Nobody was expecting Canada to repeat their 60 point victory of 1999, but it’s doubtful many would have picked Namibia to come within 4 points this time. A lack of urgency and effectiveness at the breakdown, poor execution at the set piece, and yet another fourth quarter fade allowed a very limited Welwitchias side to stay in the game. A win, as they say, is a win, but against a significantly inferior side they should have been far more clinical.

Credit must go to Rugby Canada for organizing a last minute stream of the match, which otherwise would not have been seen by anyone. Why the IRB persists with the North Wales fixtures is anyone’s guess, but the least they could do is make sure there is a broadcast of some kind for those who actually want to watch it. How on earth they plan on growing the game when a match between two of next year’s World Cup participants isn’t even deemed worthy of media coverage is beyond comprehension. Now back to the matter at hand.

One hugely problematic area that Canada needs to fix very quickly is their complete lack of concentration on restarts after they have scored. Almost every time McRorie put points on the board, Namibia were handed at least possession if not a penalty straight afterwards from the kick. Ray Barkwill was the chief culprit on Sunday, on Friday there were multiple offenders. It’s simply inexcusable at this level to not have your exit strategies down pat.

Barkwill’s form has faded dramatically since his barnstorming displays in the ARC. Why exactly is anyone’s guess, he just hasn’t been the energizer bunny we’ve come to love. Whoever kept telling him to throw the ball straight to Namibia’s towering lock Tjiuee Uanivi time after time at the lineout should be fired.

John Moonlight looked terribly out of place at no8, and his XVs performance seems to be suffering as his 7s stature rises. The same could easily be said of Conor Trainor and Ciaran Hearn, who have bags of talent never seem to put together more than one or two big plays without making a soft error to go with it. Sean Duke shanked a clearance kick horribly and put three passes into the bread basket of his imaginary friend.

A late change for Namibia saw Western Province terrier Rohan Kitshoff start at openside with Tinus du Plessis dropping out. Fielding three opensides in the back row should have guaranteed quick ball from the breakdown for Canada, but instead it was Kitshoff who seemed to arrive at everything first, earning at least three crucial turnovers. Nanyak Dala was the only one to return fire. Jacques Burger was a bit quiet by his lofty standards but still put in a decent shift, and P.J. van Lill ran hard from the back of the scrum all game long.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Canada. Connor Braid put in a promising performance at flyhalf with a nice blend of running and passing, and his kicking from hand was spot on. Jebb Sinclair was by far the most physical of the forwards. Jordan Wilson-Ross had a very tidy opening match. Hopefully he’s earned himself another opportunity.

Jason Marshall has obviously learned a few things about running rugby in New Zealand. Unfortunately props don’t get paid the big bucks for taking spring heeled restart catches or swerving past would-be tacklers. In the scrum he was given a working over by the impressively rotund Johnny Redelinghuys, with a little help from hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld. Marshall is a physical specimen and superb around the park but he hasn’t adapted well to the new scrum engage and needs some serious work on his technique ahead of next year.

Thankfully Canada should have some reinforcements for the Samoa game that comes next. Jamie Cudmore, Tyler Ardron, Richard Thorpe, Taylor Paris and hopefully Jef Hassler, who was a late scratch from this one, should all come into the equation, and not a moment too soon. Even still it almost assuredly won’t be enough, and if the performance is anything like the mess in Colwyn Bay it could be a very ugly afternoon in Vannes.

CANADA 17 vs 13 NAMIBIA
Friday, November 7, 19:30 GMT, Colwyn Bay

SCORING
07 mins – G. McRorie pen 3-0
13 mins – G. McRorie pen 6-0
25 mins – T. Kotzé pen 6-3
31 mins – G. McRorie pen 9-3
33 mins – T. Kotzé pen 9-6
46 mins – G. McRorie pen 12-6
57 mins – N. Dala try 17-6
77 mins – J. Burger try 17-11
77 mins – T. Kotzé con 17-13

CARDS
36 mins – R. Kitshoff yellow (foul play)

CANADA
D.T.H. van der Merwe; S. Duke, C. Trainor, C. Hearn, J. Wilson-Ross; C. Braid, G. McRorie (S. White 64); H. Buydens, R. Barkwill (A. Carpenter 67), J. Marshall; T. Hotson (B. Beukeboom 62), J. Sinclair; K. Gilmour, N. Dala, J. Moonlight.

NAMIBIA
C. Botha (J. Tromp 9); D. Philander, D. de la Harpe, J. Deysel, D. Dames; T. Kotzé, E. Buitendag (R. de la Harpe HT); J. Redelinghuys (F. Bertolini 77), T. van Jaarsveld, A. Schlechter (C. Viviers 77); M. Blom, T. Uanivi (S. Neustadt 79); R. Kitshoff, J. Burger (capt.), P.J. van Lill.

Referee: S. Berry (SARU)
Assistants: N. Paterson (SRU) & M. Lewis (WRU)
TMO: n/a