Take the jump to read more.
Having three scheduled matches is important to the U.S. program, but it also bring up one important question: when will the last stage of the Americas World Cup qualifying take place? Traditionally the loser of the U.S.-Canada series has played the South American qualifier (Uruguay) for the last Americas spot each November. However, with both the U.S. and Canada booked--Canada plays four times in November--and Uruguay hosting Spain, there seems to be no time for the home and away to take place. But on either side of the November test window and professional clubs are going to be putting pressure on their Tier II players to return.
Perhaps this opens the door for the qualifying series to be held at a different date. We reached out to see if this was the case but have yet to hear back. What is know is that U.S.A. Rugby CEO Nigel Melville and Eagles head coach Mike Tolkin have been pushing for the opportunity to play matches in the spring window alongside the Six Nations and the Six Nations B. If this is the case it would allow the U.S. or Canada, and Uruguay, to play even more matches.
There is still plenty of time before the 2015 World Cup to decide the last Americas spot. Asia won’t decide their ultimately winner until May of 2014. Europe won’t decide until March and Africa until July. The repechage, the playoff to determine the final spot, won’t take place until November 2014. It’s even conceivable that if the home and away between North and South America isn’t held in the spring window it could be held next June in the summer window.
Naturally there would be problems with each scenario. If played in the spring, many Tier II players contracted to professional teams would feel pressure not to play during the spring window. With so many players already gone for Six Nations duty and many club teams still competing in various cups, clubs would be reluctant to lose even more players. That said, in total you aren’t looking at a large number of players, but even if a few of them aren’t able to make it back to their country for qualifying it could throw their teams off an swing an advantage to the other nation.
Another problem is the timing. The U.S. and Canadian domestic leagues don’t really begin until later in the spring. It’s simply too cold throughout the two countries to play much rugby. That would put the North American teams at a several disadvantage. At the same time, it would be Uruguay in the advantaged position for the first time. Arguably that would be more equitable.
If the matches are played next summer it could cut into what has become a very busy window for both the U.S. and Canada. The Pacific Nations Cup matches provide a great test for both countries but also take a huge chunk of the schedule. Couple that with the fact that a Tier I nation usually tours the continent and it becomes a very busy summer. Another possibility is having the qualifying series take place in July, just as the this years U.S.-Canada match was intended.
Overall, there are only net positives from this. Either way the U.S. and Canada are going to be playing more matches. That is a good thing. As like with every Tier II country the more time they have together the more opportunity there is to come together as a team. In turn that gives them an opportunity to work on more than just the basics. This is what Tier II nations have been asking for and it looks like the IRB has delivered.