Canada men’s rugby team earned its first win in the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) at Westhills Stadium against Brazil, with a decided 45-5 stomping on Saturday. The was a third round match in the ARC.
Victoria native and man of the match, Luke Campbell, got Canada on the board scoring his first international try in the third minute and Shane O’Leary kicked for two, putting Canada up 7-0.
Five minutes later wing, Cole Davis scored a try, and O’Leary the field goal, extending Canada’s lead 14-0.
DTH van der Merwe took a big hit from the Brazilians, and was substituted shortly after for Brock Staller. With DTH out, Canada seemed to lose the freight train of momentum they had been building in the first 15 minutes.
Van der Merwe wasn’t out for long, and once he returned to the game Canada’s Djustice Sears-Duru broke free and flew into the try zone for five and O’Leary the kick.
Djustice Sears-Duru flys for the try and Shane O'leary makes the field goal to put Canada up 21-0 with 10 minutes left in the half. #Canadamensrugby pic.twitter.com/ioiqEAM5Cl
— Goldstream Gazette (@GoldstreamNews) February 18, 2018
Van der Merwe got in the action and scored a try to close out the half 26-0.
The Canadians didn’t let up in the second half and continued their agressive play.
Ray Barkwill and Doug Fraser each scored a try and Guiseppe Du Toit, who wasn’t going to let a pole stand in his way to get in on the action, squeezed through for a try of his own. O’Leary converted on all three field goals to put Canada up 45-0.
This was Fraser’s first cap and start at outside centre.
The win gives Canada the overall advantage 2-1 against Brazil.
Up next for Canada will travel to take on Argentina onSaturday Feb. 24 at 3:10 p.m.
