Cudmore, Sean Fauth, Josh Jackson, Matt King
Attendance: 3000
Referee: De luca p.
Points Scorers:
Canada
Tries: Asselin F. 1, Fairhurst E. 1
Conv: Barker J. 2
Pen K.: Barker J. 3
Uruguay
Tries: Capo Ortega R. 1, Berruti E. 1
Pen K.: Menchaca J. 3, Aguirre D. 2
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