Canada winger Jeff Hassler hopes his last experience of the Rugby World Cup won’t be the historic loss to Romania at England 2015.
The 26-year-old was a member of the Canadian team that was on the receiving end of the biggest comeback in Rugby World Cup history when they threw away a 15-0 lead in their final pool game to lose 17-15 at Leicester City Stadium, and the Alberta native may never get the chance to put right that wrong – unless the Canucks successfully negotiate their upcoming Americas 2 play-off against Uruguay.
Wales-based Hassler has not featured for the national team since that loss to Romania, mainly due to untimely injuries. However, the 17-cap international is back in the national squad in time for the RWC 2019 qualifiers, on 27 January in Vancouver – a match that forms part of the Americas Rugby Championship 2018 – and 3 February in Montevideo, where a place in Pool D alongside Australia, Wales, Georgia and Fiji is on the line.
“It’s always fun to get back involved with the lads and play rugby for Canada and it is kind of frustrating that I’ve not been able to do that. I’ve been unlucky with injuries around the international windows but, fingers crossed, I stay healthy in time to be involved in these games,” he said.
While Canada have the better Rugby World Cup pedigree of the two nations, having taken part in every tournament to date and reached the 1991 quarter-finals, Uruguay will start as slight favourites due to their higher World Rugby Ranking – 18th to 21st – and an impressive set of results in 2017 showing 10 wins and only three defeats.
“If you look at form over the last 12-18 months, they will be the favourites. They’ve been around each other quite a bit and performing well while, and I’m not using this as an excuse, we’ve not spent that much time together and need to try and get up to speed as quickly as possible,” he added.
Hassler scored the second of Canada’s tries to put his side in what seemed like an unassailable position against Romania back in 2015, only for the Oaks to come storming back. Despite the disappointment of finishing the tournament without a win to their name, Hassler says RWC 2015 is still the highlight of his career.
“Playing in the World Cup was the pinnacle of my career, and still is. It makes me very proud to have experienced that in Wales, where I play professionally for the Ospreys, and in England in front of so many Canadian fans. We were all taken aback by the level of support we received.”
Hassler, who will be 32 by the time the 2023 edition of the Rugby World Cup comes around, added: “It would be pretty devastating if we didn’t qualify for the next World Cup because I know how much effort goes into it and how much it means to the fans. These games against Uruguay are do-or-die."