By Canadian Press

Canadian men’s rugby team looks for bounce-back performance against Spain

Nov 16, 2017 | 9:45 AM

Canada coach Kingsley Jones remembers making short work of Spain during his days with Gloucester. 

Then captain of the English club side, Jones enjoyed 42-19 and 47-7 wins over the Spaniards in European Shield play during the 1999-2000 season.

Times have changed.

Jones is now coach of 23rd-ranked Canada. And Spain, ranked 20th in the world, is a rugby nation on the rise.

The Spanish men’s and women’s sevens teams both made the 2016 Rio Olympics — with the men winning a 16-country repechage tournament that included Canada — while the women’s 15s side qualified for this summer’s World Cup.

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In its first appearance at the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in 2016, Spain was runner-up in the second-tier championship that Canada failed to qualify for.  

The two countries face off Saturday in a test match in Madrid with Jones hoping for a bounce-back performance from a 54-22 loss to No. 12 Georgia in Tbilisi last Saturday.

Jones is no stranger to Spain having faced them in his previous role as coach of Russia.

“In 2013, playing against them with Russia, they always gave us a tough game but I think they lacked an identity,” he said in an interview. “It was a team full of Englishmen, Frenchmen, a couple of Georgians as well as one stage.

“What’s happened there with a new coach (Santiago Santos) they certainly have an identity now and they’re playing a Spanish way. I’ve been really impressed with the way they’ve improved in the last five years, but four years particularly, under their Spanish coach.

“They certainly play for the coach, you can see that. They play a style of game that suits them. They play high-tempo, fast ball and ball in hand … it will be a challenge for us. They’re a very good side.”

The Spaniards will be without injured captain Jaime Nava. But New Zealand-born fullback Brad Linklater bears watching. 

Spain is coming off a third-place finish at the six-team Rugby Europe Championship, a second-tier regional competition that does not involve the Six Nations sides.

Like Canada, the Spaniards were beaten by Georgia at that tournament but at 20-10 — albeit playing on home soil unlike the Canadians — the loss was much closer. Spain also holds a 33-16 win — in Malaga in November 2016 — over No. 19 Uruguay, a team Canada faces in January in a crucial World Cup qualifying tie.

Jones has made five changes to his starting lineup for the Spanish test, with No. 8 Aaron Carpenter set to earn a record 80th cap.

Veteran Hubert Buydens and 21-year-old Matt Tierney come back in at prop with Carpenter and Kyle Baillie inserted into the back row. Matt Heaton retains his place but moves from blind-side to open-side flanker.

Carpenter replaces Tyler Ardron, who is unavailable for the final two games of Canada’s tour due to his pro commitments in New Zealand.

The backline is unchanged with Canada boasting strike runners in Taylor Paris and DTH van der Merwe.

Lock forward Brett Beukeboom, recovered from an injury, starts on the bench.

Jones pointed to poor decision-making and critical mistakes against Georgia, saying his team gifted the Georgians 12 points via penalties. The Canadian men also did not cope as well as he had hoped against the powerful Georgia forward pack.

“They are the things that are beating us at the moment,” he said.

On the plus side, captain Phil Mack was lively at scrum half and the Canadian backs looked dangerous at times.

“That’s one of the stronger teams we’ll face, and in a very difficult place to play as well,” said Jones.

Canada and Spain have played just once before with Canada winning 60-22 in November 2010. Paris, van der Merwe and Carpenter, the only three starters Saturday who played that game, each scored tries on the day.

The Canadian men will wrap up their November tour Nov. 25 in Narbonne, France, against No. 9 Fiji.

Canada opened its November series with a 51-9 loss to the Maori All Blacks at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

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Canada

Hubert Buydens, New Orleans Gold, Saskatoon; Ray Barkwill, Seattle Seawolves, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Matt Tierney, Section Paloise (France), Oakville, Ont.; Josh Larsen, Northland (New Zealand), Parksville, B.C.; Evan Olmstead, Newcastle Falcons (England), Vancouver; Matt Heaton, Darlington Mowden Park (England), Godmanchester, Que.; Kyle Baillie, London Scottish (England), Summerside, P.E.I.; Aaron Carpenter, Doncaster Knights (England), Brantford, Ont.; Phil Mack (capt.), James Bay AA, Victoria; Patrick Parfrey, Swilers RFC, St. John’s, N.L.; Taylor Paris, Castres (France), Barrie, Ont.; Ciaran Hearn, London Irish/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay South, N.L.; DTH van der Merwe, Newcastle Falcons (England), Victoria; Brock Staller, Meralomas RFC, Surrey, B.C.; Andrew Coe, Markham Irish, Toronto.

Replacements

Benoit Piffero, Blagnac Sporting Club (France), Montreal; Djustice Sears-Duru, Ealing Trailfinders (England) Oakville, Ont.; Cole Keith, James Bay AA, Sussex, N.B.; Brett Beukeboom, Cornish Pirates (England), Lakefield, Ont.; Kyle Gilmour, St. Albert RFC, St. Albert, Alta.; Andrew Ferguson, Oakville Crusaders, Mississauga, Ont.; Guiseppe du Toit, UVIC Vikes, Maple Ridge, B.C.; Kainoa Lloyd, Mississauga Blues, Mississauga, Ont.

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press