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Americans emphasize their rugby dominance over Canada

UNITED STATES 42 CANADA 17 It happened in men’s soccer, where the U.S. surpassed Canada, and men’s hockey, where the U.S. became relatively even to Canada. So it should come as no surprise it has also happened in men’s rugby. The world No. 15 U.S.
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CanadaÕs Jeff Hassler tries to hold on to the ball against the United States in Halifax on Saturday.

UNITED STATES  42
CANADA  17

It happened in men’s soccer, where the U.S. surpassed Canada, and men’s hockey, where the U.S. became relatively even to Canada. So it should come as no surprise it has also happened in men’s rugby.

The world No. 15 U.S. Eagles continued their recent domination of the Langford-based Canadian national team with a 42-17 Test victory Saturday before a capacity crowd of more than 6,000 fans at the Wanderers Ground in Halifax.

“It’s international sport, and we learned some hard lessons,” said Canadian coach Kingsley Jones.

“The game now is about manufacturing errors from the opponent and capitalizing on those. Both teams made errors, but they [U.S.] capitalized when we coughed up more of them. We have switch-off moments and continue to let teams off the hook. In the first half, I felt their points came from our errors. We’ve got to stop beating ourselves because when we have the ball, we look like a good team.”

Canada is 38-19-2 all-time against the U.S., but Canada has not beaten the Eagles since 2013, and is 0-8-1 in its last nine games against the Americans.

Cam Dolan led the U.S. with three tries. Evan Olmstead and Jeff Hassler scored the Canadian tries, with Shane O’Leary kicking seven points. Island players Luke Campbell and Phil Mack of Victoria and Josh Larsen of Parksville started for Canada.

World No. 22 Canada finished 0-3 in its summer Test series following earlier losses, 48-10 three weeks ago to No. 7 Scotland at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, and 43-20 last week against No. 19 Russia in Ottawa.

The national team now returns to Westhills Stadium in Langford to prepare for perhaps the most crucial tournament in Canadian men’s rugby history — the last-chance qualifier, in November, for the 20th and final berth into the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Canada has never failed to qualify for the World Cup, but is now on the brink. “We wanted to win these [three] games but also find some depth [for November],” Jones said.

“We’re not the biggest team in the world, so we need to be smarter and quicker with [the ball]. We’re not as big and physical as the U.S. The front five of the U.S. was a handful — very big and powerful. Then there are those psychological moments.”

Whatever it is, psychological or otherwise, it’s back to the couch, drawing board and practice pitch at Westhills to find those elusive answers by November.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com