There was more than just the IRB North America 4 title at stake in Abbotsford last weekend with players from all four representative sides hoping to make one last push for a place in the Canada and USA Eagles squads for Rugby World Cup 2007.

Players eager to convince Canada coach Ric Suggitt and his Eagles counterpart Peter Thorburn that they were ready to make that step up not just from club rugby to the North America 4, but also beyond that to the international stage.

In the end it was Canada West who retained their grip on the trophy with a convincing 43-11 defeat of USA Falcons in a repeat of the 2006 final, while USA Hawks provided the only American win on the Canadian leg by beating Canada East 34-29.

However had West relinquished the North America 4 title then there would still have plenty that Suggitt and his coaching team could take away from the tournament and plough into their camp building up the World Cup in France.

“I think as far as the West team were concerned, it was good to see them retain the trophy that they won last year,” Geraint John, the High Performance Director of Rugby Canada, told Total Rugby Radio.

“We were slightly disappointed that the East side didn’t also win on the final weekend, however the aim of the NA4 and the aim of the programme is to develop players and put them into a higher competition and higher games than they would face in Canada.

Change of plan

“That is what it has proved and again it has given players an opportunity to put their names forward towards the World Cup and also it has helped players I think in their development and to become professional rugby players and to go overseas.”

Suggitt had expected to announced his 30-man squad for the World Cup after the North America 4, having also seen the players up close in Canada’s campaign at the Barclays Churchill Cup and on their tour to New Zealand last month.

However, as John explains, that plan has now been changed slightly after several players stepped up to the plate with impressive performances in the North America 4, giving Suggitt something of a headache in terms of selection.

“Well originally Ric was going to select his squad of 30, the final 30, after the NA4 games. However with players performing so well we have decided that at this moment in time it has become a little bit more difficult to select the final 30,” John said.

“We are not actually going to select our squad of 30, we have selected a squad of 32 players to give us a little bit more time to finalise the 30 and again that is what the NA4 did, it gave him perhaps a few more headaches, but it also showed that we have a great squad and a great squad of players competing to go to the World Cup in France.”