As Canada made their exit from RWC 2003, outgoing coach Dave Clark reckoned it was always going to be tough replacing a player of the stature of Al Charron.
The 37 year old lock chalked up 76 Test appearances in his stellar career, including a record-equalling 25 as captain of the Maple Leafs.
“I’ve said many times that he is the heartbeat of the Canadian team and I guess Al Charron has now played his last game maybe for Canada so where do we go from there?” Clark said after Canada’s hard-fought 24-7 win over Tonga in their final match of RWC 2003.
“You probably need two or three people to do the job that Al Charron does.”
Sign of the future?
But in what might be a telling sign for the future, promising hooker Mark Lawson assumed the captaincy of the side when his skipper was stretchered from the field in the 70th minute after being hit in a tackle from Tonga fly half Pierre Hola.
“When Al went down I think a lot of the guys were a little freaked out, maybe I’m just speaking for myself there because I was a little freaked out,” Lawson said.
“But we sort of brought it together. The energy was high and we wanted to make sure we kept it high because at that point in the game we were really pressing and playing some good rugby.
“I just think it was a general feeling that after seeing Al carted of the field like that there was no way we were going to lose the game.”
Respect
Fly half Bob Ross echoed Lawson’s sentiments adding there wasn’t a lot that needed to be said.
“We all have a tremendous amount of respect for Al, for who he is and what he has done for Canada rugby and coming back from injury for this Tournament,” Ross said.
“I just pointed at him (Charron) and said, ‘If you didn’t have any other reason to win this game there it is.’ We didn’t need a lot more emotion but it cemented things I think.”
Canada’s win ensured they left the Tournament with the same record of any other Canadian team before them but Lawson says the victory, while satisfying, is nothing to write home about.
“Our performance here at the Rugby World Cup, I wouldn’t describe as a failure by any means but I’d be hesitant also to rave about it being any more than a moderate success,” Lawson said.
Changing of the guard
Despite a changing of the guard that will include a new coach, the expected retirement of Charron, and possibly Ross, Lawson believes Canada’s future looks bright.
Lawson sighted players such as Garth Cooke, Jamie Cudmore, Josh Jackson, Matt King, Kevin Tkachuk and Marco di Girolamo as all having stepped up in class at this Tournament.
“Lots of things are probably going to change in the next few years, most specifically with having a new coach on board, it all depends on who that new coach is,” Lawson said.
As the curtain fell on Charron's career on Wednesday night, Lawson managed to find a bright spot for himself and his teammates.
“You get a world cup under your belt obviously you gain a little respect on the team for sure. We won’t have to put on any more rookie shows.”