Amazing tackle sealed win for Canadians

THURSDAY, NOV. 10: It was dubbed the “tackle of the century” by one overexcited commentator.

But there is no doubt that Kol Henrikson’s last-minute, try-saving tackle ensured Canada beat the odds as well as the Australians in a pulsating clash on Wednesday night.

The Aussies trailed by four points in the dying moments of injury time when the Canadians missed touch and gifted their opponents possession.

They duly launched a counter attack that saw five Wallabies running at just one Canadian – Henrikson.

The Canadian winger somehow ushered the onrushing runners towards the corner before launching himself at the last man and bundling him into touch five yards short of the try line.

The final whistle was swiftly blown and the exhausted Canadians celebrated a historic win with a thrilled crowd.

Henrikson, who was an athletics star before injury cut short his running career, told the Bermuda Sun: “I just remember being faced with these five guys coming at me.

“I tried to push them wide and angle them sideways and they kept passing the ball down the line.

“Then I pinned my ears back and went for it.

“I managed to push him out just before the try line and when I got up everyone was patting me on the head. It was an amazing moment.

“I knew it was a big tackle and there was a lot riding on it.”

Henrikson was only a last minute addition to the Canada squad after another player was forced to drop out.

But he played the whole game on Wednesday night and helped put his side in the lead in the first half with a neatly worked try.

But his last ditch intervention with the try line beckoning was his most vital act of a tense encounter.

He added: “Earlier in the week we had come across a few Aussies in town.

“They gave the impression they were going to thrash us and told us they were going to break our ribs.

“So when the final whistle was blown it was nice to see the looks on their faces.

“It’s a special moment for us and we want to add to it.

“There’s a great team spirit in the camp at the moment and we are having a lot of fun.”

Henrikson was born in Vancouver and grew up in a rugby family.

But he turned to the track after being offered a scholarship to study at Idaho State University in the U.S.

He said: “I was a good 800 metre runner and had dreams of making it to the Olympics.

“But I developed some shin problems and had to have operations on both legs.

“That effectively put an end to my track career.

“When I returned to Canada I got into rugby again. I always had rugby in my childhood and my dad who runs a club in Vancouver was a big influence on me.

“He is the one who told me I would be stupid not come to Bermuda for the Classic.

“He was right.”