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Canada opened their World Rugby U20 Challenger Cup campaign in style on Friday, obliterating Namibia 95–6 at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento de Rugby (CARR) in Santiago, Chile.
In a ruthless, one-sided showcase of clinical offensive execution, the Canadians completely overpowered their African opponents right from the opening whistle to firmly establish themselves as the team to beat in Pool B. Wingers Briar Barron and Malin Hazl both scored hat-tricks. Fly-half Joe Kaufmann added to the tally by successfully landing 10 conversions.
From the opening whistle, Canada established absolute dominance through a potent combination of physical forward play and rapid backline execution. The Canadian pack consistently won the battle at the breakdown, providing clean, quick ball that allowed the backline to slice through the Namibian defense at will. Namibia struggled severely to cope with Canada’s relentless high-tempo offense, quickly finding themselves pinned deep inside their own half under an unyielding wave of pressure.
Canada’s clinical execution turned the match into a one-sided affair well before the halftime whistle. The Canadians showcased impressive depth and cohesion, seamlessly linking their phases to cross the try line repeatedly while leaving the Namibian defenders chasing shadows. Defensively, Canada was equally imposing; they choked out Namibia’s rare counter-attacking opportunities, limiting the African nation to a mere pair of penalty goals throughout the entire 80 minutes.
As the second half progressed, Canada refused to take their foot off the gas, utilizing their bench to maintain a punishing pace. The substitutes injected fresh energy into the lineup, culminating in a late-game scoring blitz that pushed the final tally to a staggering 95–6. This masterclass performance not only gives Canada a massive +89 point differential to lead Pool B, but it also provides maximum momentum heading into their crucial midweek clash against Belgium.
