Aus A Team to play Junior All Blacks

[AndyS]

I'd check up on the 1:30pm start time. My understanding is that it is:

_________________ABC2 by satellite______ABC2 by set-top box/cable
Fiji v Tonga____________11.30am______________1.30pm
Aus A v JAB____________3.30pm_______________5.30pm

[The InnFORCEr]

I'd check up on the 1:30pm start time. My understanding is that it is:

_________________ABC2 by satellite______ABC2 by set-top box/cable
Fiji v Tonga____________11.30am______________1.30pm
Aus A v JAB____________3.30pm_______________5.30pm

Your on the money AndyS

That's more like it

Yes it will be on at JBs

[Nick]

Ah ok then.

I think that means it's on the sametime the AB's play Canada, seeing as how they are both in NZ I wouldn't have thought they'd have the same kick off time... looks liek Im going to have to be in two places at once.

[The InnFORCEr]

That is correct Nick, a very strange schedule.

Both games on at one on big screen and one in corner like last week.

[Nick]

Well I might have to dust off the old jersy and drag myself out of that comfortable spot on the lounge and watch it at the pub for a change.

[AndyS]

Which game will be on the bigscreen?

[Nick]

At a guess i'd say the one with an australian team in it....

[The InnFORCEr]

you might be right there Nick, don't think All Blacks v Canada will as exciting, especially for the people from Canaidia!

[Nick]

you might be right there Nick, don't think All Blacks v Canada will as exciting, especially for the people from Canaidia!

Well heres what Henry said aout it...

Henry quashed a suggestion the test fell at an awkward time with the Springboks looming.

He had no say over the schedule or their opposition and the game had been factored into their season planning since last year.

At that stage management had considered sending a group of players not involved against Canada to Durban to prepare for the Tri-Nations match in a similar manner to last year's test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

However, they felt it was best to keep the squad together and also to give the test against Canada the respect it deserved.

"You ask the Canadians and they are delighted to be playing against the All Blacks. And that's important," Henry said.

"If the so-called top teams only played top teams, the lesser teams are never going to improve.

"So they need to play against top opposition to get to the next step and they need to do that regularly.

"Also, it's a great incentive for the rugby players of Canada to know they've got those sort of opportunities.

"For us? We've got that responsibility as one of the top international teams."

And what Canada said about it,

Bookmakers think the winning margin will be between 60 and 80 points, and while the Canadians realise a large score is on the cards, they reiterate the one-off test will eventually cause more good than harm leading into the World Cup.

Former captain Al Charron, Canada's most capped international, conceded the impartial observer might question the wisdom of taking on the Cup favourites considering the hammering that could await.

Charron, on tour as the assistant manager, faced an identical scenario in 1995 when the Canadians were thrashed 73-7 in Auckland, in a match that launched the careers of Josh Kronfeld and Andrew Mehrtens.

It appeared a disastrous experience for the Canadians -- a week after they were pounded physically in the heat of Fiji -- although results at the World Cup indicate there was no lasting mental damage.

Canada actually acquitted themselves well in that tournament's "group of death," beating Romania before pushing defending champions Australia and hosts South Africa closer than anticipated.

The Wallabies emerged with a 27-11 win while the Springboks took out a spiteful contest 20-0.

Charron, who earned 76 caps as a lock/loose forward, said the pounding in Auckland at least hardened their resolve and he suspected the same would apply when the current side arrive in France.

"I have often been asked if we were a demoralised lot after the New Zealand game. The easiest thing would have been to wallow in our own self pity heading into the World Cup but we didn't," Charron said.

"Hopefully Canada will come away from this tour better educated in rugby and how to play and carry the pace of a match.

"When you're thrown into the fire like they will be, lessons will be learned both in what you should and shouldn't do in a given situation."

Charron made no attempt to sugar coat Canada's task, equating it to "weathering the perfect storm for 80 minutes of hell" although he maintained the squad would be better for the experience.

The players agree.

"Regardless of the score there'll be no demoralising factor there," prop Kevin Tkachuk said.

"We understand where we are in the world rankings and where New Zealand are. We're just going out there to throw everything we can at them."

First five-eighth Ryan Smith is also unfazed at the prospect of taking on an understrength yet formidable New Zealand team.

"Canada's always been second tier, we've let big scores in, in the past. The guys don't get too rattled afterwards for any length of time."

[frontrow]

Good luck to the Canadians i say, enjoy the experience, and don't let them have it easy....
And well put by Henry, we need to offer these nations opportunities more often to improve the overall standard of rugby worldwide...

[AndyS]

No doubt that the Canadians will take a lot from the game, but I'd really like to see more touring by the A's and maybe under-21s from all the top teams. It is regular exposure to a higher level of competition rather than the odd one-off that would do teams like Canada the most good, and it wouldn't do the young players from the top nations any harm either.

[Nick]

The Canadians performed really well int he first half a lot better than I thougth they would.