Canada 25 Tonga 20

Anyone watching it? Great game so far, Canada just scored what was a great try. They're also, despite being 2/1 underdogs, outplaying the Tongans with a nice brand of offloading rugby. Good game. This is the first game, of the tier two nations, where, really, the result is properly in the balance in that no one really knows who will, or should, win.

7-0 at the moment, Tonga having just missed a kick at goal. Real contest.

Yes Canada have started well, a really good first half. I fancy them to take this.

Such a great game. Maybe best game of the WC in terms of excitement. Canada are playing some beautiful rugby at times, really good approach through the offloading and desire to run it, which is brave considering their opposition. Knock ons costing them at the moment. I really hope they can beat Tonga, would be a good scalp and a nice gesture to those who seemed to have written them of for this game.

Nice try for Tonga now. They are starting to assert themselves so will be interesting to see what Canada can do in reply.

Is this another case of the team playing the rugby not going to win? Great game to watch.
Gutted that I have to leave for work

Having said they're playing good rugby, they're just shooting themselves in the foot with their decision making. Case in point; just no, scrum v on their own line, they turn it over, then throw a stupid offload and knock it on, which very nearly ended in a try.

Need to realise that, once they've broken the gainline and got upfield through offloading, they don't have to go for a miracle pass. Playing clever rugby may well mean they can win this game, but if they carry on in this vein, they will concede at least two more tries.

It's a lot like watching Wales in '07, actually, beautiful at times, but seriously deficient in tactical and disiplinary awareness.

Love it. Canada win 25-20, and absolutely deserved it.

Well, there goes my first WRONG prediction, so the floodgates will most likely open now.

Good on Canada. Nice to see them do so well. Japan will be their final now and the pressure will be off for the France and NZ games. Now those games would be an upset with capital letters.

Da iawn Canada. Ymlaen y Cannucks.

Could see Tonga potentially beating France if the French have a shocker. Don't write Canada out of getting to the QFs!!

Wouldn't it be awesome if Canada finished second...

mckay1402 wrote:Wouldn't it be awesome if Canada finished second...

...and beat england in the QF

Didn't see it. Too late at night (or early in the morning) where I am. Were they truly on par with Tonga? Did they really appear to have something going? Would really like to see the lumberjacks make it out of the pools.

Canada were better but the Tongans were making lots of basic errors. Forcing passes, losing it in contact, etc

It was strange seeing a Vainikolo not in white

Canada made many, many mistakes, but they were positive, they tried to play a wonderful offloading game, and then popped up with two deserved tries in the last 15 to come back and regain the lead and win. Tonga will be disappointed, but based solely on the performances of the two teams, have nothing to complain about in losing.

Doubt Canada can come to France or the ABs, but how do you think they will do against Japan? Good shot, eh?

I would've thought they would be favourites to beat Japan before this win. People seem to lump Canada together with the USA, when the reality is they're a far better rugby team than the Americans.

Would love Tonga to beat France, and I really do think that's possible.

I agree the Canadians are always considered the twin brother to the US team. But as you said, the Canadians have been much better than the US for a few years now. Really put them away this season. Hoping they beat Japan. Hopefully a Rugby nation on the up.

If you really feel Tonga can take on France, you might have had something extra in your morning coffee. But you should share whatever that is..........

does the fact that Tonga played last friday might have something to do with their defeat?... same handicap for Canada as they have to play france on sunday again (luckily for france)..those teams do not have the bench to make it work.

France are prone to a wobble. Tonga will be incredibly fired up for a scalp. Tonga also play a game that the French probably won't like. It's feasible that Tonga could beat France.

Great result for the Canucks! Thoroughly deserved and really surprised by their running game. Tongan tries a bit soft and the Canadians should be kicking themselves over that. Lots of good stuff for them to take forward.

as much as i enjoyed watching canada this morning, did no-one watch the Japan france game? I would fancy Japan to beat both Canada and Tonga based on their performance v france!

Wow what a result, well played Canada

clivemcl wrote:as much as i enjoyed watching canada this morning, did no-one watch the Japan france game? I would fancy Japan to beat both Canada and Tonga based on their performance v france!

yeah, I know loads of people who skipped this match while watching the matches either side (for sleep) and they missed a cracker.

2nd place is a three way fight if Japan and the Canucks can keep playing like that

kieren Crowley should be congratulated for the preparation of that team.

Grandpa Crowley did well. But the Canadian players take the kudos for the execution of that plan. It wasn´t the most accurate execution but the intent and determination were there. Good on them and all the best for their remaining matches.

I'm surprised at the amount of people in the media calling this a big scalp and an upset. Of the 6 games they've played against each other now, Canada have won 4. Here's a reminder of the irb rankings of three of the teams in this pool prior to today's game:

12(12) TONGA 72.48
13(13) JAPAN 71.95
14(14) CANADA 71.56


Compare that to the closeness of the rankings for the top three 6N sides:

4(5) ENGLAND 83.99
5(4) FRANCE 83.78
6(6) WALES 79.77

How did O'Toole play in the back row for Canada? Did he start the game? I havent caught any of it yet but there seems to be very mixed reviews on him in general.....

hes signed for the ospreys (as back up id imagine) but I heard he had a good churchill cup....