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LANGFORD, BC--Team Canada scored an impressive 28-10 win over Uruguay Tuesday evening in their opening match of the 2012 IRB Americas Rugby Championship at Westhill Stadium. In the first of the double header menu - Argentina had a comfortable 39-3 win over the USA.
With an enthusiastic crowd of 1,745 looking on, Canada had the game won at halftime, leading 18-3 and then salting it away in the second half with a try and penalty goal.
Connor Braid led the Canadian scoring with three penalty goals and two converts. Canadian tries came from team captain Tyler Ardon, Patrick Parfrey and Liam Underwood.
Uruguay's lone try came late in the second half from Juan Diego Ormaechea, Felipe Berchesi converting. Berchesi also scored a game opening penalty goal four minutes into the game.
Canada twice was forced to play with just 14 players as tempers flared after nine minutes into the second half when centre Nick Blevins was handed a ten minute yellow card for a rough tackle on Uruguay Gaston Mieres and then again at ther 25 minute mark when Ardron was sent off for repeated infringement.
"I didn't think we played a lot or rugby in the first half,"said Canadian coach Kieran Crowley."But I think we put Uruguay under a lot of pressure. In the second half we played better but you can't play well when you lose two players like we did. but we did get the win which was good and now we have to look forward to Tuesday and the U.S.
Canada plays the US in the night (7:30 p.m.) game while Argentina and Uruguay meet in the 5:30 p.m. opener.
Argentina, the two-time ARC defending champion, will also be looking for it second straight win after soundly defeating the US 39-3 in Friday's tournament opening match.
After Berchesi put Uruguay ahead 3-0 four minutes in, Canada took over when Ardron picked up an errant Berchesi pass and ran 50 yards into the end zone. After a Braid penalty goal, Parfrey put Canada ahead even further when he scored from ten yards out. Two more penalty goals from Braid late in the first half and then a second half try by Underhill and Braid's third penalty goal wrapped it up for Canada.
A similar performance against the US should put Canada in a solid position for a shot at the title on October 20 when they face Argentina in what looks like a winner take all game.
Canada
Tries: Tyler Ardron, Patrick Parfrey, Liam Underwood
Conversions: Connor Braid (2)
Penalties: Connor Braid (3)
Uruguay
Try: Juan Diego Ormaechea
Conversion Felipe Berchesi
Penalty: Felipe Berchesi
CANADA ROSTER
1. HUBERT BUYDENS, Prairie Wolf Pack
2. OWEN PARFREY, The Rock
3. DOUG WOOLDRIDGE, Ontario Blues
4. CHRIS LONG, Prairie Wolf Pack
5. JON PHELAN, The Rock
6. ZAC COUGHLAN, The Rock
7. TONI WODZICKI, The Rock
8. TYLER ARDRON (C), Ontario Blues
9. KYLE ARMSTRONG, Ontario Blues
10. CONNOR BRAID, Pacific Tyee
11. CLAYTON MEERES, Pacific Tyee
12. PATRICK PARFREY, The Rock
13. NICK BLEVINS, Prairie Wolf Pack
14. JOSH HART, Prairie Wolf Pack
15. LIAM UNDERWOOD, Ontario Blues
16. RAY BARKWILL, Ontario Blues
17. CREAG JOHNSTON, Ontario Blues
18. JACOB RUMBALL, Ontario Blues
19. AARON FLAGG, Pacific Tyee
20. SEB PEARSON, Ontario Blues
21. ALISTAIR CLARK, Ontario Blues
22. PAT KAY, Pacific Tyee
23. JORDAN WILSON-ROSS, Ontario Blues
URUGUAY ROSTER
1. ALEJO CORRAL
2. ARTURO AVALO (C)
3. OSCAR DURAN
4. FRANCO LAMANNA
5. CRISTOFER SOARES DE LIMA CRISTOFER
6. FERNANDO BASCOU
7. DIEGO MAGNO
8. JUAN DIEGO ORMAECHEA
9. GUILLERMO LIJTENSTEIN
10. FELIPE BERCHESI
11. GASTON MIERES
12. RODRIGO MARTINEZ
13. SANTIAGO GIBERNAU
14. PABLO BUENO
15. JERONIMO ETCHEVERRY
16. RODOLFO DE MULA
17. JUAN PEDRO ROMBYS
18. SEBASTIAN SAGARIO
19. MATHIAS PALOMEQUE
20. FRANCISCO VECINO
21. JUAN DE FREITAS
22. FEDERICO FAVARO
23. ALEJO DURAN
REFEREE: Juan Sylvestre (Argentina)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: David Smortchevsky (Canada)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Andrew McMaster (Canada)
MATCH OFFICIAL #4: Kai Taylor (Canada)
MATCH OFFICIAL #5: Chris Assmus (Canada)
MATCH OFFICIAL #6/Scorer: Bryan Arciero (Canada)
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